Princess Parade North Shore postcards from Blackpool

A look back at some views of Blackpool.

As an avid collector of minigolf postcards it was brilliant to find these two views of the Princess Parade area of Blackpool.

One is an undated and unposted Bamforth card of the Crazy Golf course at the North Shore and is one of a number in my collection showing the layout.

Crazy Golf, North Shore, Blackpool. 50. Bamforth Post Card. Unposted. Undated

The other is an undated and unposted Tuck's card and shows the area before it was home to the Crazy Golf!

Princess Parade, Looking North, Blackpool. Tuck's Post Card. Unposted. Undated

Before finding these postcards yesterday I had 21 postcards showing the North Shore Crazy Golf course with ten different views. Some of the cards have been postally used, while others are unused.

I have another copy of the Bamforth card. That one is also postally unused, but has the words 'Visited 14th April 1979' are written on the reverse.

We've visited the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course a number of times over the years. But we've never had a proper full round on the layout as it's never been open.

The teams at Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and the Fylde Street Angels are working on a project to reopen the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course on Blackpool's North Shore. It'll be superb to play the updated course.

Related blog posts:
- Renovation of the North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
- Princess Parade Crazy Golf course update
- A Crazy Golf postcard from Blackpool

Pizza Luigi takeaway in Blackpool

Spotting a Luigi's pizza takeaway in Blackpool.

On my recent trip to Blackpool I was surprised to see the Pizza Luigi takeaway on Dickson Road!

Pizza Luigi in Blackpool

Mmmm, Calzone

I've seen a number of Mario takeaways, and another Mario's on Foxhall Road in the town that features both Mario and Luigi on the sign in the window. But this was the first where Luigi was on his own.

Interestingly, Pizza Luigi is opposite Mario's!

Mario's takeaway on Dickson Road in Blackpool

I've also seen a Mario mini market in Levenshulme, Mario and Luigi ice cream vans in Buxton and Hathersage, Mario movers in Newcastle and Mario's takeaway in Barnsley.

Mario's takeaway in Blackpool

Spotting a Mario's takeaway in Blackpool.

On my recent trip to Blackpool I spotted Mario's takeaway on Dickson Road!

Mario's takeaway in Blackpool

Mario's takeaway in Blackpool

Mario's is opposite Pizza Luigi!

Pizza Luigi takeaway on Dickson Road in Blackpool

I've also seen a Mario mini market in Levenshulme, Mario and Luigi ice cream vans in Buxton and Hathersage, Mario movers in Newcastle and Mario's takeaway in Barnsley.

There's another Mario's takeaway on Foxhall Road in Blackpool. That one features both characters on the window.

Princess Parade Crazy Golf course update

An update on the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course project in Blackpool.

A look at the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course

Earlier this year the teams at Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and the Fylde Street Angels joined forces to refresh and reopen the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course on Blackpool's North Shore.

How the course looked in May this year

The area has been given a massive clean up by the project team

The minigolf project is helping people in Blackpool by giving them the chance to work on the Crazy Golf course so it is playable and then staffing it for the season. It's a wonderful plan to give people the opportunity to receive work experience, while also bringing an historic, but disused, minigolf course back to life.

We had a play of some of the holes at the course last Thursday and it's coming along nicely

The course will retain as many of the original obstacles as possible, with repairs made to damaged elements

It's a pleasure to be a part of the project and I've enjoyed meetings and calls with the teams at Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool & the Fylde Street Angels, Blackpool Council and the Blackpool Civic Trust since hearing about the endeavour.

I'm really looking forward to seeing and playing the course when it opens for business in April next year

Last week I revisited the course and met with colleagues and volunteers who are doing a superb job. The course and surrounding area are looking in a much improved condition to when I last saw it in person back in May.

More information on the project can be found on the Blackpool Princess Parade Crazy Golf Facebook Group and via Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and the Fylde Street Angels.

