Art Deco - The Odeon cinema in Worcester

A look at the Odeon cinema in Worcester, Worcestershire.

The Odeon cinema in Worcester was built in the Art Deco style and opened in 1935.

Check out the Odeon website for more information.

The former Woolworths in Selby

Spotting a Woolworth ghost sign in Selby, North Yorkshire.

We noticed the remains of a Woolworth sign on the former store on Gowthorpe in Selby while having a wander through the town.

The H of the original WOOLWORTH sign above one of the doors

Before its closure in 2009 the shop had been a Woolworths Local store.

Woolworth became Woolworths in 1984

It's now a Yorkshire Trading Company shop.

Related blog posts:

• Woolworths
• Ghost signs
• Lost shops
• Retail
• Urbex
• Selby

Urban exploration - Riverside Shopping Centre in Evesham, Worcestershire

A look at the Riverside Shopping Centre in Evesham, Worcestershire.

I had a walk through the Riverside Shopping Centre in Evesham while visiting the town last August.

It was such an interesting sight and experience to see an open shopping mall with so few open shops inside it! Really haunting.

As it is no longer viable as a shopping centre there are plans to demolish the shopping centre and regenerate the area.

Photos of the Riverside Shopping Centre in Evesham.

This entrance / exit to the shopping centre looked nice

Video:

• A walk through the Riverside Shopping Centre in Evesham (August 2025)

A Mace shop in Northampton

Spotting a Mace convenience shop in Northampton.

You don't see many Mace shops these days. There was one at a petrol station I used to drive past in Manchester, but I haven't seen any others in a while.

The Mace brand has had several owners over the years and the Great Britain version of the brand is currently owned by Bestway Wholesale after it acquired Costcutter which had bought the Mace brand from Palmer and Harvey.

According to Wikipedia, the Mace brand disappeared from Great Britain in 2025.

While not active in Great Britain, you can still find Mace shops in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

If still there, the Mace in Northampton may be the last one standing in GB!

The Regal Cinema in Kettering, Northamptonshire

This Art Deco building in Kettering, Northamptonshire opened as The Regal Cinema in December 1936.

It had been a bingo club since 1975, most recently as a Gala Bingo. It closed in 2018.

Toys R Us at WHSmith at Keele Services Southbound on the M6

There's a Toys R Us at WHSmith at Keele Services Southbound on the M6 motorway in Staffordshire.

I spotted there is a Toys R Us inside the WHSmith at Keele Services Southbound on the M6 while travelling down to Wembley at the weekend.

Toys R Us in the UK.

Toys R Us returned to the UK shopping scene with an online presence in 2022 and with concessions opening inside some WHSmith shops in 2023. There are currently 148 Toys R Us stores open nationwide.

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 Toys R Us store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

The old Toys R Us.

At its peak there were 105 Toys R Us stores in the UK. 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.

Links:

• Toys R Us
• WHSmith

Related blog posts:

• Toys R Us
• WHSmith
• Retail

Urban exploration - Space Invader street art in Gateshead

A look at some Invader street art in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.

NCL_19 is above ground at Gateshead Interchange

Three of the mosaic tile pieces by the French street artist Invader can be found at Gateshead Interchange Tyne and Wear Metro station.

A close up look at Invader NCL_21

These Invaders were created over the border in Gateshead during the Newcastle Invasion.

Invader NCL_21 downstairs in Gateshead Interchange metro station

Invader NCL_20 is deep underground at Gateshead Interchange

Scotland in Manchester

Spotting an area of Manchester called Scotland.

While having a wander in Manchester I spotted a sign pointing to Scotland - so naturally I had to follow it.

It didn't take me long to find Scotland.

It's a small area off Red Bank in Cheetham Hill.

On our travels we've found 'A.N. Other' versions of a number of towns / islands / states / countries in the UK! These include the Isle of Wight and Ireland (both in Bedfordshire), Egypt (in Buckinghamshire), Oxford (in Northumberland), New England (in Essex), Canada (in the New Forest) and a pair of Lutons (in Kent and Devon).

Related blog posts:

• Scotland
• Manchester
• Ireland in Bedfordshire

Art Deco - The Plaza in Port Talbot, Wales

This was the Plaza in Port Talbot, Wales in May 2019.

It was built in 1939 and opened in April 1940.

Thankfully the building was reopened as The New Plaza and retained the Modern & Art Deco influenced frontage.

Check it out on The New Plaza website.

The Great Britain XVIII steam train - 34067 Tangmere - in Stockport (20th April 2026)

The Great Britain XVIII steam train spotted on the railway bridge above the line at Europa Way in Cheadle Heath, Stockport, Greater Manchester on Monday 20th April 2026.

The locomotive is 34067 Tangmere - a Battle of Britain class engine built in 1947.

The journey began at Chester and will end the day in Carlisle.

The train is on an eight day tour around England, Wales and Scotland. Its journey began at London Paddington on Saturday 18th April and will end at London Euston on Saturday 25th April.

The train tour was operated by The Railway Touring Company.

Urban exploration - Guildhall Shopping Centre in Stafford

A look at the Guildhall Shopping Centre in Stafford, Staffordshire.

The Guildhall Shopping Centre in Stafford closed its doors in March 2024.

This is how it looked in November 2024.

The shopping centre had started to be closed down in April 2022, with sections and entrances being closed off.

New Art Deco style architecture in Hunstanton

Edgewater Apartments in Hunstanton, Norfolk have been created in a nice Art Deco style.

We're big fans of Art Deco style, design and architecture, so it was nice to see the new building on the seafront while visiting Sunny Hunny.

Art Deco - The Old Savoy in Northampton

A look at The Old Savoy in Northampton, Northamptonshire.

It opened in 1936.

Check out The Old Savoy website for more information.

Lost shops - C&A in Shrewsbury

C&A closed its UK stores during 2000 and 2001.

I spotted this remnant of the C&A store in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

C&A announced the closure of its UK stores in June 2000, with the last of the 100+ stores closing in 2001.

The C&A on Pride Hill in Shrewsbury closed in 1998.

Related blog posts:

• Lost shops
• Retail
• Urbex

Urban exploration - Blockbuster Video Express in Colne, Lancashire

A look at the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Colne, Lancashire.

We checked out the former Blockbuster Video Express store in Colne, Lancashire during the pandemic.

Blockbuster ceased operations in the UK in December 2013 and so it was interesting to see there were still signs of the brand at the old shop.

The inside of the abandoned store had a haunting look to it.

The shop unit is currently used as a sandwich shop, but there is still one of the old Blockbuster Video Express signs hanging outside.

Urban exploration - Anglia Square shopping centre in Norwich

A look at a lost shopping centre in Norwich, Norfolk.

Anglia Square shopping centre in Norwich opened in 1970.

Anglia Square shopping centre has now closed and been partly demolished, with plans to build new housing, offices and retail space on the site.

The Hollywood Cinema closed in 2019

Photos of Anglia Square shopping centre in Norwich (May 2022).

The Hollywood Cinema was previously an ODEON

We visited Anglia Square shopping centre several times when in the city. Mostly to go to Sutton Toys, an excellent retro and vintage toy and videogame shop - which has now relocated to Reepham Road in Norwich.