The Ham and Egger Files: Southend on Sea

Showing posts with label Southend on Sea. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Lost Shops - Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)

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!

Check out the posts about former Blockbuster Video stores we've been to in:

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.

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Caddies Crazy Golf in Southend-on-Sea

Playing at Caddies Crazy Golf in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.

Caddies Crazy Golf is home to two 9-hole indoor courses.

Each has a distinct design and style, with one course using a fantasy minigolf style, while the other utilises Swedish Felt B-Run 'lanes' as the base for the course. It's a unique set-up and looks very nice.

The Blue course at Caddies Crazy Golf became the 1,020th visited (564th played) while the Red course was the 1,021st visited (565th played) on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Check out the Caddies Crazy Golf website for more information, opening times and prices. As well as the Southend venue you can also find Caddies Crazy Golf in Crawley.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Since 2006 Emily and I have visited 1,064 miniature golf courses around the UK and overseas on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. As well as playing minigolf in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey and the Isle of Man we’ve travelled to minigolf courses in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain (Lanzarote and Majorca), Sweden and the USA.

When added to the courses my brother Christopher and his family have visited around the British Isles and Türkiye, Spain (Majorca), Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Indonesia, Croatia and the USA, the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour stands at a combined 1,111 courses visited!

Arnold Palmer Mini Golf course in Southend

Here's a look at the Arnold Palmer Mini Golf course in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.

We revisited the 18-hole Arnold Palmer Mini Golf course on the Esplanade in Southend-on-Sea on our trip to the seaside town in April 2023.

The course was originally the 16th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in March 2007 and we've returned a number of times since then.

The layout at the site is the 'East course' and is one of what were two courses there. When we first visited the remains of the 'West course' could still be seen.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Southend Pier Crazy Golf

A visit to the Crazy Golf course at the end of Southend Pier.

We had a stroll along the pier while in Southend-on-Sea in April last year. As well as taking in the views and sea air, we wanted to take a look at the minigolf course at the end of it.