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.

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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.

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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.

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