End of the road for ‘Sunday best’.

Traditional pursuits are being consigned to the history books and replaced by Sunday shopping, computer games and pub quizzes, according to a study by new TV channel Blighty.

Research identifies the “Sunday best” as the British tradition in steepest decline, while elevenses, parlour games, taking afternoon tea and donkey rides are also on the wane.

Quintessential British pastimes are being replaced by modern customs like blogging, social networking, curry nights and computer ‘sports’ like Wii tennis. May Day celebrations such as Morris dancing and dancing around a Maypole are on the way out with only 13 per cent of the young aware of them.

The survey of the changing face of modern Britain, conducted by Blighty, questioned 2,000 people aged under 25 and found just 6 per cent now made an effort to dress up on Sunday.

Playground games, such as conkers, hopscotch and skipping, noted the second-steepest decline, with just 13 per cent of people having played them or even seen them played.

Yesterday, Adrian Wills, the head of Blighty, said: “Only 4 per cent of young Brits have enjoyed a seaside attraction such as a Punch and Judy show.

Among the new traditions, stag and hen weekends are fast growing in popularity, with a fifth of Britons heading abroad.

ON THE WAY OUT

1. Wearing Sunday best
2. Playground games
3. May Day celebrations
4. Taking afternoon tea
5. Keeping a diary/writing letters
6. Harvest Festival celebrations
7 Parlour games
8. Elevenses
9. Morris dancing
10. Old time seaside attractions

NEW PASTIMES

1. January sales shopping
2. Blogging/social networking
3. Computer game sessions
4. Sunday shopping
5. Halloween parties
6. Attending farmers markets
7. Pub quizzes
8. Hen/Stag weekends
9. Voting for reality TV shows
10. Regular curry night

Taylor Herring Press Contact: Jenny Fairweather 0208 206 5151