Crazy Golf in London

A look back at the CLUB GOLF pop-up minigolf course at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, London.

My last trip down to London took place on the 25th February last year and I was lucky enough to get a game in on the pop-up Crazy Golf course at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross.

It was the last new minigolf course I played before the coronavirus pandemic lockdown.

The 9-hole rave-inspired art installation crazy golf course was the 948th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 542nd played.

Artists Baker & Borowski created the 9-hole themed Crazy Golf layout inspired by the rave culture in the King's Cross area back in the 1980's and 1990's.

I shot a round of 23 in my game - the scorecard noted that the maximum score allowed was 63! A seven on each hole.

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Minigolf American Football in Sweden

A look at the minigolf course at O'Leary's bar and entertainment centre at the Mall of Scandinavia in Solna.

We visited our 801st minigolf course and 32nd overseas at O'Leary's bar and entertainment centre at the Mall of Scandinavia in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden in February 2018.

Hole 12 was Gridiron themed

The Sports World Minigolf course was a 14-hole indoor layout with sports themed holes.

 

Check out the blog post from our visit to Sports World Mini Golf at O'Leary's in the Mall of Scandinavia.

Visit the O'Leary's website for more information.

There's no missing Salford Shopping City

What a piece of signage.

Salford Shopping Centre opened as Salford Precinct in 1972 and was renamed Salford Shopping City in 1992

Even though the shopping precinct is now called Salford Shopping Centre the huge sign on the block of flats clearly points out where the shops are in Pendleton, Salford.

A Mask Vending Machine

We saw our first Mask Vending Machine at the Spinning Gate shopping centre in Leigh, Greater Manchester on Saturday.

A #maskbox PPE vending machine

What a time we're living through!

I've been documenting the Covid-19 and social distancing signs I've seen during the pandemic here on my blog as well as on my Instagram account.

Related blog posts:

- Vending

- Leigh

- Shopping

No sitting

A look at a shopping centre bench in the time of social distancing.

A bench in the Spinning Gate shopping centre in Leigh

We've seen a few other benches with social distancing signs and rules about sitting down during the pandemic, including a pair of socially distanced benches in Spinningfields, Manchester and these two in Colne, Lancashire.

I've been documenting the Covid-19 and social distancing signs I've seen during the pandemic here on the blog as well as on my Instagram account.

New UV Crazy Golf course opening in Hull

A new glow-in-the-dark Crazy Golf course is opening in Hull.

Hull will soon be home to a new UV Crazy Golf course as the team from the East Park Pirate Golf course are opening a venue at the Princes Quay shopping centre in the city.

Visit the East Park Pirate Golf Facebook page for more information.

Minigolf in Hull

There has been a real boom in minigolf courses opening in Hull, with the East Park Pirate Golf course joining Putt Club and the Pirate Adventure Golf course at One Stop Golf. The city will also be home to a new Lost City Adventure Golf venue soon.

Retailtainment

Minigolf has grown in popularity in the last eight years and has moved from being seen as a traditional outdoor seaside summer activity to become a year-round game that can be played indoors, outdoors and at pretty much any time of the day.

A number of high streets, retail parks and shopping malls are now home to minigolf courses, with more new venues planned to open.

Businesses also use portable and temporary pop-up minigolf layouts to boost footfall, create awareness, product launches and promotions.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Hull has been on our to visit list for a few years now. It'll be a busy trip with all of the new courses to play when we eventually get there!

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New Treetop Adventure Golf opening in Birmingham

A new indoor Adventure Golf centre is planned for Birmingham's Bullring.

The Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham will be home to a new Treetop Adventure Golf centre.

The venue will be home to two indoor 18-hole adventure golf courses.

Treetop Adventure Golf in Birmingham is planned to open next Spring.

Treetop Adventure Golf venues

You can also find Treetop Adventure Golf courses at St David's Shopping Centre in Cardiff, at The Printworks in Manchester and at the Highcross shopping centre in Leicester.

Visit the Treetop Adventure Golf website for more information.

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour visits

We're looking forward to playing the new Treetop Adventure Golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The tropical Trail course at Treetop Adventure Golf in Manchester was the 800th course we visited in the British Isles. We're now up to 955 courses visited overall.

We've also been to the Cardiff and Leicester courses.

New minigolf courses 

I heard about the new Bullring minigolf course in Birmingham back in June before it was known to be a Treetop Adventure Golf. It was the the second new course planned to open that I found out about during the pandemic. The other was the replacement for the old course in Andover, Hampshire.

Check out details of new minigolf courses in the UK.

Minigolf during the pandemic and retailtainment

Find out more about minigolf in the time of coronavirus.

Read more about the rise of shopping mall minigolf and retailtainment.

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With over twenty years of marketing and sales experience each we offer consultancy services to people and businesses looking to set-up miniature golf courses, review their operations, hole designs, contests, tournaments and more. Do get in touch for a chat to see how we can help and work together.

Artwork on the old British Home Stores in Stockport

A look at the mural artwork on the old BHS in Stockport's Merseyway shopping centre.

The mural on the side of the old BHS in Stockport

BHS became defunct in August 2016, but there are still traces of the brand if you know where to look.

Made in 1978

The building is now home to a Poundland store, however there are two small signs bearing the BHS logo and they are visible at the front of the shop.

One of the last visible signs of the old BHS branding

The side of the building on Deanery Way contains a wonderful mural made up of concrete panels and mosaic tiles and depicts the history of the town over seven hundred years.

Working up Deanery Way from 1239 to 1978

The artwork was designed by Henry Collins and Joyce Pallet and created in 1978.

