The other Happy Shopper in Burton-on-Trent

A visit to a Happy Shopper shop in Burton-on-Trent.

Last October we drove home via Burton upon Trent to take a look at a Happy Shopper shop. We're lucky we did as the shop was in the process of being gutted as it's now closed. The business was being moved to a new premises over the road, where some of the old branded shelving is now in use.

Shortly after arriving home we found out the town was home to another Happy Shopper shop! We made sure to visit that one - S & A Singh on Sydney Street - at the next opportunity.

That came about on our recent trip to East Anglia where we were able to stop off in Burton-on-Trent en route to Northampton.

It was nice to see the Happy Shopper branding on the shopfront and there was a lot of it on the shelving inside.

We had a chat to the shopkeeper who had run the Happy Shopper for over 30 years and let him know we appreciated the nostalgia his shop created.

Happy Shopper shops

We've felt very nostalgic during the pandemic and one of the old brands from our childhood we thought about was 'Happy Shopper' - the name alone conjures up images of the 1980's.

A sign at the Pleasant News Happy Shopper in Wisbech (2021)

The Happy Shopper branding was changed in the year 2000 and I think it lost a lot of its charm and individuality. Many of the former Happy Shopper stores were rebranded as Premier shops.

We didn't think there would be many - or any - of the original orange and yellow branded shops still around, but we were proven wrong when we saw one in Preston in September 2020.

Since then we've been lucky enough to spot and snap a few more.

Take a look at my posts about other Happy Shopper shops in:

• Preston
• Sheffield (Sharrow Lane)
• Sheffield (Page Hall Road)
• Ilkeston
• Hitchin
• Ashwellthorpe
• Ormesby St Margaret
• Lowestoft (2011)
• Lowestoft (2021)
• Wisbech
• Sittingbourne
• Burton-on-Trent 1
• Burton-on-Trent 2

Crazy Golf plans for Burton

There are plans for a crazy golf course to be created in Burton, Staffordshire.

A new indoor crazy golf course could be opened as part of a new indoor entertainment centre at the old Burton Museum & Art Gallery in Burton, Staffordshire.

The venue would also be home to axe throwing, darts and escape rooms.

A look at an old Happy Shopper shop in Burton-on-Trent

Visiting a Happy Shopper shop in Burton-on-Trent.

We recently drove home via Burton upon Trent to take a look at a Happy Shopper shop. We're lucky we did as the shop was in the process of being gutted as it's now closed. The business has moved to a new premises over the road, where some of the old branded shelving is now in use.

A Happy Shopper shop in Burton upon Trent

A look at an old Happy Shopper shop in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

We drove via Burton upon Trent on our journey home from the south coast last week to take a look at a Happy Shopper shop in the town. We're lucky we did as the shop was in the process of being gutted as it's now closed. The business has moved to a new unit over the road, where some of the old branded shelving is now in use.

I've since found out there's ANOTHER Happy Shopper shop in Burton upon Trent! We'll have to swing by S & A Singh on Sydney Street next time we're passing...

Happy Shopper nostalgia

We've felt very nostalgic during the pandemic and one of the old brands from our childhood we thought about was 'Happy Shopper' - the name alone conjures up images of the 1980's.

We didn't think there would be many - or any - of the original orange and yellow branded shops still around, but we were proven wrong when we saw one in Preston in September 2020.

Since then we've been lucky enough to spot and snap a few more. Take a look at my posts about other Happy Shopper shops in:

• Preston
• Sheffield (Sharrow Lane)
• Sheffield (Page Hall Road)
• Ilkeston
• Hitchin
• Ashwellthorpe
• Lowestoft (2011)
• Lowestoft (2021)
• Wisbech
• Sittingbourne
• Burton-on-Trent

Crazy Golf at Branston Golf and Country Club near Burton

A new crazy golf course is opening at Branston Golf and Country Club near Burton on Trent, Staffordshire.

The 18-hole crazy golf layout will have a woodland theme.

Visit the Branston Golf and Country Club website for more information.

It'll be another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golfing at Shobnall Leisure Complex in Burton upon Trent

Visiting and playing the 541st Miniature Golf course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

The 9-hole Crazy Golf course in Burton upon Trent

While in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire I made a visit to Shobnall Leisure Centre in the town as my friend, Minigolf rival and Midlands Minigolf Club member Jam Trubridge had told me there was a Crazy Golf course there.

Arriving at 6pm on a cold November evening I was warmly greeted by the staff and asked them what time the Minigolf course was normally open – luckily for me the reply was “It’s never closed”.

Playing hole 9 on Shobnall Leisure Complex's Crazy Golf course

I was expecting the Miniature Golf course visit to be the 541^st overall, but yet another closed course visit (having previously been to 215 courses that I couldn’t play for one reason or another). However, as it was open and available to play it become the 326^th course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

A view of the course from hole 4

The course was of the fibreglass and felt variety, with a number of obstacle on the course in addition to dog leg hole layouts, unfortunately there wasn’t a ‘Humpty’ on the course – an obstacle I’ve found on many courses of this type.

Hole 8 - a roll of the dice - I came close to acing the hole

The courses, manufactured by DK Fibreglass, play the best when they are laid out on a solid foundation. Thankfully the 9-hole course at Shobnall Leisure Complex was built on concrete foundations which meant the ball rolled well and the course stayed in place (unlike a course of this type Emily and I once played in Lytham St Anne’s).

The 9-hole Crazy Golf course is reasonably priced at £1.80 a round and it was good fun. Unfortunately my round went for a Burton* as I didn’t score a single hole-in-one. In the chilly and shivery conditions I shot a round of 24(+6).

The 9-hole Crazy Golf course at Shobnall Leisure Complex in Burton upon Trent

Mark and the team at the leisure centre were really nice and friendly and asked lots of questions about the world of Minigolf – they were also knowledgeable about the game and had heard about tournaments. It was really nice to visit a new place and receive such a great welcome, I’ll definitely be heading back to Burton and the leisure centre, and Emily and I are looking forward to a tour of all the other Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses we’re yet to play in the East Midlands!

The course and leisure centre get the thumbs up from me

Shobnall Leisure Complex also has a Pitch & Putt Miniature Golf course on the site, as well as football, table tennis, bowls, rounders, tennis and badminton and more. Check out the leisure centre's website for opening times and price details.

A very dark view of the Pitch & Putt Mini-Golf course at Shobnall Leisure Centre

You can also find Shobnall Leisure Complex on Facebook.

Related blog posts:

- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Links:

- Shobnall Leisure Complex

* Is it possible to visit, talk, or write about Burton upon Trent without using the phrases “gone for a Burton”, or “went for a Burton”? I think not...