Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

A look at the Mini Golf course at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Belton, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.


Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Photo by Sophia Moles, October 2021

Our friends Sophia and Karl Moles sent over some photos of the Mini Golf course at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Belton, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk from their recent holiday there.

Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Photo by Sophia Moles, October 2021

Sophia told us they enjoyed a couple of rounds on the course, with the best score from the group being a 25 by Karl. The course record is 24 on the 9-hole layout.

Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Photo by Sophia Moles, October 2021

Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Photo by Sophia Moles, October 2021

Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Photo by Sophia Moles, October 2021

Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Photo by Sophia Moles, October 2021

Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Photo by Sophia Moles, October 2021

Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Photo by Sophia Moles, October 2021

Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Photo by Sophia Moles, October 2021

Mini Golf at Haven's Wild Duck Holiday Park in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Photo by Sophia Moles, October 2021


Check out the Haven website for more information on the Wild Duck Holiday Park.


Minigolfing Moles

36 years of Blockbuster Video

Gone, but not forgotten.


Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton, Warwickshire

The first Blockbuster Video store opened in Dallas, Texas, USA on this day in 1985.

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 stores around the world. 500+ of which were in the UK.

There is now just one Blockbuster Video store left open. It's in Bend, Oregon, USA.

Blockbuster in the UK


Blockbuster Video Express in Billingham, Teesside
Blockbuster Video Express in Billingham, Teesside

Blockbuster ceased operations in the UK in December 2013. At the start of that year there were 528 Blockbuster locations in the UK. The number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. The remaining stores closed on the 16th December.

Blockbuster Video Express in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
The most recent former Blockbuster store we visited was in Clacton-on-Sea. It was nice to see it had a ghost sign

There are still clearly visible remnants of the brand on the high street and on retail parks. And we've been to most of them!



Blockbuster Video Express in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight
A ghost sign at the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight


Lost brands

I've spent a lot of the last two years reminiscing about 'the good old days' before the coronavirus pandemic hit the planet. One of my areas of interest is in old retail brands - I'm a marketer by profession and two of my first jobs in the 1990's and the year 2000 were at Tandy and Toys R Us. It's been fascinating to find remnants of a number of lost, dead and defunct brands on the high street and at retail parks.

Monday, October 18, 2021

Crazy Golf at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea

A look at the Crazy Golf course at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk.


Crazy Golf at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea. Photo by Cherise Gray, October 2021

A big thank you goes to the team at Pop's Meadow Cafe and Fun Park for sending us these photos of the new Crazy Golf course there.

Crazy Golf at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea. Photo by Cherise Gray, October 2021

Crazy Golf at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea. Photo by Cherise Gray, October 2021

Crazy Golf at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea. Photo by Cherise Gray, October 2021

We heard last week that the venue had reopened and added a new minigolf course to the site. Great news.

Visit the Pop's Meadow Cafe and Fun Park on Facebook for more information.


It's always brilliant to hear about new miniature golf courses opening and it's really nice when sites of lost courses once again become places to play the game.

The former Crazy Golf course at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea was the 100th course we visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we swung by on the 10th May 2009.

Crazy Golf at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea
We played the old Arnold Palmer Putting course at Pop's Meadow in June 2010 and the last time any of us swung by it was back in 2016 after it had closed down


We've now been to 973 courses since September 2006.

We're planning a big minigolf trip to Norfolk for next summer and it'll be marvellous to have a game of crazy golf at Pop's Meadow again.

Saturday, October 16, 2021

Roxy Ball Room heading to Bristol

A new Roxy Ball Room could be opening in Bristol.


There are plans for a new Roxy Ball Room to open in Bristol city centre.

A new Roxy Ball Room could be opening in Bristol.

Roxy Ball Room venues are home to a number of sports and games including Crazy Golf, Crazy Pool, Shuffleboard, Pool, Beer Pong and more.

Check out the Roxy Ball Room website for more information.


We've played Crazy Golf at the Roxy Ball Room locations in Manchester and Leeds on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We're yet to play minigolf at the Liverpool site.

Friday, October 15, 2021

Crazy Golf back at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea

A Crazy Golf course is once again part of Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk.


A Crazy Golf course is once again part of Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk

Pop's Meadow fun park in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk is once more home to a Crazy Golf course.

A temporary layout has been created by the new operators of the site and there are plans for a more permanent course to be put in place in the future.

Check out the Pop's Meadow Cafe and Fun Park on Facebook for more information.


It's always nice to hear about new minigolf courses opening and especially nice when sites of lost courses once again become places to play the game.

The Crazy Golf course at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea was the 100th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we swung by on the 10th May 2009. We've now been to 973 courses since September 2006.

