Sussex heatwave: going to the seaside is the top activity for a British summer’s day, says Cadbury research

According to a new survey, park picnics, Flake 99 ice creams, BBQs and cutting the grass are also among the top 10 things that make up classic British summertime.

The top ten things in full are: going to the seaside (51 per cent), opening all the windows as soon as the sun comes up (45 per cent), eating a Flake 99 ice cream (43 per cent), having a picnic in the park (43 per cent): laughing children playing outside (38 per cent), the sizzle of the BBQ getting ready (38 per cent), the sound of cutting the grass (36 per cent), waves crashing on the beach (34 per cent), the smell of suntan lotion (31 per cent), and the sound of the ice cream van (30 per cent).

The research comes as Cadbury and First Bus begin treating lucky families to nostalgic seaside days out, with a new Flake 99 bus service running from London to Southend-on-Sea. The bus is set to depart from Leeds and Bradford to Bridlington later this month.

The news also comes as a heatwave hits Sussex and the county prepares for tourists to flock to its seaside towns.

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Olena Solodka, brand manager at Mondelez, says: “As Cadbury celebrates its 200th year anniversary this year, we are thrilled to partner with First Bus to help more families experience the simple joy of a beach trip this summer. While 95 per cent of Brits cherish time at the coast, some children are not setting foot on the sand, so we’ve created the 99 bus to give more families the chance to create memories that we all cherish – building sandcastles, paddling in the sea, and of course, enjoying an iconic Cadbury Flake 99!”

Even though going to the seaside is the number one activity for summer, around seven in ten modern parents say they hardly ever take their kids to the beach, according to Cadbury.

John Godfrey, head of Brand Strategy at First Bus, said: “When we saw the Cadbury research revealing just how many kids are missing out on those classic seaside adventures, we knew we had to get involved. We’re proud to partner on this initiative, which will help parents and children create cherished memories together this summer.”

The top 20 quintessentially British seaside memories, according to the Cadbury research: paddling in the sea (58 per cent), eating a Flake 99 ice cream (49 per cent), walks along the pier (47 per cent), playing on the arcades (41 per cent), reading a book on the beach (per cent 24 per cent), digging a massive hole in the sand (35 per cent), picnic baskets on the beach (34 per cent), donkey rides (20 per cent), ice cream vans (18 per cent), souvenir shops (17 per cent), candyfloss (16 per cent), stick of rock (13 per cent), burying your dad/mum in the sand (13 per cent), portable BBQs (13 per cent), buying postcards (11 per cent), running away from seagulls (11 per cent), games of cricket (10 per cent), socks and sandals (10 per cent), putting up your windbreaker in the wind (nine per cent), getting sand in your sandwiches (eight per cent).