Toys R Us at WHSmith at Keele Services Southbound on the M6

There's a Toys R Us at WHSmith at Keele Services Southbound on the M6 motorway in Staffordshire.

I spotted there is a Toys R Us inside the WHSmith at Keele Services Southbound on the M6 while travelling down to Wembley at the weekend.

Toys R Us in the UK.

Toys R Us returned to the UK shopping scene with an online presence in 2022 and with concessions opening inside some WHSmith shops in 2023. There are currently 148 Toys R Us stores open nationwide.

Working at Toys R Us.

My first job while at university in the year 2000 was as one of Geoffrey's helpers at the Luton Toys R Us store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

The old Toys R Us.

At its peak there were 105 Toys R Us stores in the UK. 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 several of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

Links:

• Toys R Us
• WHSmith

Related blog posts:

• Toys R Us
• WHSmith
• Retail

Beacon Park Adventure Golf in Lichfield, Staffordshire

The new Beacon Park Adventure Golf in Lichfield, Staffordshire opens this weekend.

The new outdoor woodland-themed 9-hole Beacon Park Adventure Golf in Lichfield is opening on Saturday 23rd May.

Find out about the Beacon Park Adventure Golf course on the Lichfield Historic Parks website.

This summer will also improvements made to the Pitch & Putt course at Beacon Park.

From Crazy Golf to Padel at Fenton Manor Sports Complex in Stoke

The old crazy golf course at Fenton Manor Sports Complex in Stoke is being replaced with four padel courts.

The crazy golf course at Fenton Manor Sports Complex in Stoke has been out of use for quite some time.

We visited the crazy golf course at Fenton Manor Sports Complex in Stoke on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2019.

Crazy Golf at Chasewater Country Park in Staffordshire

A look at the crazy golf course at Chasewater Country Park in Staffordshire.

Last week I asked the question "Where in the world was this crazy golf course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour?".

The answer was Chasewater Country Park in Staffordshire, England.

The crazy golf course at Chasewater Country Park was the 777th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we swung by in September 2017.

New Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield, Staffordshire

A new Adventure Golf course is opening at Beacon Park in Lichfield.

Work is beginning on the new Adventure Golf course that will replace the old minigolf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield, Staffordshire.

The new outdoor 9-hole Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield, Staffordshire is being created as part of improvement works to the facilities at the park.

Find out more.

The plans for the new Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park were put forward by Lichfield District Council and MicroSports, with the course planned to be developed by RL Golf Construction Ltd.

Visit the Boosting Beacon Park section on the Lichfield Council website for more information.

Visiting Beacon Park on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park will be a new one for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've been to Beacon Park before. Back in September 2017 we played the Eternit-style Miniature Golf course at the park. That layout became the 461st played and 775th visited on our travels.

Crazy Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield (September 2017)

Crazy Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield (September 2017)

Carnival Crazy Golf in Cannock

Upgraded Crazy Golf course opening in Cannock.

The Puzzle Room - Cannock is refurbishing the minigolf course at the venue in Cannock, Staffordshire.

The Puzzle Room - Cannock will soon have an upgraded indoor minigolf course, with the 9-hole Carnival Crazy Golf opening on Monday 21st July.

Find out more.

Visit The Puzzle Room - Cannock / F.A. Entertainment's website and Facebook Page for more information.

The course is within Cannock Shopping Centre.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've not been to the existing course at The Puzzle Room - Cannock, and the new one will be added to our 'to visit' list on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour!

Crazy Golf at Fenton Manor Sports Complex in Stoke

Looking back at our visit to the Crazy Golf course at Fenton Manor Sports Complex in Stoke.

Having a wander round the course at Fenton Manor Sports Complex back in 2019 we were struck with how crazy the layout and obstacles looked.

The Crazy Golf course in Fenton was loopy!

It was only later that we realised that the course had been set up so that each hole was in the shape of a letter and the 9-holes spelled out the words CRAZY GOLF!

This is a C

We have seen that before on some fibreglass Crazy Golf courses, but never on a permanent, landscaped course.

Clearly an R

A

Z

Y

G

O

L

F

New Adventure Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield

Plans for a new Adventure Golf course to replace the old minigolf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield, Staffordshire have been approved.

The new outdoor Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield, Staffordshire is being created as part of improvement works to the facilities at the park.

The plans for the new Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park were put forward by Lichfield District Council and Microsports, with the course planned to be developed by RL Golf Construction Ltd.

The Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park will be a new one for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've been to Beacon Park before. Back in September 2017 we played the Eternit-style Miniature Golf course at the park. That layout became the 461st played and 775th visited on our travels.

Crazy Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield (September 2017)

Crazy Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield (September 2017)

New Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield

A new Adventure Golf course is replacing the old minigolf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield, Staffordshire.

The new outdoor Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield, Staffordshire is being created as part of improvement works to the facilities at the park.

The plans for the new Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park have been put forward by Lichfield District Council and Microsports, with the course planned to be developed by RL Golf Construction Ltd.

The Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park will be a new one for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've been to Beacon Park before. Back in September 2017 we played the Eternit-style Miniature Golf course at the park. That layout became the 461st played and 775th visited on our travels.

