I enjoy seeing and discovering different and interesting examples of architecture. And living in Stockport we have a myriad of intriguing buildings. Most notable of which is possibly the Stockport Pyramid! It's a striking sight and clearly seen by thousands of people passing by on the M60 and railway lines each day.
The rear of the Watford pyramid
The Watford Pyramid was doubly interesting to me as it was a) a pyramid, and b) a former Blockbuster Video store - another area of study of mine.
How tall is the Watford Pyramid?
I'd be interested in finding out how tall the Watford Pyramid is, and how it compares in size to the Stockport Pyramid.
There has been a boom in nostalgia for the brand in recent years. The Bend store is now a destination for people wanting to rekindle some of that 90's spirit.
Blockbuster in the UK.
Blockbuster ceased operations in the UK in December 2013. At the start of that year there were 528 Blockbuster locations in the UK. The number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. The last stores closed on the 16th December.
Even now, there are still some clearly visible remnants of the brand on the high street and on retail parks. And we've been to most of them on our travels!
Blockbuster Video stores we've visited.
Check out these posts about other former Blockbuster Video stores we've been to in:
Emily and I have spent the last few years reminiscing about 'the good old days'. One of our areas of interest is in old retail brands - we're both marketers by profession and two of my first jobs in the 1990's and the year 2000 were at Tandy and Toys R Us, while Emily's first job was at a Happy Shopper shop. It's been fascinating to find remnants of these brands - and a number of other lost, dead and defunct brands - on the high street and at retail parks around the UK.
We timed our visit perfectly during a wander round the city centre as the doors opened just after we arrived so we were able to be the first players on the course on a Saturday morning - a nice bonus for us as minigolf courses can get very busy, especially on weekends!
Golf Fang crazy golf in Nottingham is a themed, 18-hole indoor minigolf layout where the journey through the 18 holes gives you a wild experience of obstacles, sights and sounds!
One of those holes is a playable Blockbuster Video shop!
Find out more.
Visit the Golf Fang website for more information on the Nottingham course and other venues.
Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.
The Golf Fang indoor crazy golf course in Nottingham was the 1,088th course visited and 587th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.
Golf Fang was formerly known as Ghetto Golf, and we've previously been to their locations in Digbeth, Liverpool and Byker.
Video shop memories.
Growing up in the 80s and 90s I've got fond memories of visiting video shops with my family and picking out a film or two (generally one of the Police Academy films, action flicks, or horror movies as I got older!).
There were some 'interesting' titles in the BARGAIN BIN at Golf Fang!
Visiting Blockbuster Video stores.
At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster Video stores around the world. 500+ of which were in England, Scotland and Wales. Interestingly in Northern Ireland the Xtra-Vision brand was used by the owners in-line with the Republic of Ireland.
The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013.
Amazingly we've been able to find traces of the brand at 29 former store locations. This has ranged from QuikDrop boxes to parking signage to full shopfronts!
A QuikDrop on the Golf Fang course
Playing Blockbuster Crazy Golf.
It was brilliant to play the immersive Blockbuster Video-themed Crazy Golf hole at Golf Fang Nottingham.
Blockbuster Golf & Games was an entertainment centre that gathered together mini golf, batting cages, a giant arcade and more in one location. It didn't go as far as Netflix House in its use of popular brands and licences from the world of TV, film and entertainment though, with the Blockbuster branding being prominent.
Blockbuster Golf & Games was located in Sunrise, Florida, USA and opened in 1994. It closed in the year 2000.
Every so often old golf balls from Blockbuster Golf & Games appear for sale, however there isn't a lot of information or photos of the actual course available online.
Block Party
Also in 1994 Blockbuster Video opened two 'Block Party' locations - one in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and another in Indianapolis, Indiana. They closed in 2002.
Block Party was an indoor entertainment centre that brought together recreational activities in a retail environment including virtual reality games, laser tag, arcade games, indoor rides, 4D experiences and more.
Dead Mall Walking did a nice deep-dive into Block Party (and includes Blockbuster Golf & Games) and you can watch it at this link and the video below.
Did you ever visit Blockbuster Golf & Games or Block Party? Do you have memories of the place and the minigolf course at Blockbuster Golf & Games?
Blockbuster Video nostalgia
Nowadays there is nostalgia for the Blockbuster brand, and while there is still one solitary Blockbuster Video store still operating - in Bend, Oregon - you are more likely to see the Blockbuster name adorning pop-ups at events. One of the more recent was a collaboration with KitKat.
