Crazy Golf Tournament at Putt Putt Social in Norwich

A Crazy Golf tournament is being held at Putt Putt Social in Norwich on Friday 17th May.

My brother Christopher spotted this advert for the event while in Norwich this week

The team event will be contested at the indoor Crazy Golf venue inside the Castle Quarter shopping and entertainment centre in Norwich.

A look at the course from one of Christopher's visits on his leg of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Visit the Putt Putt Social website for more information.

A look at the course from one of Christopher's visits on his leg of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Crazier Golf and Crazier Nolf at Boom Battle Bars

A look at Boom Battle Bars offering Crazier Golf and Crazier Nolf.

Emily recently visited Boom Battle Bar in Bournemouth and saw Crazier Nolf there. A first for our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Boom Battle Bar calls its crazy golf courses 'Crazier Golf' (and we've played the location in Norwich). Crazier Nolf is Crazier Golf, but played without putters!

Hole 2 of the Crazier Nolf course at Boom Battle Bar Bournemouth

There are currently 29 Boom Battle Bars in the UK! Each of them offers a range of games, with most (23) home to a Crazier Golf layout at the venue. Other games include shuffleboard, augmented reality darts, axe throwing and more.

Hole 3 of the Crazier Golf course at Boom Battle Bar Norwich 

Here's the list of Boom Battle Bars:

1. Aldgate East - Crazier Golf
2. Bath - Crazier Golf
3. Birmingham Broad Street - Crazier Golf
4. Bournemouth - Crazier Nolf
5. Canterbury - Crazier Golf
6. Cardiff - Crazier Golf
7. Chelmsford - Crazier Golf
8. Coventry - Crazier Golf
9. Ealing - Crazier Golf
10. Eastbourne - Crazier Golf
11. Edinburgh - Crazier Golf
12. Exeter - Crazier Golf
13. Glasgow - Crazier Nolf
14. Ipswich - Crazier Golf
15. Lakeside - no golf or nolf
16. Leeds - Crazier Golf
17. Liverpool - Crazier Golf
18. London Oxford Street
19. Manchester - no golf or nolf
20. Norwich - Crazier Golf
21. Plymouth - no golf or nolf
22. Sheffield - Crazier Golf
23. Southampton - Crazier Golf
24. Southend-on-Sea - Crazier Golf
25. Stevenage - no golf or nolf
26. Swindon - Crazier Golf
27. The O2 - Crazier Golf
28. Wandsworth - Crazier Golf
29. Watford - Crazier Golf

Visit the Boom Battle Bar Bournemouth website for more information.

Happy Shopper shops

Looking back at our visits to Happy Shopper shops since 2020.

A Happy Shopper shop sign in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk

We felt very nostalgic during the coronavirus pandemic and one of the old brands from our childhood we thought about was 'Happy Shopper' - the name alone conjures up images of the 1980's.

A sign at the Pleasant News Happy Shopper in Wisbech (2021)

Emily's first job was at a Happy Shopper in Ipswich and I remember seeing the Happy Shopper shops and branded products a lot when I was growing up in Oxfordshire back in the 1980's and 1990's.

We didn't think there would be many - or any - of the original orange and yellow branded shops still around, but we were proven wrong when we saw one in Preston in September 2020.

A Happy Shopper shop in Preston

Visiting a fully branded Happy Shopper shop is like stepping back in time

The Happy Shopper branding was changed in the year 2000 and I think it lost a lot of its charm and individuality. Many of the former Happy Shopper shops have since been rebranded as Premier shops.

You could still see the 'newer' Happy Shopper branding on Pleasant News in Wisbech in 2021

The shelves inside the store were still the classic orange and yellow design

Since spotting the old shop in Preston we've been lucky enough to spot and snap a few more.

The Happy Shopper on Page Hall Road in Sheffield in 2020

Here's a list of posts about other Happy Shopper shops in:

• Preston
• Sheffield (Sharrow Lane)
• Sheffield (Page Hall Road)
• Ilkeston
• Hitchin
• Fallowfield, Manchester
• Ashwellthorpe
• Ormesby St Margaret
• Lowestoft (2011)
• Lowestoft (2021)
• Wisbech
• Sittingbourne
• Burton-on-Trent 1
• Burton-on-Trent 2

At the Happy Shopper shop on Chaucer Road in Sittingbourne

You can view my YouTube Playlist of Happy Shopper shop videos here.