Crazy Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield (September 2017)

Crazy Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield (September 2017)

New Mini Golf course opening in Cannock

A new indoor Mini Golf course is opening in Cannock, Staffordshire.

An 18-hole indoor Mini Golf course is being created at The Puzzle Room in Cannock.

The course is part of a revamp for the business that will see it known as F.A. Entertainment from mid-February.

The mini golf course opens on Friday 14th February as part of the new F.A. Entertainment venue at Cannock Shopping Centre.

As well as the minigolf course some of the other fabulous, amazing entertainment options on offer include arcades and escape rooms.

Check out The Puzzle Room website for more information.

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

The Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford

There's a Woolworths ghost sign on the former store location in Stafford.

The exterior of the former Woolworths shop in Stafford

I first saw the ghost sign on the old Woolies in May 2023.

The Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford

We've found a few ghost signs and remains of the Woolworths brand on our travels over the years.

Adventure Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield

Lichfield's Beacon Park is getting a new Adventure Golf course.

The new outdoor Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park in Lichfield, Staffordshire is being created as part of improvement works to the facilities at the park.

The park's Pitch & Putt course will also be changed, going from an 18-hole to a 9-hole course, but with improved fairways and greens. Footgolf and disc golf will also be retained.

Check out the Lichfield District Council and Lichfield Historic Parks websites for more information.

The Adventure Golf course at Beacon Park will be a new one for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've been to Beacon Park before. Back in September 2017 we played the Eternit-style Miniature Golf course at the park. That layout became the 461st played and 775th visited on our travels.

Crazy Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield (September 2017)

Crazy Golf at Beacon Park in Lichfield (September 2017)

Mini Golf at Statfold Country Park in Tamworth

A new 9-hole mini golf course has opened at Statfold Country Park in Tamworth.

Check out the Statfold Country Park website for more information.

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

Crazy Golf at The Empourium in Stafford

I made a flying visit to Stafford earlier this year and spotted The Empourium on Market Street.

The Empourium is home to a 9-hole Crazy Golf course.

Check out The Empourium's website for more information.

A Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford

Finding a Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford.

A Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford (May 2023)

While having a wander around Stafford earlier this year my eyes were drawn to this ghost sign on the front of a building on Princess Street in the town centre.

A Woolworths ghost sign in Stafford (May 2023)

The insides of the former Woolies

The old Woolworths shop location had been home to Sports Direct in more recent times

Other former Woolworths shops

It's fun seeing old & lost brands, ghost signs and retail relics. I took a look at the ghost signs on a former Woolworths store on Blackpool promenade in September 2021.

We saw a Woolworths ghost sign in Nuneaton in May 2022 too. That was a nice surprise!

Like the Blackpool store, the Nuneaton shop site had also most recently been a Poundland and a TJ Hughes.

We also saw these old Woolworths trolleys in use at Bolton Market last year!

The last Woolworths shop in the UK closed in January 2009. Every so often remnants of the brand become visible again.

We visited the Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent in September 2020. That store still had the signage in place and we'd originally spotted it while driving through the town the previous November.

We took a look at an old Woolworths store in Brunstane, Edinburgh in August 2011. That was a Big W Woolworths store at The Jewel retail park. It's long gone now.

You can however still see an old mosaic tile logo at the former Woolworths on Stamford Street Central in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester.

There's a nice Woolworths ghost sign on an Art Deco building on Abington Street in Northampton.

Interestingly, there's a playable Woolworths Pick n' Mix Crazy Golf hole at the Teezers Retro Golf course in Coventry!

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.

The Empourium in Stafford

A new competitive socialising venue is opening in Stafford.

Stafford will soon be home to a new competitive socialising venue called The Empourium.

The Empourium will feature a number of indoor games, including crazy golf.

The venue will also have Darts, Pool, Shuffleboard, Beer Pong, Bowling and Table Tennis.

The Empourium is scheduled to open on Thursday 10th November.

Visit The Empourium's Facebook Page for more information.

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

Adventure Mini Golf at Waterworld in Stoke-On-Trent

A look at the Adventure Mini Golf course at Waterworld in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire

Adventure Mini Golf at Waterworld in Stoke-On-Trent

A BIG thanks to our friend and minigolf rival Jam Trubridge for sending us some photos from his visit to the new Adventure Mini Golf course at Waterworld in Stoke-On-Trent.

Adventure Mini Golf at Waterworld in Stoke-On-Trent

He didn't have time to play it this time as he was there for a trip to Waterworld with his family.

Adventure Mini Golf at Waterworld in Stoke-On-Trent

Adventure Mini Golf at Waterworld in Stoke-On-Trent

Adventure Mini Golf at Waterworld in Stoke-On-Trent

Adventure Mini Golf in Stoke is home to two 18-hole adventure golf courses. It's the sister-course of Adventure Island Mini Golf at Star City in Birmingham - a course we've played a lot of tournaments at over the years.

We've been to Stoke a few times, but not since the new Adventure Mini Golf course opened. We'll swing by on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future.

Check out the Adventure Mini Golf website for more information.