New mini golf course in Huddersfield

A film-themed mini golf course is opening at The Light in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

Action Shots Mini Golf is a 10-hole indoor movie-themed course

The Light cinema and entertainment complex is opening in Huddersfield on Friday 11th April.

The new venue will include a film-themed mini golf course, as well as an arcade, tenpin bowling, high ropes challenge, interactive darts, skittles, street curling, batting cages, laser tag, shuffleboard, axe throwing and more!

Check out The Light Huddersfield's website for more information.

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

The C O U N T Y part of S T O C K P O R T

Spotting some more street art in Stockport.

We recently 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.

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

A trail map for the S T O C K P O R T letter mosaic artwork is coming soon...

Blockbuster Video returning to the UK (for four days)

KitKat is bringing a Blockbuster Video pop-up shop to Soho in London in April 2025.

The pop-up video shop is part of a nostalgia inspired campaign to launch KitKat's new sharing bars.

The shop will be located on Greek Street in Soho, London from Wednesday 9th to Saturday 12th April.

Check out the Nestlé website for more information about the KitKat/Blockbuster pop-up.

It'll be interesting to see what the KitKat/Blockbuster 'video shop' looks like.

During the pandemic our interest in lost brands and retail history was piqued and over the last five years we've been to several former Blockbuster Video stores around the UK.

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.

The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013 and there is now only one Blockbuster Video store in the world - it's in Bend, Oregon, USA.

Nostalgia and lost brands

We've 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.

Playing Miniature Golf at Boondocks Fun Center in Northglenn, Colorado

Looking back at my visit to the Miniature Golf course at Boondocks Fun Center in Northglenn, Colorado, USA in 2009.

I played the two miniature golf courses at Boondocks Fun Center in the town of Northglenn, Colorado in March 2009.

My visit came during a trip to Denver to attend the week-long SportAccord conference in the city. During some downtime I travelled outside the city limits to play miniature golf in the Boondocks!

At the two courses at Boondocks Fun Center

As it was '$12 Tuesday' I had unlimited play on the minigolf courses - the 'Caverns Mill' and 'Hillbilly Hallow' - that sit next to Interstate-25. I managed to fit in three rounds on the two layouts.

The courses became the 82nd and 83rd played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

A token from Boondocks

Check out the Boondocks Fun Center website for more information, opening times and prices.

Baseball Mini Golf in Solna, Sweden

A look at the minigolf course at O'Leary's bar and entertainment centre at the Mall of Scandinavia in Solna.

We visited our 801st minigolf course and 32nd overseas at O'Leary's bar and entertainment centre at the Mall of Scandinavia in Solna, Stockholm, Sweden in February 2018.

The Sports World Minigolf course was a 14-hole indoor layout with sports themed holes. One of them was based on baseball.

Visit the O'Leary's website for more information.

Baseball Mini Golf at FTW in Chicago

A look at the baseball-themed hole at FTW in Chicago.

Emily swung by FTW in Chicago back in 2018 and on her return visit in 2019 had a game of mini golf there.

One of the holes is based on Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox.

The course at FTW is a 6-hole layout themed on the Windy City.

Hole 5 at FTW

Check out the FTW website for more information.

Baseball hole at City Mini Golf at Maggie Daley Park in Chicago

A look at the baseball-themed hole at the City Mini Golf course at Maggie Daley Park in Chicago.

Emily swung by the City Mini Golf course at Maggie Daley Park in Chicago back in 2019.

One of the 18 holes is Chicago Cubs themed.

Check out the City Mini Golf course website for more information.

Happy International Laser Tag Day

Today is International Laser Tag Day!

International Laser Tag Day is celebrated on the 28th March and marks the opening of the first commercial laser tag arena - Photon in Dallas, Texas which opened in 1984!

The day is also known as 'National Laser Tag Day' and 'Laser Tag Day'. It was first celebrated in 2014.

Check out the Laser Tag Museum website for more information.

We're fans of laser tag, and it's been far too long since we've had a game!

Marc Bazeley and me at Quasar in Milton Keynes (2011), at Laser Planet in Milton Keynes (2016), and me and Emily at Star Command Laser Tag at the Trocadero in London (2011)

Scrapyard Golf at Discobowl Banbury

Banbury Bowl is now known as Discobowl Banbury.

We visited the Banbury venue on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour last December - it's home to an indoor minigolf course called Scrapyard Golf

The indoor minigolf course (December 2024)

You can find Scrapyard Golf courses at Discobowl venues in Chatham, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Worcester and Banbury.

Check out the Discobowl Banbury website for more information.

Crazy Boules in Elephant & Castle

There's a Crazy Boules venue opening in Elephant & Castle, London in April.

Crazy Boules is a cross between Petanque and Crazy Golf!

The Crazy Boules venue in Elephant & Castle follows the brand's pop-up in Shoreditch where they had a six hole (or should that be piste?) course (or should that be terrain?).

The Crazy Boules course in Elephant & Castle will be open from Friday 4th April.

Check out the Crazy Boules website for more information.

We're big fans of Crazy Golf and Petanque so Crazy Boules sounds like a lot of fun.

Nine months until Christmas Day!

There are now 'just' 275 days to go until Christmas 2025.