Treetop Golf at Cabot Circus in Bristol

A new Treetop Adventure Golf venue is opening at Cabot Circus in Bristol.

You can find other Treetop Adventure Golf courses in Cardiff, Manchester, Leicester, Birmingham and Gateshead.

Visit the Treetop Adventure Golf website for more information.

Putt Putt Social in Colchester

A new Putt Putt Social indoor minigolf venue is planned to open in Colchester.

Putt Putt Social Minigolf in Norwich. Photo by Christopher Gottfried, September 2023

There are plans to turn the former Debenhams department store in Colchester, Essex into an indoor crazy golf course.

Visit the Putt Putt Social website to find out more about the brand's existing courses.

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

Mini Golf at Hollywood Bowl Stockton

A new Mini Golf course is now open at the Hollywood Bowl at Teesside Park in Stockton-on-Tees.

The 12-hole indoor Mini Golf course has opened as part of an expanded Hollywood Bowl centre.

Visit the Hollywood Bowl website for more information.

We've played one of the Hollywood Bowl mini golf courses before, and been to Teesside Retail Park - but not done both together. We visited the old Toys R Us store there in April 2021.

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

Toys R Us at Gateway Retail Park in Reading

Spotting an abandoned Toys R Us store in Reading, Berkshire.

We were surprised to see an old Toys R Us store while driving through Reading back in September 2022.

The shop unit at Gateway retail park looked to be in great condition and most of the signage and branding was still on display.

This particular branch of Toys R Us was only open for five months before the brand ceased trading in the UK.

Toys R Us closed its UK operation in April 2018.

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.

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.

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

Toys R Us at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich

A look at the Toys R Us store at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich, Norfolk in April 2022.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018.

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.

We first visited the old Norwich store in August 2021.

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.

The former store in Norwich is now being turned into a Home Bargains.

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

Toys R Us at The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes

A visit to the old Toys R Us store at The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

We took a look at the former Toys R Us store at The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes while on our way back from a trip to Luton in June 2021.

A lot of visible signage was still on display at the old store, including a nice sign in the car park. It's always interesting to see the variety of branding employed by Toys R Us over the years.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018.

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.

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.

Emily recently passed by this store and noticed the signage was still up.

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

Hollywood Bowl Mini-Golf at Teesside Park in Stockton-on-Tees

A new Mini-Golf course is opening at Teesside Park in Stockton-on-Tees.

The 12-hole indoor Mini-Golf course is set to open as part of an expanded Hollywood Bowl centre.

The layout will be a Puttstars Mini-Golf course and is opening on Friday 22nd March.

Puttstars Mini-Golf in Rochdale (June 2021)

Visit the Hollywood Bowl and Puttstars websites for more information.

We've played at Puttstars before, and been to Teesside Retail Park - but not done both together. We visited the old Toys R Us store there in April 2021.

Garden Centre Minigolf

You can find minigolf, crazy golf and adventure golf courses at several garden centres in the UK.

Minigolf has become very popular in recent years and has developed from being a traditional outdoor seaside summer activity to become a year-round game that can be played indoors or out.

Charity Crazy Golf at Woburn Sands Emporium in Woburn Sands near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Much like at shopping malls, outlet centres and on the high street, customers are looking to be entertained while they shop, and garden centres are a perfect spot for a game of minigolf.

Aces Minigolf Gloucester at Dobbies Garden Centre

Check out these blog posts to find out more about the miniature golf courses that we've found out about, visited, and played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf at Fletchers Garden Centre in Eccleshall, Stafford

Toys R Us at Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees

Visiting the old Toys R Us store at Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees.

We visited the former Toys R Us store in Stockton-on-Tees back in April 2021.

It's a very nice example of a closed store, with lots of the original signage still visible.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018.

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.

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.

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