Here's a look at the five panels, starting with the most recent era (the seventies!) and working back to the year 1239...

Panel 5

Panel 4

Panel 3

Panel 2

Panel 1

Stockport, Cheshire - whether this is, or isn't the case (it isn't), remains a matter of conjecture in the town. It was certainly a big talking point given the location of the recent Greater Manchester Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown Zone!

New Crazy Golf planned for Fulwood Central in Preston

There are plans for a new Crazy Golf course to be created at the Fulwood Central retail park in Preston.

It'll be another relatively local minigolf course for us to play on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Retail parks, malls and shopping centres have become a popular location for minigolf courses and other activities as part of retailtainment offerings. This shoppertainment offers customers something extra to shopping and dining, as well as increasing footfall and dwell time at a venue.

Read more in my blog post - Shopping mall minigolf: The growth of shopping centre crazy golf and retailtainment.

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Puttstars York

Puttstars opening at York Stadium in August.

The new Puttstars indoor minigolf centre at York Stadium is opening next month.

Puttstars is a new concept from the Hollywood Bowl Group and the York venue will feature three 9-hole minigolf courses, along with a bar and diner. It's scheduled to open on Monday 17th August.

Puttstars York will be the third of the brand's venues to open following Leeds and Rochdale.

Visit the Puttstars Mini Golf website for more information.

We're looking forward to giving the Puttstars Mini Golf courses a play on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

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Puttstars Rochdale

A walk-by look at the new Puttstars minigolf venue at Rochdale Riverside.

The new Puttstars indoor minigolf centre at Rochdale Riverside entertainment, leisure and shopping centre is opening in August. It had been due to open in April but was delayed by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Puttstars is a new concept from the Hollywood Bowl Group and the Rochdale venue will feature three 9-hole minigolf courses.

The first Puttstars location opened at the Thorpe Park shopping and entertainment site in Leeds in March this year.

A third Puttstars location is opening up in York next month too.

Visit the Puttstars Mini Golf website for more information.

At Puttstars a week too early. The doors are closed, but the signs are up and social distancing / Covid-19 measures are in place

We're looking forward to playing the Puttstars Mini Golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

Related blog posts:
- Puttstars
- Rochdale

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Boom: Battle Bar at the Castle Quarter in Norwich

The new indoor games venue is opening at the Castle Quarter shopping and entertainment centre in Norwich this month.

Norwich's new indoor entertainment venue is opening its doors on the 23rd July. Boom: Battle Bar is home to a minigolf course, boules piste, axe throwing arena, electric darts and shuffleboard.

Many thanks to the team at HM Adventure Golf for sending over photos of the minigolf course there.

  

Visit the Boom: Battle Bar website for more information, opening times, prices and booking details.

We're looking forward to playing at Boom: Battle Bar in the future.

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Tee Party Crazy Golf at The Club House in Manchester. July 2016

A look back at the Tee Party Crazy Golf course at The Club House in Spinningfields, Manchester.

It was the 684th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Sadly I was in the city a day after the pop-up had closed so no clubs or balls were available. At least the holes were still there.

Happy Ghostbusters Day

Ghostbusters was released in the USA on this day in 1984.

This photo was taken at the Eden Square shopping centre in Urmston, Greater Manchester last Halloween.

Celebrating Halloween in Urmston last year

I'm so glad I went along to see the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and Ecto-1a.

Who knows when the next retailtainment event like it will take place...

CLUB GOLF pop-up minigolf in King's Cross, London

A look at the CLUB GOLF pop-up minigolf course at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, London.

The out-of-home part of our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour is currently paused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The 948th, and last new, course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was the CLUB GOLF pop-up at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, London.

I played the 9-hole rave-inspired art installation crazy golf course in February this year.

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

New Mini Golf course heading to Birmingham

Birmingham's Bullring will be home to a new indoor minigolf course.

A new indoor minigolf course is being created at Birmingham's Bullring shopping centre.

There's a level of intrigue about the venture. While planning documents have been submitted the minigolf brand opening the course is as yet unknown.

The new Bullring minigolf course in Birmingham is the second new course I've heard about during the pandemic. The other is a replacement for the old course in Andover, Hampshire.

Related blog posts:

• Birmingham
• New minigolf courses
• Minigolf in and around Birmingham

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Merseyway Comic Con in Stockport

There should've been a comic con at the Merseyway shopping centre in Stockport today.

Another casualty of the coronavirus.

Here's a snap of me on a Star Wars speeder bike at the Merseyway's first comic con last September.

Having fun in Stockport last year

Hopefully there'll be a return of retailtainment events in the future.

There was going to be a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the Merseyway comic con.

I'm so glad I went to Urmston last October!

Crazy Golf at Lakeside Shopping Village in Doncaster, May 2016

A look back at the pop-up Crazy Golf course at Lakeside Shopping Village in Doncaster in May 2016.

We swung by the Lakeside Shopping Village in Doncaster for a round on their pop up Crazy Golf Adventure course that had been set up for the summer in 2016.

We're looking forward to seeing a return of retailtainment activities when its safe for them to do so in the future.

The 9-hole Lakeside Shopping Village Crazy Golf course was the 397th played and 678th visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since 2006.

Related blog posts:
- Doncaster
- Shopping mall miniature golf

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions.

A look back at the Krazy Golf course at Quest Merry Hill

Seven years ago today we headed to Dudley to play the Krazy Golf course at Merry Hill shopping centre.

The colourful and challenging 9-hole course was the 528th we visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Sadly it's no longer there.

As people look for extra entertainment options while shopping there has been an increase in shopping centre minigolf courses, both in the UK and around the world.