During the pandemic my interest in lost brands and retail history was piqued and since then I've been to several former Blockbuster Video stores around the UK, as well as finding some other old, and some still open, video shops on our travels!
At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster Video stores around the world. 500+ of which were in England, Scotland and Wales. Interestingly in Northern Ireland the Xtra-Vision brand was used by the owners in-line with the Republic of Ireland. The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013.
The theming is really well done and the bar had a chilled atmosphere. It's worth a visit.
Visit the Rewind NQ website for more information on the speakeasy bar and nightclub.
Video shop hunting in 2025
We're big fans of video, videos stores, retail history and retro stuff and have been visiting and documenting the last remaining traces of the Blockbuster brand in the UK over the last few years. We've seen a number of the brand's shopfronts, signs and QuikDrop boxes. As well as some other video shops.
Video rental shops in the UK
It's very nice to see there are still businesses active in the 'video rental' sector!
A look at a 'Blockbuster Video' store in Croydon, South London.
I recently saw a post on LinkedIn that there was a 'Blockbuster Video' shopfront in Croydon! Luckily a friend of ours was down that way recently and managed to take a couple of snaps of it.
It's intriguing to see the shopfront (and what's in the window) in 2025!
You don't see red telephone boxes that often anymore either!
The old sign at the former Blockbuster Video store on Regent Street in Nuneaton was uncovered when a tenant of the building moved out. This is how the store looked on the 2nd May 2021.
Blockbuster Video store locations we've visited on our travels
Our interest in lost brands and retail history has taken us to several former Blockbuster stores:
The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK on this day in 2013.
Blockbuster Video entered the UK video rental market in 1989 following the purchase of Ritz Video.
In 2013 there were over 500 Blockbuster locations in the UK. Throughout that year the number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. On the 16th December 2013 all stores ceased operations.
It's amazing that there are still clearly visible remnants of the brand on the high street and on retail parks eleven years later.
The sign about the closure was still visible on the window there before it was demolished.
At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster stores around the world. 500+ of which were in England, Scotland and Wales. Interestingly in Northern Ireland the Xtra-Vision brand was used by the owners in-line with the Republic of Ireland.
Blockbuster certainly wasn't the first video rental shop brand, but it was at one time the market leader.
Blockbuster Video store locations we've visited on our travels
Our interest in lost brands and retail history has taken us to several former Blockbuster stores:
Emily and I have spent the last few years reminiscing about 'the good old days'. One of our areas of interest is in old retail brands - we're both marketers by profession and two of my first jobs in the 1990's and the year 2000 were at Tandy and Toys R Us, while Emily's first job was at a Happy Shopper shop. It's been fascinating to find remnants of these brands - and a number of other lost, dead and defunct brands - on the high street and at retail parks around the UK.
Taking a look at the former Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.
The signage at the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea is no more, and work is underway on the unit to create two new shops and flats.
Here's what it looked like when we visited in April last year.
Blockbuster Video in the UK
At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 stores around the world. 500-plus of those were in the UK.
Blockbuster ceased operations in the UK in December 2013. At the start of that year there were 528 Blockbuster locations in the UK. The number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. The last stores closed on the 16th December.
There are still some visible remnants of the brand on the high street and on retail parks. And we've been to most of them on our travels!
Emily and I have spent the last few years reminiscing about 'the good old days'. One of our areas of interest is in old retail brands - we're both marketers by profession and two of my first jobs in the 1990's and the year 2000 were at Tandy and Toys R Us, while Emily's first job was at a Happy Shopper shop. It's been fascinating to find remnants of these brands - and a number of other lost, dead and defunct brands - on the high street and at retail parks around the UK.
.jpg "The Watford Pyramid, October 2025")
.jpg "The Watford Pyramid, October 2025")
.jpg "The Watford Pyramid, October 2025")
.jpg "The Watford Pyramid, October 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video-themed Minigolf hole at the Golf Fang Indoor Crazy Golf course in Nottingham, August 2025")
.jpg "Rewind NQ in Manchester's Northern Quarter")
.jpg "Rewind NQ in Manchester's Northern Quarter")
.jpg "A 'Blockbuster Video' in Croydon, South London. Photo by Cat Patterson, May 2025")
.jpg "A 'Blockbuster Video' in Croydon, South London. Photo by Cat Patterson, May 2025")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)")
.jpg "Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)")
.jpg "Rewind NQ in Manchester")
.jpg "Rewind NQ in Manchester")
.jpg "Rewind NQ in Manchester")
.jpg "Rewind NQ in Manchester")