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Traditionally the family sat around for a meal of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, lamb, with mint sauce, pork and apple sauce or a fat roast chicken with sage and onion stuffing. There would be rich gravy made from the meat or chicken juices, roast potatoes and mash. The vegetables would include overcooked carrots and cabbage, mashed with butter and white pepper. The main course would be followed by a substantial pudding such as apple pie, or steamed sponge with custard. There would be plenty of chat and laughter followed by a ‘nice cup of tea’ and then some gardening, outdoor games or perhaps a family walk.

Nowadays the Sunday roast is usually pub based. The nicer meals are found at village pubs, where they try to emulate the traditional family roast by providing similar. Unfortunately the neat servings of piping hot food have that slightly shiny flavour of microwave. Families can sit around and chat, albeit more generally and self consciously than normal, because of the awareness that they aren’t in the privacy of their own home.

Then there are the huge brewery chains that offer ‘traditional Sunday roasts’ as part of a carvery,in a ‘child friendly’ environment. This means that they have an indoor and outdoor play area and high chairs. Families can choose from a selection of roast meat, vegetables, potatoes and gravy, from the servery where the food is kept hot for so long so that it tastes of biscuit.

Children don’t want to sit around talking to the parents when they could be playing in the designated areas, especially as they have usually had a fizzy drink and are spinning off the walls. The non-driving parent/partner/family friend takes advantage of the fact that the kids are occupied and they are in a pub, and gets sloshed while the other gets more annoyed because they can’t. By the time they are ready to go the kids have to be dragged away protesting so both parents get furious with them as well as each other. The rest of the day is spent recovering from the effects of the meal, whether fizzy, alcoholic or resentful.