The Ham and Egger Files: Westcliff-on-Sea

Showing posts with label Westcliff-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.

Thursday, February 08, 2024

The old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)

A look at the former Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.

We visited the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea in April. It was nice to see some of the signage was still in place, even though there was a lot of scaffolding up around it.

I've since heard that all of the Blockbuster signage has now been removed.

My friend and fellow blogger Mark Routh sent me photos of this particular Blockbuster Video Express store back in July 2020.

It's always fun to see ghost signs, remnants of old & dead brands and interesting signage while out and about on our travels. Since I found the remains of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester in October 2019 I've been intrigued to see the brand still has a lingering presence on the high street. The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013!

Our travels have taken us to several former Blockbuster stores:

Thursday, April 13, 2023

Blockbuster Video Express in Westcliff-on-Sea (April 2023)

A look at the former Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.

We recently visited the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea. It was nice to see some of the signage was still in place, even though there was a lot of scaffolding up around it.

Blockbuster Video Express in Westcliff-on-Sea (April 2023)

My friend and fellow blogger Mark Routh sent me photos of this particular Blockbuster Video Express store back in July 2020.

Our travels have taken us to several former Blockbuster stores:

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Blockbuster Video Express in Westcliff-on-Sea

A look at the old Blockbuster Video Express in Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend.

Blockbuster Video Express on London Road in Westcliff-on-Sea. Photo by Mark Routh, July 2020

Many thanks to my friend and fellow blogger Mark Routh for sending me these photos of the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff on Sea, Essex.

It's amazing the signs are still up seven years since the demise of the brand.

Since I found the remains of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester last October I've been intrigued to see the brand still has a lingering presence on the high street. It's always fun to see ghost signs, remnants of old & dead brands and interesting signage while out and about on our travels.

I found out the Blockbuster signage was still in place at the Westcliff-on-Sea store via this post on Instagram.

We should've been visiting family in Southend-on-Sea this summer but that trip has been postponed. Hopefully we'll get back down there soon so I can check out the old Blockbuster store too.

Check out Mark's superb postcard blog at Mark's Postcard Chat and his Facebook Page. The blog is a wonderful insight into the world of postcard collecting and social history.