The Ham and Egger Files: June 2024

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Flight Club Darts in Leeds

A visit to Flight Club to play some darts in Leeds.

Flight Club Darts in Leeds

We really like playing darts and have found that Flight Club is a top place to play the game. Although if you're looking to have a play of standard 501 rules you won't find that.

Instead there are a range of interactive games more suited to groups. My favourite is Demolition - as close to a 'normal' game of darts as you'll find at Flight Club - where the aim is to reach zero from a starting point of 180. I managed to finish in seven darts in one of our games.

We booked in for a 90-minute session at the Leeds city centre location for some competitive fun on our recent wedding anniversary.

In case you were wondering who won - it was me

Flight Club has a really good atmosphere, a nice range of drinks, and is a pleasant spot to spend a few hours. The service from the staff is helpful and friendly too. Our 90-minute session was £14 each and we got to play a LOT of games in that time. You also get sent your game results, stats & facts, as well as the photos and videos taken by the oche-cameras at the venue while you play. It's a really neat touch and allows you to get on and enjoy the games without snapping away or tallying up the scores yourself.

We've played at Flight Club Leeds with a friend before and having a third player, or more, can add to the challenge of the games.

Emily recently played at Flight Club in Las Vegas, and I've been to the Manchester Flight Club for some socials in the last couple of years.

The Flight Club venues have some cool darts memorabilia and ephemera dotted around the venue, and I like the onscreen counter in the bar that shows you how many darts have been thrown at Flight Club venues around the world in real-time! It was over 500 million at the time we were there!

We'd highly recommend you give it a go if you've not been before.

Check out the Flight Club website for more information.

Gluten free at The Oxford Place in Leeds

Another superb meal at The Oxford Place in Leeds.

We're BIG fans of The Oxford Place restaurant in Leeds. It serves excellent food and the team there do so much to make the dining experience as normal as possible for people with Coeliac Disease. It's brilliant to be able to dine at a 100% gluten free place.

We had a fantastic three course meal there for our recent wedding anniversary.

Gluten free at The Oxford Place in Leeds

I had the Duck & Yorkies for my main - the confit duck leg is hidden behind the Yorkshire puddings and under the fried duck egg!

Check out The Oxford Place's website for more information.

Ready to tuck in!

Carozza

My dessert was the Trillionaire's Slice

A Trillionaire's Slice!

Emily had the cod dish - it was similar to the dish I had there on our last visit. It looked delicious, and Emily said it was

We can't wait for our next meal there already!

Princess Parade Crazy Golf in Blackpool

A look the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course in Blackpool.

Just before we headed home we had a walk along the promenade to Princess Parade in Blackpool and a look at the Crazy Golf course there earlier this week.

Who's that in the orange jacket on the sign eh...

Check out the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course Facebook Group for more information.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf

We had a look at the Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf course on a return visit to Blackpool earlier this week.

In September 2009 I won the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open minigolf tournament on the course.

I believe the course had a refresh recently. It looks to be in good condition.

I shot the course record - a 24 in the first round of the 2009 Pleasure Beach Open. However, Peter McGillivray's name and round of 25 shots has been up on the board since 2016! I'm not bitter about it lol

Visit the Blackpool Pleasure Beach website for more information on the course.

Putt Above Mini Golf & Bar in Blackpool

We spotted the Putt Above Mini Golf & Bar in Blackpool earlier this week.

The indoor minigolf venue is located on the promenade not too far from the Blackpool Tower.

We didn't have time to play the high-tech indoor minigolf course on the nice and sweltering hot day out, but will give it a go when we're back on a less pleasant day weather-wise in the seaside town.

Check out the Putt Above website for more information.

Hole in Wand minigolf in Blackpool

We swung by the Hole In Wand minigolf course in Blackpool on a trip to the seaside town this week.

The indoor minigolf course can be found on the promenade near the Blackpool Tower.

Check out the Hole In Wand website for more information.

Emily played the Hole In Wand Wizard Golf in York last year.

Toys R Us at the Trafford Centre

A Toys R Us is opening at the Trafford Centre.

I spotted this sign for a new Toys R Us opening inside the WH Smith at the Trafford Centre in Manchester on a recent trip to the shopping centre.

While the last of the original Toys R Us stores in the UK closed on the 24th April 2018 the brand returned to the UK in 2022 with an online presence, and further expanded in 2023 with the opening of nine concessions inside WH Smith.

There are plans to create 30 Toys R Us concessions in WH Smith shops during 2024.

Working at Toys R Us

My first job while at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Toys R Us concessions in the USA

Emily saw a Toys R Us at a Macy's department store in Fort Worth, Texas and a sign for one at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on a trip to the USA earlier this year.

The old Toys R Us

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited a number of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

Former Toys R Us locations we've visited on our travels:

Lost Toys R Us Stores

My book about Lost Toys R Us Stores is available to buy from Amazon.

There were once 105 Toys R Us stores in the UK. The business ceased trading in 2018 and all of the shops closed.

It is still possible to find traces of the brand on some retail parks and shopping centres around the UK.

The book takes a look at some of those old stores between 2019 and 2021.

Buy Lost Toys R Us Stores on Amazon.

Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Prison Putt in Parrs Wood, Manchester

Parrs Wood Prison Putt is opening in July.

A new indoor minigolf course is opening in Parrs Wood, Manchester on Saturday 6th July.

The 10-hole crazy golf course is opening at the Tenpin centre at Parrs Wood.

Find out more on the Parrs Wood Prison Putt website.

Parrs Wood is just over the border from us so the course will be the new closest indoor minigolf to us. We'll have to check it out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Urban Putters Crazy Golf in Lincoln

A look at the Urban Putters Crazy Golf course in Lincoln.

Urban Putters Crazy Golf in Lincoln

We recently met some friends in Lincoln and booked in to do some Axe Throwing for the first time. The venue is also home to Urban Putters indoor crazy golf.