What a difference a year makes

This time last year I saw my first DeLorean in real life at the Didsbury & South Manchester Car Show in Didsbury Park.

DeLoreans are like buses - you wait over 30 years to see one and then get to see two at the same time

If only I had a time machine to go back to then - or forward to after the pandemic.

One of the last times we travelled anywhere outside of Stockport was to see a Back to the Future time machine DeLorean at Media City in Salford back on the 13th March.

What a car!

Happy 12th birthday to Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

Today is the twelfth birthday of Paradise Island Adventure Golf at Manchester's Trafford Centre.

The Tiki Hut Trail course at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in January this year

The 36-hole indoor Adventure Golf venue at the Trafford Centre opened on this day in 2008. How time flies!

The Tiki Hut Trail and Temple Ruins Adventure courses were the 85th and 86th courses played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009.

The Temple Ruins Adventure Golf course at PIAG Manchester

We've returned a number of times since then and following our move north in 2016 Paradise Island Adventure Golf became one of our local places to play.

I won the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championships in 2018 and Emily is the reigning champion having won the tournament in 2019.

Visit the Paradise Island Adventure Golf website for more information about the courses in Cheshire Oaks, Derby, Glasgow, Livingston, Manchester, Plymouth, Rushden Lakes and Sheffield.

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Lost shops - Toys R Us in Ancoats, Manchester

Views of the old Toys R Us store at the Central Retail Park in Manchester.

I took a look at the old Toys R Us store at the Central Retail Park in Ancoats, Manchester just prior to it's demolition in March 2019.

All of the stores on the site have been demolished and the area is being turned into car parking.

More photos can be found in my blog post: Toys R Us at the Central Retail Park in Manchester.

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 store. I worked on the video game and electronics section.

Dead brands

We've seen a number of other old and defunct brands on our travels around the country, including Woolworths in Stoke-on-Trent, Tandy in Hitchin, RadioShack in Lytham Saint Annes, Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness and Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester.

Blade in the place, Didsbury

Spotting the Blade barber shop in Didsbury, Manchester.

We spotted Blade Brown barbers while having a wander last week.

I wasn't familiar with this shop before last week. A sign I need a haircut perhaps...

We recently saw the Resident Needle tattoo studio in Woodley, Stockport too.

Five days left to back the new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game on Kickstarter

Post contains affiliate links.

There are now only five days left to back the new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game on Kickstarter.

The campaign has been very popular and a number of stretch goals have been reached.

Mini Golf at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry

A look at the Miniature Golf course at Cae Glas Park in Oswestry.

On this day in 2012 we were in Oswestry, Shropshire for The Oswestry Games multi-sports festival.

We first visited the Cae Glas Park Miniature Golf course at the end of our road-trip around Wales in 2009. It was the last course we played on the trip and the first one after crossing the border back into England.

It's one of the few Eternit type of miniature golf courses in the UK.

We had a brilliant time in the Oswestry as part of the Oslympics. We met some great people, put on some fun coaching sessions and played in two excellent competitions.

The Oswestry Games minigolf team - from l-r Emily Gottfried, Ruth Burke, Steve Sturdy, Richard Gottfried, Marc Chapman, John Moore

We were also bronze medalists in the Oswestry Games pub quiz at the Cricket Club.

We're looking forward to revisiting Oswestry and playing the course again in the future.

Caddy Shack indoor mini golf at Shanklin Seafront

There's a new indoor minigolf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight.

Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight is now home to a new 18-hole indoor miniature golf course. The layout is located at the summer arcade in the seafront resort.

Visit the Shanklin Seafront website for more information, opening times and prices.

There are also two outdoor adventure golf courses at Shanklin Seafront. One of those opened after our visit in 2016. The other replaced a Putting course that was still there on our first visit in 2008.

We've only had day trips to the Isle of Wight before and are looking forward to having a longer stay there in the future. A few other new courses have opened since our last visit in 2016, while some courses have been refurbished.

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Jolly Rodger Crazy Golf at Wonderland Telford

A look back at our visit to the Treasure Island Adventure Golf course at Wonderland Telford.

We visited the 500th course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour while en route to Oswestry on Friday 13th July 2012.

It was memorable for a number of reasons. As well as being a landmark course visit we clearly remember how bad the weather was on that day. It was tipping it down! We were the only people brave (foolish) enough to play the course. It was also one of the most unique layouts we've played as each of the holes had a different playing surface. Some were concrete, others had felt, others were wooden and some were a mixture!

Watering Hole was an incredibly appropriate name for this hole!

The obstacle and shape of this hole reminded us of some Swedish Felt Mini Golf courses. Except it had metal rails and a concrete base!

That's a huge obstacle in the way!

Pitching my putt

You wouldn't want to over hit your shot into the end of this hole 

The Treasure Island Adventure Golf course at Wonderland Telford became the 300th course we managed to play on our travels.

Emily won our minigolf match-up on the 9-hole course with a score of 29 to my round of 30.

On board the wooden Pirate Ship hole

Emily playing hole 1

Quite the follow-through on my shot

We've now been to 949 courses since September 2006.

About to walk the plank

Check out the Wonderland Telford website for more information.

