Happy Shopper shops - Ashwellthorpe

There are still a few Happy Shopper shops around England and Wales.

Here's a look at the Happy Shopper in Ashwellthorpe, Norfolk.

Check out this blog post looking back at our visits to Happy Shopper shops since 2020.

View my YouTube Playlist of Happy Shopper shop videos.

Adventure Island Golf in Mundesley, Norfolk

A look back at our visit to the Adventure Island Golf course in Mundesley, Norfolk.

Back in May 2014 Charter Member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Christopher Gottfried let us know about the Adventure Golf course in Mundesley, Norfolk.

Adventure Island Golf in Mundesley

We finally got to visit and play the course in July 2016.

Playing another brilliant course on our travels

The layout became the 406th played and 692nd visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

It's a lovely setting for a game

Adventure Island Golf is a great 12-hole course, with plenty of tricky obstacles and some very nice theming. And for a 12-hole course there were certainly a lot of themes going on! With Pirates, Cannibals, Dinosaurs, Jungles and more.

The 11th and 12th were tricky indeed

 

The island that gave the Adventure Golf course its name

Emily playing another great tee shot

In our match-up Emily won with a 34 to my 37 - getting off to a flying start with a great hole-in-one on the first.

Putting past some dino eggs

A round of minigolf at the course costs £3.50 for adults and it's worth a play.

On the last hole

Check out Adventure Island Golf Mundesley on Facebook for more information.

Eaton Park Crazy Golf in Norwich

A look back at our visit to the Eaton Park Crazy Golf course in Norwich, Norfolk in May 2017.

The 18-hole Crazy Golf course was the 432nd played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. The layout was the 734th visited overall and the 707th we'd been to in the UK.

Holes 1-9

Holes 10-18

It's one of my all-time favourite courses and a course I could have stayed to play on all day long.

Visit the Eaton Park Crazy Golf course website for more information.

Lost World Adventure Golf in Hemsby, Norfolk

A look at the Lost World Adventure Golf course in Hemsby, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Lost World Adventure Golf course in the seaside town of Hemsby, Norfolk is my favourite course. It was one of the first courses we played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the theming there was superb. We've revisited several times over the years and look forward to many more rounds there in the future.

Check out the Lost World Adventure Golf website for more information.

Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norwich

A look at the Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf course at Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade, Norfolk.

My brother Christopher and his family recently revisited the Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure Park in Lenwade, Norwich and while there played the Jurassic Putt Crazy Golf course.

Check out the Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure website for more information.

The combined total of courses visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour is now at 1,110 since September 2006!

Octoputts Indoor Crazy Golf in King's Lynn, Norfolk

There's an indoor crazy golf course in King's Lynn, Norfolk.

We swung by Octoputts Indoor Crazy Golf in King's Lynn, Norfolk en route to a family gathering last month.

Check out the Octoputts website for more information.

Toys R Us at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich

A look at the site of the former Toys R Us store at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich, Norfolk in June 2024.

The location of the former Toys R Us store at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich

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.

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.

We first visited the old Norwich Toys R Us store in August 2021, and returned in April 2022. On our visit last month the site was part way through being turned into a new Home Bargains store.

The location of the former Toys R Us store at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich

The location of the former Toys R Us store at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich

The location of the former Toys R Us store at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich

The location of the former Toys R Us store at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich

The location of the former Toys R Us store at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich

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

• Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke
• Central Retail Park in Manchester
• Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich
• Deepdale shopping centre in Preston
• Festival retail park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
• Gateway retail park in Reading
• Gemini Retail Park in Warrington
• Interchange Retail Park at Copdock Mill, Ipswich
• St James Retail Park in Northampton
• Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees
• The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes
• Western Esplanade in Southampton
• Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury
• Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

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.

Stonehenge The Big Mini Golf in Hemsby, Norfolk

Happy Summer Solstice.

Today marks midsummer and is the 'longest day' and 'shortest night' of the year.

Did you know there's a Stonehenge-themed minigolf course in Hemsby, Norfolk?

Stonehenge The Big Mini Golf course in Hemsby

Crazy Golf at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk

The Sandringham Estate in Norfolk will have a Crazy Golf course from July to September.

The 18-hole Crazy Golf course will be a new addition to the Royal Parkland.

Visit the Sandringham Estate website for more information.

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

Adventure Golf at The Pumpkin House in Thursford

An Adventure Golf course has opened at The Pumpkin House at Brookhill Farm in Thursford, Norfolk.

Opening days/times for the 9-hole farm-themed minigolf layout will vary so please check the farm's website for more information.

It's another new course for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf Tournament at Putt Putt Social in Norwich

A Crazy Golf tournament is being held at Putt Putt Social in Norwich on Friday 17th May.

My brother Christopher spotted this advert for the event while in Norwich this week

The team event will be contested at the indoor Crazy Golf venue inside the Castle Quarter shopping and entertainment centre in Norwich.

A look at the course from one of Christopher's visits on his leg of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Visit the Putt Putt Social website for more information.

A look at the course from one of Christopher's visits on his leg of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Putt Putt Social Crazy Golf Tournament in Norwich

A Crazy Golf tournament is being held at Putt Putt Social in Norwich on Friday 17th May.

The team event will be contested at the indoor Crazy Golf venue.

Visit the Putt Putt Social website for more information.

New Adventure Golf course at The Pumpkin House at Brookhill Farm in Thursford

The Pumpkin House at Brookhill Farm in Thursford, Norfolk will have an Adventure Golf course this year.

The 9-hole farm-themed minigolf layout will open from the 25th May. Opening days/times will vary so please check the farm's website for more information.

It'll be a new course for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. 

Container Golf at Ffolkes

A visit to the Container Golf course at the Ffolkes Pub and Hotel in King's Lynn, Norfolk.

My brother Christopher, a charter member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and his family recently stayed at the Ffolkes Pub and Hotel in King's Lynn, Norfolk. While there they played the 9-hole Container Golf course.

Check out the Ffolkes website for more information on the Container Golf adventure golf course.

We've now visited a combined total of 1,091 courses on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.