Places of Pleasure
Where and what are the leisure spaces in our towns today? Do you visit a leisure park complete with cinema, bowling alley and restaurants? Maybe you prefer the theatre district or an art gallery? Or perhaps you love a physical challenge? The Georgian town and city devoted spaces to the pursuit of pleasure – opera houses, theatres, fairs, assembly rooms, coffee houses and pleasure gardens were just some of the places dedicated to leisure and fun. Discover these places of pleasure right here…
A Day at the Races
From the thrill of the race to the highs and lows of gambling, a day at the races offered an irresistible and heady mix of blood-rushing spectator sport and dynamic social interaction.
Gardens of Delight
For a modest ticket price, Pleasure Gardens transported the Georgian city dweller to an outdoor, surreal world of musical performances, art exhibitions, promenading, dancing and artificial illuminations.
Assembling Polite Society
Public assemblies were places to see and be seen. Here social gatherings, games, refreshments and particularly dancing were enjoyed, for the price of a seasonal or annual subscription.