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Rylstone Crazy Golf and Tea Gardens in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight

A look at the Rylstone Crazy Golf and Tea Gardens in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight.

Many thanks to our friend Philip Walsh for sending over some snaps of the Rylstone Crazy Golf course at the Tea Gardens in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight.

We first visited the course in 2008 and returned in 2016.

There have been some modifications and additions to the course since our last visit.

Philip told me this was the round killer hole - it certainly looks like it could be tough to play!

We're looking forward to heading back to the Isle of Wight in the future. We've only been there on day trips before, next time we'll have to do a longer trip and take in more of the isle.

Six days left to back the new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game on Kickstarter

Post contains affiliate links.

There are only six days left to back the new Pitch & Plakks minigolf game on Kickstarter.

The campaign has been incredibly popular and a number of stretch goals have been reached.

Picture Postcard Magic - REALLY CRAZY GOLF!

The latest post on the Reflections of a Bygone Age blog is about Golf. John Claydon’s Confessions of a Collector post includes some mentions of Crazy Golf.

Crazy Golf at St Michael's Park in Cirencester

A look at the Crazy Golf course at St Michael's Park in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

Many thanks to our friend, minigolf rival and fellow adventure golf traveller Matt Dodd for sending over some snaps of the 12-hole Crazy Golf course at St Michael's Park in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

We haven't played there on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour yet.

Looking online St Michael's Park is also home to a Pitch & Putt course and a Boules Piste.

Mini Golf in Maryport, Cumbria

A look back at our visit to the Lake District Coast Aquarium Crazy Golf course in Maryport.

We travelled up to Scotland in April 2012 and en route swung by the Lake District Coast Aquarium in Maryport, Cumbria to play the minigolf course there.

Unfortunately we arrived just after 5pm so couldn't have a game.

The Maryport Crazy Golf course was the 469th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

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Bookbuster in Hastings

Back in 2013 we spotted this old Blockbuster Video store in Hastings that had been turned into a book store called Bookbuster.

Check out Bookbuster on Facebook for more information.

Do you know of any Blockbuster branding that still exists on old stores in the UK? Do let me know.

You can still see the remnants of Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester.

Related blog posts:
- Blockbuster
- Hastings
- Shops

We gonna rock down to Corona Avenue

What a year it's been so far!

And to think it's not over yet...

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.

We were surprised to see a number of 7-Eleven stores in Stockholm on our last trip there in 2018. We'd only ever seen them in the USA before that

Normally customers receive free or discounted Slurpees on 7/11. However this year 7-Eleven have cancelled the promotion because of the coronavirus pandemic and will instead be donating 1 million meals to the charity Feeding America.

The first 7-Eleven Day was held in 2002.

Tee Party Crazy Golf at The Club House in Manchester. July 2016

A look back at the Tee Party Crazy Golf course at The Club House in Spinningfields, Manchester.

It was the 684th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Sadly I was in the city a day after the pop-up had closed so no clubs or balls were available. At least the holes were still there.

Urban Exploration - Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Manchester

A look at the old Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester.

Since I found the remains of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester last October I've been intrigued to see the brand still has a lingering presence in the retail world. It's always interesting to see ghost signs, remnants of old & dead brands and signage while out and about on our travels.

It's so odd to see Blockbuster branding along with social distancing signage and notices 

Blockbuster ceased operations in the UK in December 2013.

A notice on the door at the old Fallowfield branch. Some retail history

As well as the Fallowfield Blockbuster there are still signs of the stores in Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex, Chiswick in London and Norwich in Norfolk.

A view inside the old store

Related blog posts:
- Blockbuster
- Fallowfield
- Urban Exploration

Itchy & Scratchy on the Fallowfield Loop

Spotting some Itchy & Scratchy graffiti on the Fallowfield Loop in Manchester.

We spotted this superb street art by Good Life while out on a walk along the Fallowfield Loop.

The Itchy & Scratchy Show in Manchester

It's always fun finding Simpsons-inspired artwork while out and about. Last year we saw this nice piece in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Related blog posts:
- Street Art
- The Simpsons

Caddy Shack opening at Sol Central in Northampton

The new Caddy Shack Mini Golf course at Sol Central in Northampton is opening this month.

The new Caddy Shack indoor games venue is due to open on Friday 17th July. It was originally planned to open earlier this year.

Caddy Shack is a New York-themed venue and home to a minigolf course, tenpin bowling and darts and is part of the Gravity Activity Entertainment centre at Sol Central.

Check out the Caddy Shack website for more information.

We're looking forward to visiting Caddy Shack and playing the crazy golf course there on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

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New Adventure Golf course opening at Wexham Park Golf Centre in Buckinghamshire

A new Adventure Golf course will be created at Wexham Park Golf Centre in Slough, Buckinghamshire.

The 18-hole Adventure Golf layout will also be joined by a new Footgolf course.

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

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Farmyard Crazy Golf at Uncle Henry's Farm in Gainsborough

A new minigolf course has opened at Uncle Henry's Farm in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.

A brand new Farmyard Crazy Golf course has opened at Uncle Henry's Farm Shop, Butchery & Cafe in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.

It's a new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've enjoyed our visits over to Lincolnshire on our travels.

Visit the Uncle Henry's Farm website for more information, opening times, booking details and prices.

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