What were the best bits about living in Britain in 1984? Despite a decided national tendency to ‘deplore discuss and dissect what is wrong’ (pub opening hours, football hooligans, the weather, Page Three, Margaret Thatcher) the Observer came up with a list of 99 ‘random and subjective’ reasons why Britain was still Great.
There are plenty you could guess: the Beatles, black cabs and crumpets; Pimm’s, panto dames, pubs, the Sunday papers. Some more overarching ideas about ourselves haven’t changed: the pervasive nostalgia behind the inclusion of country cottages, Georgian architecture, teatime and landscape painting is as heady as ever.
