Have you seen Final Destination: Bloodlines yet?

We were lucky enough to see a special double-bill screening alongside the original Final Destination from the year 2000 last week.

It was superb to see both films, and the new one lived up to my expectations - and more!

While we haven't had anywhere near as much outdoor or experiential advertising or marketing for the film here in the UK as there has been in the USA - there's been a real-life logging truck rolling along the roads over there with promos for the movie for example! - I've seen a lot of buzz for the film online and on social media.

We've spotted two pieces of outdoor advertising for Final Destination: Bloodlines at the Trafford Centre in Manchester, and there was one poster at The Light cinema where we saw the film.

Is there any other advertising for the film I've missed?

Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

A look at the Paradise Island Adventure Golf venue at the Trafford Centre in Manchester.

The 36-hole indoor Adventure Golf venue at the Trafford Centre opened in 2008. It was one of the very first of the new wave of themed indoor adventure golf venues. How time flies!

The Tiki Hut Trail and Temple Ruins Adventure courses were the 85th and 86th courses played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009.

Following our move north in 2016 Paradise Island Adventure Golf became one of our local places to play and we've returned for fun and tournaments at PIAG Manchester a lot over the years.

I won the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championships in 2018 and Emily won the tournament in 2019.

Visit the Paradise Island Adventure Golf website for more information about the PIAG courses in Cheshire Oaks, Derby, Glasgow, Livingston, Manchester, Plymouth, Rushden Lakes and Sheffield.

Toys R Us inside WH Smith at the Trafford Centre

Toys R Us has opened at the Trafford Centre in Manchester.

The new Toys R Us concession is now open inside WH Smith at the Trafford Centre.

I spotted signs for the new Toys R Us opening inside the WH Smith at the Trafford Centre in Manchester on a trip to the shopping centre in June this year. 

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.

There are currently 39 Toys R Us concessions in WH Smith shops, with more planned to open through 2024. Visit the Toys R Us website for more information.

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 store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Toys R Us concessions in the USA

Emily saw a Toys R Us at a Macy's department store in Fort Worth, Texas and a sign for one at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on a trip to the USA earlier this year.

The old Toys R Us

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.

Former Toys R Us locations we've been to 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 those 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.

Toys R Us at the Trafford Centre

A Toys R Us is opening at the Trafford Centre.

I spotted this sign for a new Toys R Us opening inside the WH Smith at the Trafford Centre in Manchester on a recent trip to the shopping centre. 

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.

There are plans to create 30 Toys R Us concessions in WH Smith shops during 2024.

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 store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Toys R Us concessions in the USA

Emily saw a Toys R Us at a Macy's department store in Fort Worth, Texas and a sign for one at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on a trip to the USA earlier this year.

The old Toys R Us

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.

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.

Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championship 2020

Unfortunately the annual Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championship will not be taking place at the current time.

The annual large participation event was due to tee-off today and run until close of play on Sunday.

The decision is understandable, but we're really looking forward to playing in the event again in the future.

The team at Paradise Island Adventure Golf are hoping to reschedule the event later this year.

Emily won the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championship at the Trafford Centre in Manchester last year, while I won the 2018 competition.

Emily Gottfried, 2019 Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Champion

Emily scored a course record of 30 on the Temple Ruins layout - the course par is 42 - which was enough to fend off the challenge of thousands of other players who competed over the four-day event. Her round included seven holes-in-one on the 18-hole course.

Richard Gottfried, 2018 Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Champion

The annual PIAG Open competition takes place across the brand's eight venues and is the largest Open minigolf tournament in the UK with thousands of players competing across three age categories at each venue.

All of the Paradise Island Adventure Golf centres have now reopened following lockdown and have social distancing measures in place.

More information on the PIAG courses in Manchester, Cheshire Oaks, Glasgow, Livingston, Sheffield, Derby, Rushden Lakes and Plymouth can be found on the Paradise Island Adventure Golf website.

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Happy 12th birthday to Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

Today is the twelfth birthday of Paradise Island Adventure Golf at Manchester's Trafford Centre.

The Tiki Hut Trail course at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in January this year

The 36-hole indoor Adventure Golf venue at the Trafford Centre opened on this day in 2008. How time flies!

The Tiki Hut Trail and Temple Ruins Adventure courses were the 85th and 86th courses played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009.

The Temple Ruins Adventure Golf course at PIAG Manchester

We've returned a number of times since then and following our move north in 2016 Paradise Island Adventure Golf became one of our local places to play.

I won the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championships in 2018 and Emily is the reigning champion having won the tournament in 2019.

