The roadhouse comes to Britain : drinking, driving and dancing, 1925-1955 / David W. Gutzke and Michael John Law.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gutzke, David W., 1949- author.

Law, Michael John, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Roadhouses--Great Britain--History--20th century.

Roadhouses.

Leisure--Great Britain--History--20th century.

Leisure.

Automobile travel--Social aspects--Great Britain--History--20th century.

Automobile travel.

Drinking of alcoholic beverages--Social aspects--Great Britain--History--20th century.

Drinking of alcoholic beverages.

Dance--Social aspects--Great Britain--History--20th century.

Dance.

Great Britain--Social life and customs--20th century.

Great Britain.

Great Britain--Civilization--American influences.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Bloomsbury Academic, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2017.

Summary:

"This is the first book to examine the cultural phenomenon of the roadhouse in mid 20th-century Britain and its impact on British leisure. The term 'roadhouse' was used in varied ways in the 1930s, from small roadside tearooms to enormous establishments on the outskirts of major cities. These roadhouses were an important component in the transformation of leisure in the 1930s and beyond, reflecting the increased levels of social and physical mobility brought about by new technologies, suburbanisation and the influence of American culture. Roadhouses attracted wealthy Londoners excited by the prospect of a high-speed run into the countryside. During the day, they offered family activities such as tennis, archery, horse riding and swimming. At night, they provided all the fun of the West End with dancing, classy restaurants, cabaret, swimsuit parades and dance demonstrations, subverting the licensing laws to provide all-night drinking. Rumours abounded of prostitution and transgressive behaviour in the car park. Roadhouses formed part of an imaginary America in suburban Britain that was promoted by the popularity of American movies, music and fiction, providing a pastiche of the American country club. While much work has been done on the Soho nightclubs of the 1930s, the roadhouse has been largely ignored. Michael John Law and David Gutzke fill this gap in the literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of the roadhouse's cultural meaning, demonstrating how Americanisation was interpreted for British consumers. This original and engaging study will be fascinating reading for all scholars of 20th-century British cultural history."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Gaudy Shacks and Palaces

Transatlantic Transgressions

Driving to the Roadhouse

Negotiating Class

Americanization and Modernity

The Roadhouse in the Public Imagination

Death of the Roadhouse?

Appendix: Catalogue of Interwar British Roadhouses.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

Electronic reproduction. London : Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017. Available via World Wide Web. Access limited by licensing agreement. s2017 dcunns

Other Format:

Print version: Gutzke, David W., 1949- author. Roadhouse comes to Britain

Original

ISBN:

9781474294522 (online)

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.