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?

The Oasis Beach Pool Pyramid in Bedford

Did you know there's a pyramid in Bedford?

I didn't until fairly recently! Crazy really as we lived in Bedfordshire for many years, and visited Bedford quite often.

A look at the Oasis Beach Pool Pyramid in Bedford.

The Oasis Beach Pool in Bedford opened in 1991. The site is currently up for sale with Bedford Borough Council offering a long leasehold basis for leisure use, with all activities at the venue ceasing from the 3rd November 2025.

Not one but two pyramids there.

There are actually two pyramids on the site, with a smaller second pyramid home to Camrider Motorcycle Training Bedford.

If you look a little further between the two pyramids you can see the Tesco Extra store is also topped with a pyramid!

More lesser-known UK pyramids.

Check out this thread on Twitter/X from the Twentieth Century Society for more examples of lesser-known pyramids in the UK.

Pyramid hunting.

I enjoy seeing and discovering different and interesting examples of architecture. And living in Stockport we have a myriad of intriguing buildings. Most notable of which is possibly the Stockport Pyramid! It's a striking sight and clearly seen by thousands of people passing by on the M60 and railway lines each day. The Stockport Pyramid is 37m tall. And, by some reckonings, is the 16th tallest pyramid in the world!

How tall is the Bedford Pyramid?

I'd be interested in finding out how tall the Oasis Beach Pool Pyramid in Bedford is, and how it compares in size to the Stockport Pyramid.

Links:

• Bedford Borough Council
• Oasis Beach Pool at Better Leisure
• Camrider Motorcycle Training Bedford

Related blog posts:

• Pyramid
• Pyramids
• Bedford
• Architecture

The Watford Pyramid

A look at the pyramid in Watford town centre.

Watford Pyramid was built in 1985 and was designed by Arthurell and Kirkland Architects to be home to a Blockbuster Video store!

The front of the pyramid (or should that be pyramids?)

The shop - located at 161-165 High Street, Watford - is now home to a Cotswold Outdoor store.

A view from the side

More lesser-known UK pyramids.

Check out this thread on Twitter/X from the Twentieth Century Society for more examples of lesser-known pyramids in the UK.

The other side of the pyramid

Pyramid hunting.

I enjoy seeing and discovering different and interesting examples of architecture. And living in Stockport we have a myriad of intriguing buildings. Most notable of which is possibly the Stockport Pyramid! It's a striking sight and clearly seen by thousands of people passing by on the M60 and railway lines each day.

The rear of the Watford pyramid

The Watford Pyramid was doubly interesting to me as it was a) a pyramid, and b) a former Blockbuster Video store - another area of study of mine.

How tall is the Watford Pyramid?

I'd be interested in finding out how tall the Watford Pyramid is, and how it compares in size to the Stockport Pyramid.

Links:

• Arthurell and Kirkland Architects
• Cotswold Outdoor Watford
• Twentieth Century Society

Related blog posts:

• Pyramid
• Pyramids
• Watford
• Architecture
• Blockbuster Video

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)

A 7-Eleven in Chicago

A look at a gold signed, but closed down, 7-Eleven in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

The closed 7-Eleven at the Heyworth Building on East Madison Street in Chicago

This 7-Eleven had a fancy looking gold sign

Abandoned Crazy Golf in Victoria Park, Glasgow

A look back at a derelict minigolf course at Victoria Park in Glasgow, Scotland.

We visited Glasgow back in May 2009 and one of the courses we found there was this abandoned 18-hole outdoor Crazy Golf course in Victoria Park.

Even 16 years on it's still one of the strangest courses we've seen on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The course was in a distinctive amphitheatre layout and is laid out in a fair bit of space.

Looking for further information about the course doesn't reveal too much more information. It was built in the 1970's but has been derelict since the 1980's!

The approach to the course area

A view from the back of the course

We wonder if any readers have memories of the course being open, and perhaps playing it?

Stockport County FC's Edgeley Mosaic Trail

Following the Stockport County FC Edgeley Mosaic Trail.

Earlier this year we noticed some newly placed street art in the form of mosaic tiles spelling out "STOCKPORT" along Castle Street in Edgeley. It was a nice surprise to see it, and after a bit of research we found that the group behind the street art were Grit Studios, Mosaics in Manchester, Stockport County Community Trust, and The Writing Squad.

I spotted this sign for the trail yesterday evening

During another wander around our local area we spotted another "O", which led us to find other tile art letters that spelled out "COUNTY".

It's been fun following the art trail around the area

We then found out that there were 17 mosaics in total - and we'd found 15 of them. So we set out to find the final two to spell out the final parts in the Edgeley Mosaic Trail.

A map for the Edgeley Mosaic Trail can be found on the Stockport County FC website.