Last November we played the Christmas-themed minigolf course from Lancashire Crazy Golf at the Northwich Christmas Extravaganza

Green Day Café Mini Golf course at Westminster Park in Chester

A visit to the Mini Golf course at the Green Day Café in Westminster Park, Chester.

Emily swung by the 18-hole outdoor Mini Golf course at the Green Day Café in Westminster Park while in Chester.

Check out the Green Day Café & Golf website for more information on the course.

Jurassic Jungle Crazy Golf at The Farm Shop at Ombersley

There's a Jurassic Jungle Crazy Golf course at The Farm Shop at Ombersley, Worcestershire.

Visit The Farm Shop at Ombersley and Jurassic Jungle Crazy Golf websites for more information.

The 18-hole outdoor Jurassic Jungle Crazy Golf is another new one for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Mini-Golf at Clippesby Hall in Great Yarmouth

A visit to the Mini-Golf course at Clippesby Hall in Clippesby, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

My brother Christopher and his family played the Mini-Golf course at Clippesby Hall in Clippesby, Great Yarmouth on their branch of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

I played a round on the 18-hole Mini-Golf course at Clippesby Hall in May 2022.

Check out the Clippesby Hall website for more information.

The Hole In Wand Wizard Golf in Chester

A look at The Hole In Wand Wizard Golf in Chester.

Emily swung by The Hole In Wand Wizard Golf in Chester on a recent trip to the city

Unfortunately The Hole In Wand Wizard Golf in Chester is temporarily closed following flood damage to the venue. There are plans to re-open later this year after a refurbishment 

In addition to the Chester venue you can find The Hole In Wand minigolf courses in Blackpool, York and Seaham. The brand also recently announced plans for a new location in Leeds.

Good luck to the team at The Hole In Wand in the refurbishment of the course in Chester.

Visit The Hole in Wand website for more information.

Emily has played The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf course in York on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and we visit Leeds a lot so will check out that course when it opens.

Free Mini-Golf in Canary Wharf, London

A free-to-play pop-up mini golf course is being set-up in Canary Wharf, London next month.

‘Minigolf by Craig & Karl’ (designed by artists Craig Redman and Karl Maier) will be in Montgomery Square in Canary Wharf from Friday 4th April until Sunday 5th October.

Check out the Canary Wharf and Craig & Karl websites for more information on the 9-hole minigolf course.

Signs of the Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic Times

Today marks five years since the UK entered its first Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic lockdown.

On the 23rd March 2020 the UK effectively ceased normal operations as the country was put into lockdown.

Once we were allowed out photographed as much Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic and Social Distancing signage and notices as we could to document the times.

There is certainly a real variety of warnings, instructions and directional signage to do with social distancing.

Social distancing signs at Cheadle Makers Market

We were amused by this photo Emily took of the social distancing measures in place on an escalator in M&S!

Surely the 2 metre apart distance stickers should be on the moving walkway as well, rather than the static sides of the escalator?

Here are just a few of the signs we snapped.

A bench in Colne, Lancashire

Covid-19 signage at Puttstars Mini Golf in Rochdale

Covid signs at The Happy Shopper convenience store in Sheffield

Social distancing at an abandoned Blockbuster Video store in Manchester 

You can view over 1,800 of the signs at the links below:

• Covid-19 signs 1
• Covid-19 signs 2
• Covid-19 signs 3
• Covid-19 signs 4
• Covid-19 signs 5
• Covid-19 signs 6
• Covid-19 signs 7
• Covid-19 signs 8
• Covid-19 signs 9
• Covid-19 signs 10
• Covid-19 signs 11
• Covid-19 signs 12
• Covid-19 signs 13
• Covid-19 signs 14
• Covid-19 signs 15
• Covid-19 signs 16
• Covid-19 signs 17
• Covid-19 signs 18

It's still possible to see Covid-19 Coronavirus signage and I reckon the remnants of the pandemic will be visible for many years to come.

Related blog posts:

• Signs of the coronavirus pandemic times
• Minigolf in the time of Coronavirus

Jurassic Adventure Golf at Prairie Sports Village in Burnley

There are plans to create a Jurassic Adventure Golf course at Prairie Sports Village in Burnley, Lancashire.

The new 18-hole outdoor adventure golf layout will replace the current 9-hole mini golf course and putting course.

Visit the Prairie Sports Village website for more information.

It'll be a new course for us to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

NO PIGEONS ALLOWED

Spotted at Greggs in the Merseyway shopping centre in Stockport.

Nice to have a sign for the pigeons themselves!

Pirate Island Adventure Golf in the Forest of Dean

A look back at our visit to the Pirate Island Adventure Golf course in the Forest of Dean.

Pirate Island Adventure Golf in the Forest of Dean

We played the Pirate Island Adventure Golf course in Newnham in the Forest of Dean back in October 2017.

Pirate Island Adventure Golf in the Forest of Dean

Pirate Island Adventure Golf in the Forest of Dean

The 12-hole course was the 467th course played and 786th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Pirate Island Adventure Golf in the Forest of Dean

For more information, opening times and prices check out the Forest of Dean Adventure Golf course website.

Pirate Island Adventure Golf in the Forest of Dean