The end of Blockbuster Video in the UK

Blockbuster Video closed in the UK on the 16th December 2013.

The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK on this day in 2013.

Blockbuster Video entered the UK video rental market in 1989 following the purchase of Ritz Video.

In 2013 there were over 500 Blockbuster locations in the UK. Throughout that year the number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. On the 16th December 2013 all stores ceased operations.

Even now in 2025 there are still some clearly visible remnants of the brand on the high street and on retail parks.

The first Blockbuster Video.

The first Blockbuster Video store had opened in Dallas, Texas, USA on the 19th October 1985.

The last Blockbuster Video on Earth.

The very last Blockbuster Video store in operation is in Bend, Oregon, USA.

Our 'local' store.

Until January 2024 there was an abandoned Blockbuster Video store near us here in Manchester. It was always an eerie, interesting and nostalgic thing to drive past the old shop at Fallowfield Retail Park.

From 9,000 to 1.

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster stores around the world. 500+ of which were in England, Scotland and Wales. Interestingly in Northern Ireland the Xtra-Vision brand was used by the owners in-line with the Republic of Ireland.

Nowadays it you want to rent a film from Blockbuster you'll have to travel to the last Blockbuster Video on the planet - Bend Blockbuster in Oregon.

Visiting the last bits of Blockbuster Video in the UK.

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

• Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• Ashton, Bristol
• Barnsley, South Yorkshire
• Basingstoke, Hampshire
• Billingham, Teesside
• Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
• Chester, Cheshire
• Chorley, Lancashire
• Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
• Colne, Lancashire
• Failsworth, Manchester
• Fallowfield, Manchester
• Felixstowe, Suffolk
• Filton, Bristol
• Great Moor, Stockport, Greater Manchester
• Hastings, East Sussex
• Leigh, Greater Manchester
• Luton, Bedfordshire
• Marple, Greater Manchester
• Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
• Nuneaton, Warwickshire
• Oldham, Greater Manchester
• Prescot, Lancashire
• Shanklin, Isle of Wight
• Southampton, Hampshire
• Telford, Shropshire
• Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
• Wythenshawe, Manchester

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.

Junk Yard Golf Club indoor crazy golf in Leeds

There are three indoor 9-hole crazy golf courses at the Junk Yard Golf Club venue at The Light in Leeds.

You can also find Junkyard Golf courses in Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Oxford.

Find out more.

Visit the Junk Yard Golf website for more information.

A video shop shopfront

Spotting a 'video shop' in Watford.

I spotted this nice shop sign for GTV TV & Video on St Albans Road in Watford, Hertfordshire on my recent visit to the town.

I wonder how many TVs and VCRs get rented out in 2025?

Urban Street Golf at Gravity Social in Northampton (October 2023)

A revisit to Gravity Social in Northampton.

On my recent trip to Northampton it was sad to find that Gravity Social at Sol Central had closed down.

The venue was home to an indoor Urban Street Golf course.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The 9-hole Urban Street Golf course at Gravity Social in Northampton was the 1,019th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour travels back in April 2023.

A look at the Urban Street Golf course at Gravity Social.

Check out this blog post for more photos of what the course looked like then.

Urban Street Golf at Gravity Social in Northampton (April 2023)

The Lost World Adventure Golf on Sandown Pier on the Isle of Wight

Did you know there's an indoor minigolf course on Sandown Pier?

We first visited and played The Lost World Adventure Golf on Sandown Pier on the Isle of Wight in July 2008. Emily returned to the Isle of Wight in 2021 and while there snapped these photos of the course sign while whizzing about the island!

Find out more.

Visit The Lost World Adventure Golf / Sandown Pier website for more information.

Video Years in Leeds

Spotting a video shop in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

We spotted a sign for the Video Years video shop while having a wander round Leeds city centre on our recent trip to the city.

Video Years has a niche of being a video shop specialising in skateboard VHS & DVDs! It's also housed within a head shop!

Find out more.

Check out the Video Years website for more information.

Related blog posts:

• VHS
• Retail
• Shops
• Leeds
• Video rental shops in the UK (July 2025)

The Lost City Adventure Golf at The Cornerhouse in Nottingham

A blog post about The Lost City Adventure Golf at The Cornerhouse in Nottingham.

We swung by The Lost City Adventure Golf at The Cornerhouse while in Nottingham.

The Lost City Adventure Golf at The Cornerhouse is home to two indoor 18-hole adventure golf courses.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Temple Trail and Sacred Skull Pass courses at The Lost City Adventure Golf were the 330th and 331st courses played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in March 2014.

We've returned to play minigolf tournaments at the venue several times over the years.

Find out more.

Check out The Lost City Adventure Golf website for more information.

Related blog posts

• The Lost City Adventure Golf
• Nottingham
• Mini Golf in Nottingham

Bonkers Illumination Golf in Matlock Bath

A blog post about Bonkers Illumination Golf in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire.

We swung by Bonkers Illumination Golf in Matlock Bath while en route to Nottingham.

Bonkers Illumination Golf in Matlock Bath is an indoor 9-hole crazy golf course.

Find out more.

Check out the Bonkers Illumination Golf website for more information.

Happy National 7-Eleven Day

It's National 7-Eleven Day.

Today is National 7-Eleven Day!

7-Eleven convenience stores celebrate National 7-Eleven Day on when else but the 11th July.

The first 7-Eleven Day was held in 2002.

If you're in Rugby, and you feel hungry, who you gonna call...

...Gutt Busters!

We spotted Gutt Busters on a visit to Rugby in Warwickshire back in 2014.

Abbey Gardens Crazy Golf in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Playing the Crazy Golf course at the Abbey Gardens in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

Last year Emily spotted a Crazy Golf course at the Abbey Gardens in Bury St Edmunds and we swung by again in August.

On our recent return trip to the town we had a game on the 9-hole crazy golf course.

The Abbey Gardens Crazy Golf in Bury St Edmunds is open from April to October. Interestingly the layout changes as the course is set-up and taken down each day!

In our minigolf match Emily scored the win with a round of 23 to my 24.

The Abbey Gardens Crazy Golf course in Bury St Edmunds was the 583rd played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 1,054th visited overall since September 2006.

Photos of the 9-hole Crazy Golf course at the Abbey Gardens in Bury St Edmunds on the 1st June 2025.

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 8

Hole 8

Hole 9

It's the second time we've played a minigolf course in the Abbey Gardens, the first was a pop-up back in 2008. That was the 71st on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.