A video shop shopfront

Spotting a 'video shop' in Watford.

I spotted this nice shop sign for GTV TV & Video on St Albans Road in Watford, Hertfordshire on my recent visit to the town.

I wonder how many TVs and VCRs get rented out in 2025?

The Lost World Adventure Golf on Sandown Pier on the Isle of Wight

Did you know there's an indoor minigolf course on Sandown Pier?

We first visited and played The Lost World Adventure Golf on Sandown Pier on the Isle of Wight in July 2008. Emily returned to the Isle of Wight in 2021 and while there snapped these photos of the course sign while whizzing about the island!

Find out more.

Visit The Lost World Adventure Golf / Sandown Pier website for more information.

Video Years in Leeds

Spotting a video shop in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

We spotted a sign for the Video Years video shop while having a wander round Leeds city centre on our recent trip to the city.

Video Years has a niche of being a video shop specialising in skateboard VHS & DVDs! It's also housed within a head shop!

Find out more.

Check out the Video Years website for more information.

Related blog posts:

• VHS
• Retail
• Shops
• Leeds
• Video rental shops in the UK (July 2025)

The Lost City Adventure Golf at The Cornerhouse in Nottingham

A blog post about The Lost City Adventure Golf at The Cornerhouse in Nottingham.

We swung by The Lost City Adventure Golf at The Cornerhouse while in Nottingham.

The Lost City Adventure Golf at The Cornerhouse is home to two indoor 18-hole adventure golf courses.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Temple Trail and Sacred Skull Pass courses at The Lost City Adventure Golf were the 330th and 331st courses played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in March 2014.

We've returned to play minigolf tournaments at the venue several times over the years.

Find out more.

Check out The Lost City Adventure Golf website for more information.

Related blog posts

• The Lost City Adventure Golf
• Nottingham
• Mini Golf in Nottingham

Bonkers Illumination Golf in Matlock Bath

A blog post about Bonkers Illumination Golf in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire.

We swung by Bonkers Illumination Golf in Matlock Bath while en route to Nottingham.

Bonkers Illumination Golf in Matlock Bath is an indoor 9-hole crazy golf course.

Find out more.

Check out the Bonkers Illumination Golf website for more information.

Happy National 7-Eleven Day

It's National 7-Eleven Day.

Today is National 7-Eleven Day!

7-Eleven convenience stores celebrate National 7-Eleven Day on when else but the 11th July.

The first 7-Eleven Day was held in 2002.

Adventure Golf at Loch Lomond Shores

A quick look at the Adventure Golf course at Loch Lomond Shores in Scotland.

Many thanks to our friend John Moore for sending over this snap of the Adventure Golf course at Loch Lomond Shores from his recent flying visit to the area.

Loch Lomond Adventure Golf. Photo by John Moore, June 2025

The Adventure Golf course at Loch Lomond Shores is one we need to play on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Check out the Adventure Golf course at Loch Lomond Shores website for more information.

If you're in Rugby, and you feel hungry, who you gonna call...

...Gutt Busters!

We spotted Gutt Busters on a visit to Rugby in Warwickshire back in 2014.

GameStop in Sorrento, Italy

A look at a GameStop store in Sorrento, Italy.

Emily swung by this GameStop store while in Sorrento, Italy recently.

GameStop is the largest video game retailer in the world - however, it's never had much of a footprint in the UK, with the last of the few stores here closing back in 2012.

In Italy there are only a few GameStop branded stores remaining following the sale of the brand in 2024. The new owners, Cidiverte, are in the process of rebranding the GameStop stores to Gamelife stores. With the last signs of the GameStop brand disappearing this summer.

According to Wikipedia there are currently 3,203 stores around the world, with 2,325 in the USA.

A funny sign at a shop in Canterbury

Where should I go then?

Please do not remain outside once your purchase is complete. Thank you

GameStop in San Antonio, Texas

A look at a GameStop store in San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Emily swung by this GameStop store while in San Antonio earlier this year.

GameStop is the largest video game retailer in the world - however, it's never had much of a footprint in the UK, with the last of the few stores here closing back in 2012.

According to Wikipedia there are currently 3,203 stores around the world, with 2,325 in the USA.

Signs of the Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic Times

Today marks five years since the UK entered its first Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic lockdown.

On the 23rd March 2020 the UK effectively ceased normal operations as the country was put into lockdown.

Once we were allowed out photographed as much Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic and Social Distancing signage and notices as we could to document the times.

There is certainly a real variety of warnings, instructions and directional signage to do with social distancing.

Social distancing signs at Cheadle Makers Market

We were amused by this photo Emily took of the social distancing measures in place on an escalator in M&S!

Surely the 2 metre apart distance stickers should be on the moving walkway as well, rather than the static sides of the escalator?

Here are just a few of the signs we snapped.