It'll be wonderful once the course is up and running again. We've got 21 postcards showing the North Shore Crazy Golf course with ten different views. Some of the cards have been postally used, while others are unused. It's great to see the photos of it in its heyday.

Blackpool Crazy Golf course, North Shore. PT18819 by Photo Precision Limited. Unused

The card below is the earliest posted example we have of the course. It was sent to Manchester on the 4th June 1969.

Crazy Golf Course and North Pier, Blackpool postcard. The Photographic Greeting Card Co Ltd. London. Posted to Manchester

Blackpool Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf

Revisiting the Adventure Golf course at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

I was in Blackpool yesterday and had to swing by the Adventure Golf course at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

The weather was a bit different to my last visit in May.

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

We first visited the 12-hole adventure golf course in 2008 when we helped to launch the course and competed in the inaugural Blackpool Pleasure Beach Open tournament. The course was number 44 on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Visit the Blackpool Pleasure Beach website for more information.

It's still annoying that my name has never been up on the hut as I've got the course record - a 24 in the first round of the 2009 Pleasure Beach Open. Peter McGillivray's name and round of 25 shots has been up on the board since 2016

There used to be another minigolf course inside the Pleasure Beach - an Alpine themed one. That was the 46th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Alpine Golf course at the Pleasure Beach is now a lost course

Related blog posts:
- Blackpool
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Mario's and Luigi's takeaways in Blackpool

They're opposite each other on Dickson Road in Blackpool.

What a sight!

Mario's in Blackpool

Pizza Luigi in Blackpool

Over the last few years I've seen a number of Mario takeaways, but this was the first full-blown Luigi place I've spotted.

Pizza Luigi in Blackpool

There's another Mario's on Foxhall Road in Blackpool. That one features both characters on the window.

We've seen Mario and Luigi in some interesting places in the last few years.

There's a Mario mini market in Levenshulme, Mario & Luigi ice cream vans in Buxton and Hathersage, Mario movers in Newcastle and Mario's takeaway in Barnsley.

Coral Island amusement arcade in Blackpool

A look at the Coral Island amusement arcade in Blackpool.

A view of Coral Island and the Tower

I revisited the excellent Coral Island amusement arcade while in Blackpool yesterday.

The skull at the entrance recently suffered a fire. Luckily it didn't cause any real damage

Coral Island is one of my favourite amusement arcades. We've visited a LOT of arcades on our travels to over 200 seasides in the UK since 2006 and it's the only place we've found to have an Pirate Flyer Laser Gun Indoor Monorail!

The view from the Pirate Flyer Monorail

Visit the Coral Island website for more information.

Related blog posts:
- Pirate Flyer Laser Gun Monorail in Blackpool
- Amusement Arcades
- Blackpool

A look at the Metropole Hotel in Blackpool

While visiting the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course I had a look at the neighbouring Metropole hotel.

The Metropole is operated by Britannia Hotels, the owners of Pontin's. It was formerly a Butlin's hotel.

The Metropole hotel in Blackpool

Built in 1776, the hotel was owned by Butlins from 1955 until 1998 when it was purchased by Grand Hotels. In 2004 the hotel was sold to Britannia Hotels.

Interestingly it's the only hotel in Blackpool on the seaward side of the tram tracks.

The Pontin's flag flying at The Metropole

Related blog posts:

- The Metropole Hotel in Blackpool

- Blackpool

Popeye's Take Away in Blackpool

A look at Popeye's Take Away in Blackpool.

Popeye's take away in Blackpool

Popeye's takeaway in Blackpool has had a bit of a refresh since last year.

Popeye's take away in Blackpool has some new signage

They sell kebabs, pizza and burgers. But what about spinach?

Is spinach on the menu at Popeye's?

Related blog posts:
- Popeye
- Popeyes Take Away in Blackpool

A Coronation Street film location. In Blackpool

Visiting an infamous scene location in British soap history.

I was recently in Manchester city centre and was starstruck when I spotted Sue Nicholls and Mark Eden who played Audrey Roberts and Alan Bradley in Coronation Street.

