I went to a film preview a couple of weeks ago in Soho. It’s a British film called The Golden Years (Banks, Bowls and Bingo). I imagine you get what it’s about from the name but here’s a quick summary of it. Read on to get my rose lemonade scone recipe too…
“Fate, the financial crisis and a stubborn refusal to accept the injustice of old age have forced retired couple Arthur and Martha Goode into a life of crime. Refusing to take the loss of their life savings lying down, they decide to fight back and take back what’s rightly theirs. The plan is simple: hit a series of banks, steal back their pensions and those of their similarly stricken friends, with enough left on top to save their beloved social club from being turned into a supermarket. But as the banks get bigger and the raids get riskier, the police get closer and the chances of the brave outlaws being caught gets ever higher”.
The main characters, Arthur and Martha, are played by Bernard Hill and Virginia McKenna. But there are a host of many other quality British actors included throughout the film such as Simon Callow, Alun Armstrong, Sue Johnston, Una Stubbs and Phil Davis. The Golden Years was written and produced by Nick Knowles, yes Nick from DIY SOS, along with John Miller (Living in Hope, Gatecrashers) and Mark Foligno (Moon, The King’s Speech).
The Golden Years is a feel good film of classic capers and a stereotypical blundering comic cop department headed by DC Stringer, played by Brad Moore. Stringer comes with fake tan, leather jacket and gelled quiff but lacks instinctive comic presence and timing. The film ambles along at a Golden Years pace with funny moments, endearing characters, a British sense of humour and several comedy bank heists. I’m not sure I really liked being fast forwarded to old age, seeing what it would and could be like before I get there myself although Simon Callow’s ridiculously larger than life character’s demise brought a smile to my face in a way that only Simon Callow could do with pure flamboyance.
The Golden Years embodies the principle of “you’re never too old to have fun” and Arthur and Martha go for it big time with their ambitious plans which seem to succeed with very little planning. When I get to my golden years I plan to spend as much time as I can drinking Earl grey tea and eating mountains of scones with my friends. So I am dedicating these rose lemonade scones to my future golden years with a side order of clotted cream. Here’s a trailer ….
Here are some other golden years worthy scones recipes for you:
Blueberry & white chocolate scones – Mostly About Chocolate
Black cherry & cinnamon scones – Foodie Quine
Perfect strawberry scones – Kerry Cooks
Cherry & orange scones – Fom Plate to Pen
Herby cheese scones – Family Friends Food
Feta, sage & pepper scones – Cook Sister
Cardamom & lemon scones – Recipes from a pantry
Cheddar & mustard scones – Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
Wild garlic scones – Tin & Thyme
Ham, potato & cheese scones – Fab Food 4 All
GOLDEN YEARS is in cinemas from 29 April #GoldenYears #50RaidsofGrey @goldenyearsfilm

Rose Lemonade Scones
Ingredients
- 400 g self raising flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 lemon zest only
- 1 tsp edible rose petals crushed
- 2 tsp rose water
- 250 ml double cream
- 250 ml rose lemonade
Instructions
- Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl then add in the sugar, dried rose petals, rose water, lemon zest. Stir to combine and make a well in the centre
- Measure the cream and the lemonade in a jug then pour them into the bowl and stir with a spoon until the mixture comes together into a ball of dough
- Turn the scone dough out onto a work surface dusted with flour and gently knead it for a minute until it forms a ball of soft, sticky dough. Do not over work the scone dough or it will make tough scones
- Shape the dough and press out scones using a cutter then gently re-roll the dough
- Keep cutting out scones until you have used all the scone dough
- Bake in a pre heated oven 220 degrees for 15 minutes until golden
- Cool on a wire rack before eating
Recipe Notes
The scones will keep well until the next day in a tupperware. Alternatively you can freeze them and re-heat in a warm oven for 10 minutes.
Sounds like a classic Britflick – love SImon Callow and still remember his theatrical demise in Four Weddings and Funeral. I am a HIGE fan of scones – they were the first thing my mom taught me to make – so I will definitely be joining you for Golden years scones, if not bank heists ;o)
Good plan Jeanne an afternoon of scones would be lovely and scones make for a brilliant recipe to get kids into baking.
I LOVE rose lemonade so I imagine I would be a fan of these. They sound great, I’ve heard lots about this film too so I will have to check it out.
Oh you will love these then Becky!
Rose lemonade sounds awesome! I’ve never heard of this movie – I think my parents would love it!
They would Sarah!
These scones look so divine and I best they tasted amazing, I have just the jam for them too!
Oh perfect Camilla!
Intrigued by this recipe. I’ve heard of using lemonade in scones but never tried it myself. Now wondering about Gin & Tonic Scones!
I don’t see why not Claire!
I watched ‘The Intern’ recently and laughed out loud. It’s a film that portrays older people in a positive light too. Robert de Niro is a 70 year old who applied to be an intern. I loved it.
Rose lemonade – I knew there was a use for it! Love this recipe.
Thanks Sally and the de Niro film sounds good too
These sound so deliciously elegant! Something for a steampunk tea party, perhaps? 🙂
Yes definitely Elizabeth!
They look great and it’s a brilliant idea to marry rose water with scones – but the liquid content is quite high? I make mine with just 250g of cream/yoghurt plus a little butter for that amount of flour. Isn’t the dough too sticky?
(feel free to tell me: ‘just go ahead and try if you don’t trust me!:)
Hope you give them a try!