A bench in Colne, Lancashire

Covid-19 signage at Puttstars Mini Golf in Rochdale

Covid signs at The Happy Shopper convenience store in Sheffield

Social distancing at an abandoned Blockbuster Video store in Manchester 

You can view over 1,800 of the signs at the links below:

• Covid-19 signs 1
• Covid-19 signs 2
• Covid-19 signs 3
• Covid-19 signs 4
• Covid-19 signs 5
• Covid-19 signs 6
• Covid-19 signs 7
• Covid-19 signs 8
• Covid-19 signs 9
• Covid-19 signs 10
• Covid-19 signs 11
• Covid-19 signs 12
• Covid-19 signs 13
• Covid-19 signs 14
• Covid-19 signs 15
• Covid-19 signs 16
• Covid-19 signs 17
• Covid-19 signs 18

It's still possible to see Covid-19 Coronavirus signage and I reckon the remnants of the pandemic will be visible for many years to come.

Related blog posts:

• Signs of the coronavirus pandemic times
• Minigolf in the time of Coronavirus

NO PIGEONS ALLOWED

Spotted at Greggs in the Merseyway shopping centre in Stockport.

Nice to have a sign for the pigeons themselves!

How to play mini golf - in Swedish

A look at a mini golf guide in Sweden.

We saw this mini golf instructions sign at Solna Bangolfklubb while on a Crazy World of Minigolf Tour trip to Sweden in 2018.

"Så här spelar vi bangolf" translates as "This is how we play golf".

How to play minigolf

Here's a minigolf sign about 'How to play minigolf' - in three languages (English, German and French).

How to play minigolf

So wird bahnengolf gespielt

Jouer au minigolf

We found the sign at the minigolf course in Stoke Park, Guildford, Surrey on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2008.

The Swedish Felt B-Run Minigolf course in Guildford's Stoke Park

We revisited and replayed the course at Stoke Park in 2016.

Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton - May 2021

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:

• Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• Ashton, Bristol
• Barnsley, South Yorkshire
• Basingstoke, Hampshire
• Billingham, Teesside
• Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
• Chester, Cheshire
• Chorley, Lancashire
• Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
• Colne, Lancashire
• Failsworth, Manchester
• Fallowfield, Manchester
• Felixstowe, Suffolk
• Filton, Bristol
• Great Moor, Stockport, Greater Manchester
• Hastings, East Sussex
• Leigh, Greater Manchester
• Luton, Bedfordshire
• Marple, Greater Manchester
• Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
• Nuneaton, Warwickshire
• Oldham, Greater Manchester
• Prescot, Lancashire
• Shanklin, Isle of Wight
• Southampton, Hampshire
• Telford, Shropshire
• Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
• Wythenshawe, Manchester

Kebab Near Me in Bridgehall, Stockport

What a name for a takeaway!

We spotted the new Kebab Near Me takeaway in Bridgehall, Stockport over Christmas.

Bravo to the team at Kebab Near Me in Bridgehall, Stockport for selecting the name for the takeaway.

This is one way to be found!

Check out the Kebab Near Me website.

Blockbuster Video Express in Billingham Town Centre - April 2021

A visit to the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Billingham town centre, Teesside.

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:

• Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• Ashton, Bristol
• Barnsley, South Yorkshire
• Basingstoke, Hampshire
• Billingham, Teesside
• Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
• Chester, Cheshire
• Chorley, Lancashire
• Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
• Colne, Lancashire
• Failsworth, Manchester
• Fallowfield, Manchester
• Felixstowe, Suffolk
• Filton, Bristol
• Great Moor, Stockport, Greater Manchester
• Hastings, East Sussex
• Leigh, Greater Manchester
• Luton, Bedfordshire
• Marple, Greater Manchester
• Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
• Nuneaton, Warwickshire
• Oldham, Greater Manchester
• Prescot, Lancashire
• Shanklin, Isle of Wight
• Southampton, Hampshire
• Telford, Shropshire
• Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
• Wythenshawe, Manchester

Morrisan Supermarket in Manchester

There's something familiar about this shop's name and sign...

Morrisan Supermarket in Manchester

Morrisan Supermarket in Manchester

The demise of Blockbuster Video in the UK

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.

If you're lucky, and know where to look, you might find a QuikDrop box hiding in plain sight

The first Blockbuster Video store had opened in Dallas, Texas, USA on the 19th October 1985.

The very last Blockbuster Video store in operation is in Bend, Oregon, USA.

Until January this year there was an abandoned Blockbuster Video store near us here in Manchester. It was always an eerie, interesting and nostalgic thing to drive past the old shop at Fallowfield Retail Park.

Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester

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:

• Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• Ashton, Bristol
• Barnsley, South Yorkshire
• Basingstoke, Hampshire
• Billingham, Teesside
• Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
• Chester, Cheshire
• Chorley, Lancashire
• Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
• Colne, Lancashire
• Failsworth, Manchester
• Fallowfield, Manchester
• Felixstowe, Suffolk
• Filton, Bristol
• Great Moor, Stockport, Greater Manchester
• Hastings, East Sussex
• Leigh, Greater Manchester
• Luton, Bedfordshire
• Marple, Greater Manchester
• Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
• Nuneaton, Warwickshire
• Oldham, Greater Manchester
• Prescot, Lancashire
• Shanklin, Isle of Wight
• Southampton, Hampshire
• Telford, Shropshire
• Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
• Wythenshawe, Manchester

Lost brands

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.