This bit of celeb spotting got me chatting about the classic and infamous scene where the soap's baddie Alan Bradley got his comeuppance by getting killed by a tram in Blackpool.

My mate Marc 'The Roller' Bazeley and I jokingly wondered whether there was a plaque on the spot he was hit. After a little research I found out that there actually is a plaque to 'commemorate' the incident! It's on the entrance of The Strand Hotel.

We regularly visit the seaside resort so on my latest day out there I had a look to see where the scene was filmed.

The scene of telly soap baddie Alan Bradley's Coronation Street Death by Tram outside The Strand Hotel in Blackpool

A view from outside The Strand Hotel

A closer look at the tracks

A view of The Strand Hotel

A view of the street

I was able to avoid the same fate that befell one of soap's most notorious bad guys when I filmed this tram passing by the spot.

We've spotted quite a few interesting plaques on our travels.

Related blog posts:
- Plaque-ing Interesting
- Blackpool
- Plaques

Minigolf in Paris

We've played two Paris-themed minigolf holes this year - one at the Riverside Bowl's Glo-Golf course and one on the Landmark Golf layout at Wolsingham Sports Hall. 

Hole 3 of the Glo-Golf course in Andvover

Hole 3 of the Landmark Golf course was also Paris-themed

Emily has actually been to Paris this year.

The Eiffel Tower in July

Emily logged her first Invader in Paris - the city is swarming with them

I have been to Blackpool though.

Blackpool - the Paris of the North West

Do let us know if you've played any minigolf in Paris? Or if you know of any other Paris-themed minigolf holes?

Minigolfnews blog: Bringing an old minigolf course back to life

My latest blog post at Minigolfnews is about the work of Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool & the Fylde Street Angels and the project bringing an old Crazy Golf course back to life.

The course wasn't in great condition before the project got underway

The teams at the two organisations in the seaside resort have joined forces to refresh and reopen the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course on Blackpool's North Shore.

You can view my guest blog posts at Minigolfnews.

Update on the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

The Princess Parade Crazy Golf course project in Blackpool is moving forward.

The project to reopen the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course is underway

The teams at Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and the Fylde Street Angels have joined forces to refresh and reopen the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course on Blackpool's North Shore. Work has recently started down on the site with initial clean ups and litter picking having taken place.

How the course looked before the project started

The minigolf project is helping homeless people in Blackpool by giving them the chance to work on the Crazy Golf course so it is playable and then staffing it for the season. It's a wonderful plan to give people the opportunity to receive work experience, while also bringing an historic, but disused, miniature golf course back to life.

How the course looked after the initial clean-up

It was brilliant visiting the course in May where I joined representatives from a number of agencies, including Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and the Fylde Street Angels, Blackpool Council and the Blackpool Civic Trust for a tour of the site. We also had a round to play-test the holes as they were and to look at ways to refurbish, repair and update the damaged holes and obstacles.

At the course in May 2019

We've been to the course a number of times over the years, but have never been able to play it. We're looking forward to playing on the course when it reopens. You can see photos of the course from my visit in May in my North Shore Crazy Golf course in Blackpool blog post.

How the course looked in August last year

This was how the course looked on our first Crazy World of Minigolf Tour visit in September 2009

More information on the project can be found on the Blackpool Princess Parade Crazy Golf Facebook Group and via Blackpool Fulfilling Lives and Blackpool and the Fylde Street Angels.

It'll be superb once the course is up and running again. We've got 21 postcards showing the North Shore Crazy Golf course with ten different views. Some of the cards have been postally used, while others are unused. It's lovely to see the photos of it in its heyday.

Blackpool Crazy Golf course, North Shore. PT18819 by Photo Precision Limited. Unused

The card below is the earliest posted example we have of the course. It was sent to Manchester on the 4th June 1969.

Crazy Golf Course and North Pier, Blackpool postcard. The Photographic Greeting Card Co Ltd. London. Posted to Manchester