Nicholas Craig column
May 26 2006 By Nicholas Craig, The Journal
Planned your Bank Holiday? For all of us taking time out at the beach, countryside or relaxing at home, there are many others having a fun family day out at a supermarket near you.
I have first-hand experience of this growing phenomenon.
Visiting Kingston Park during the last Bank Holiday, I was amazed to see how many families were strolling round the supermarket.
The therapeutic dimensions of shopping are well-known, but I'd underestimated Tesco's popularity as a holiday destination. Yet why not?
It is warm, friendly, sociable, replete with all you will ever need, and expensively designed to help us relax and buy.
For children who adore the latest gadgets more than outdoor pursuits it is a perfect chance to see and sample new toys.
For parents rushing between work and home day to day it's an opportunity to escape to a world where everything is provided.
Older people find the company of others, in warm, friendly surroundings a reason to return repeatedly.
The retail parks go one better. They construct full-day entertainment spectaculars to accompany a visit to their premises.
Fun fairs, magicians, celebrity visitors and even circus acts are brought in to encourage us to spend our holidays buying clothes and household goods.
It is interesting that these manufactured `experiences' increasingly appear to win hands down against the natural world, available 24 hours a day seven days a week across the North-East.
One of the best aspects of our coast and countryside is that every visit you make will be unique.
A visit to the MetroCentre, Asda or Dalton Park guarantees the same package, and keeps us well within our comfort zone.
Days out that we remember most are those that take us outside our normal existence, and introduce vivid new images to our receptive minds.
Memorable times are created more easily if we explore and discover the world outside, which refuses to stay the same, has no psychological strategy tempting us to stay, and is robustly real, warts, weather and all.
We can shop till we drop, but let's discover till-free regional delights for our bank holiday.
Nicholas Craig is a partner at Watson Burton LLP.