Visit the Paradise Island Adventure Golf website for more information about the courses in Cheshire Oaks, Derby, Glasgow, Livingston, Manchester, Plymouth, Rushden Lakes and Sheffield.

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

Aces at Paradise Island Adventure Golf Manchester

A look at some holes-in-one at Paradise Island Adventure Golf Manchester in the Trafford Centre.

About to ace hole 2 of the Tiki Hut Trail

We returned to Paradise Island Adventure Golf Manchester for the third time this year and hit some more holes-in-one on the Tiki Hut Trail and Temple Ruins Adventure courses.

We've now made 22 minigolf course visits and revisits in the first 22 days of 2020.

Paradise Island Adventure Golf Manchester was the last minigolf venue we visited in 2019. We've been there three times this year already.

Last year we visited a total of 82 miniature golf courses and revisited and replayed a lot of layouts.

We've now been to 945 courses since September 2006.

Visit the Paradise Island Adventure Golf website for opening times and prices.

Our first games at Paradise Island Adventure Golf for 2020

Playing at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester.

A view of the Tiki Hut Trail course

Last night we called into Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre in Manchester for a couple of games on the two 18-hole courses.

In our round on the Temple Ruins Adventure we both scored 36.

About to ace the 5th hole on the Tiki Hut Trail

In our round on the Tiki Hut Trail I shot a 34 and Emily scored 40.

Posing with the shark on the 6th

Last year Emily broke the course records on both of the layouts at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester.

Emily playing hole 1 of the Temple Ruins Adventure course

In July Emily scored a record on the Temple Ruins course to win the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championship with a round of 30, including seven aces.

Emily holing out on hole 2 of the Temple Ruins Adventure course

In August she shot a 33 on the Tiki Hut Trail course to beat the previous record by one-shot.

So far this year we've visited seven courses and played at three of them.

We've been to 942 courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

Holes-in-one at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

A look at some aces on holes 4 and 18 of the Temple Ruins Adventure course at Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre in Manchester on Boxing Day 2019.





PIAG Manchester was the last minigolf course we visited in 2019.

Last year we visited 82 miniature golf layouts and revisited and replayed a lot of courses.

Playing at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

Our last game at Paradise Island Adventure Golf for 2019.

The last minigolf course we visited this year was Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre in Manchester.

Emily about to ace hole 1

We swung by for a game on Boxing Day!

We were still in the Christmas spirit

In our round on the Temple Ruins Adventure course Emily scored a brilliant win with a score of 31 to my 34. Emily's round included seven holes-in-one.

This year Emily has broken the course records on both of the 18-hole courses at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester.

In July Emily scored a course record on the Temple Ruins layout to win the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championship with a round of 30, including seven aces.

In August she shot a 33 on the Tiki Hut Trail course to beat the previous record by one-shot.

We're looking forward to returning for more games at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in 2020.

The PIAG Manchester courses were the 85th and 85th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in April 2009!

This year we visited 82 miniature golf layouts and revisited and replayed a lot of courses too.

• In 2018 we visited 64 courses.
• In 2017 we went to 74 courses.
• In 2016 we visited 47 courses.
• In 2015 we went to 84 courses.

We've now been to 941 courses since September 2006.

A couple of rounds at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

Replaying Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester.

We returned to Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre in Manchester last night for our first rounds on the two 18-hole courses for a few weeks.

I finally got my hands on one of the 'I got a hole-in-one' stickers

Teeing-off on the Temple Ruins course first Emily shot a 33 to take the win, scoring five holes-in-one in the process. I hit a 35, including four aces. I had a crazy start to my round going 1, 3, 1, 1, 3!

Emily playing hole 3 of the Temple Ruins Adventure course

Next up was a quick game on the Tiki Hut Trail. I scored a 34 with four aces, while Emily shot a 36, including four holes-in-one.
 

Emily about to ace hole 6 on the Tiki Hut Trail

This meant our match over 36-holes was a tie, with 69 apiece.

On aces Emily won 9-8.

On round difference I won with a difference of 1, to Emily's 3.

We both won a free game on the lucky last hole too!

On the Temple Ruins Adventure course

A hole-in-one on hole 4 of the Temple Ruins course


A hole-in-one on hole 5 of the Temple Ruins course


Playing hole 7 of the Temple Ruins course


A hole-in-one on hole 8 of the Temple Ruins course


A hole-in-one on hole 9 of the Temple Ruins course


A hole-in-one on hole 5 of the Tiki Hut Trail


Related blog posts:
- Paradise Island Adventure Golf
- Trafford Centre
- Manchester

Link:
- Paradise Island Adventure Golf