Household Expenditure on Culture
11.22 Household spend on culture in the South West, under the category ‘recreation and culture’, was an average of £58.60 a week during 2002/03 – 2004/05, accounting for 16.5% of total regional household expenditure, (ONS 2006). This spend includes: admissions to cinemas, theatres and museums, purchase of print-based media, sporting and leisure goods, holidays, subscriptions to clubs and societies, entertainment equipment such as television and video/CD/DVD hire.
11.23 ‘Recreation and culture’ is the second highest expenditure category for households in the region after transport, (ONS 2006). The significance of the cultural sector to the local economy is further illustrated by the fact that the average south west household spends over two and a half times more on ‘recreation and culture’ than on clothing and footwear.
11.24 In England ‘recreation and culture’ (formerly defined as 'leisure goods and leisure services') is the second largest single item of family expenditure accounting for 14% of total expenditure. Households in the South West spent more on ‘leisure goods and services’ than essential items such as food and non-alcoholic drinks and housing during 2002/03 - 2004/05. Figure 11.3 below shows how the ‘recreation and culture’ spend in the South West is distributed, (ONS 2006).