Crazy Golf at Pop's Meadow in Gorleston-on-Sea
We played the course in June 2010 and the last time any of us swung by it was back in 2016 when it had closed down

We're looking forward to revisiting Pop's Meadow and playing the new course there.

Pop's Meadow is a site of historical significance in the world of miniature golf as the game has been played there for many many years
Pop's Meadow is a site of historical significance in the world of miniature golf as the game has been played there for many many years

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Minigolf mining

Last week I put out a question on social media about whether there are any Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom style runaway mine car-style rides at theme parks or fairs in the UK.

Part of the prompt for this question was watching the film, with another being the new section of holes we saw at the Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea that includes a broken down mine.

Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea

We've seen a couple of other mining scenes on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Alpine Adventure Golf course on the Great Orme in Llandudno
Alpine Adventure Golf course on the Great Orme in Llandudno, Wales

Alpine Adventure Golf course on the Great Orme in Llandudno

Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park in Rhoose, Barry, Wales
Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park in Rhoose, Barry, Wales

Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park in Rhoose, Barry, Wales

Dragon's Quest Mini Golf course at Fontygary Leisure Park in Rhoose, Barry, Wales

Skull Point Adventure Golf on Clacton Pier

A look at the Skull Point Adventure Golf course in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.


Skull Point Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

We visited Clacton Pier during our East Anglian Road-Trip in August and while there checked out the Skull Point Adventure Golf course at the No.1 North Sea address.

Skull Point Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
The 18-hole course is spread out over two levels, with some holes indoors and others outside

Skull Point Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
The lucky 19th hole

Skull Point Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

Check out the Clacton Pier website for more information.

Skull Point Adventure Golf on Clacton Pier
A Covid-19 sign

Skull Point Adventure Golf was the 972nd course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Did you know...

Halloween 2021 is the first time in 666 years that Halloween falls on Friday the 13th
Halloween 2021 is the first time in 666 years that Halloween falls on Friday the 13th

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

An oversized minigolf cheque

I won the Weymouth Open minigolf tournament on this day in 2008.


Weymouth Open minigolf champion Richard Gottfried

The inaugural Weymouth Open minigolf competition was held on the 18-hole Pirate Adventure Mini Golf course at the Weymouth Sea Life Centre at Lodmoor Country Park.

Pirate Adventure Mini Golf at Lodmoor Country Park in Weymouth

I had a very good record in Weymouth Open events. As well as winning the individual title in 2008 my team-mate Chris Harding and I were the Weymouth Open doubles champions in 2011.

I was also runner-up in the 2009 and 2011 events and seventh in 2010. In the 2009 tournament Kevin Moseley and I were tied after two rounds and it took 4-holes of a sudden-death play-off to separate us.

The course was the 77th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've now been to 973 courses since September 2006.

Keep following the brown signs

A blog post about brown tourist signs.


Miniature Golf brown tourist sign in Lytham St Annes

I was pleased to hear that my fellow blogger, 'dull' person and fan of the quirky Amanda from Follow The Brown Signs was back in action after a hiatus.

We've always been interested in straying off the beaten path and even before we found out about Follow The Brown Signs we would look for and find different things to see and do while out and about on our travels.

Golf centre Canolfan golff in Wrexham, Wales

Finding out about Amanda's mission and website in 2011 gave us even more ideas as well as another outlet for us to share tips and stuff from our own quest.

Just last week I spotted a brown sign, followed it and found a Pumpkin Garden!

Pumpkins at a Farm Shop in Handforth

Check out the Follow The Brown Signs website for more information and inspiration.


Here's a selection of brown tourist signs from our adventures.


Milestones Museum brown tourist sign in Basingstoke

Playing a brown tourist sign crazy golf hole in London

Brown tourist sign for Penarth Seaside and Golff Mini

Brown tourist sign for a Chair Making Museum in High Wycombe

Playing a brown tourist sign minigolf hole in London

A brown tourist sign for Oak Mead Family Golf Centre

Friday, October 08, 2021

Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea

A revisit to the Pavilion Adventure Golf course in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex.


Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea

We took a look at the Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea during our visit to the town on our East Anglian Road-Trip.

Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea

We first played the course in May 2009 when it was a 10-hole layout. It was the 94th course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've now been to 973 courses since September 2006.

Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea
These holes haven't changed much since we first visited


Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea
One of the original holes

On our visit in August the name of the course had changed from Augusta Adventure Golf to Pavilion Adventure Golf and it was a 14-hole course.

Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea
This is part of the new additions

Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea

Pavilion Adventure Golf in Clacton-on-Sea

Visit the Clacton Pavilion website for more information.

2 million pageviews on the Ham & Egger Files

My blog has received 2 million pageviews as of today!


2 million pageviews on the Ham & Egger Files

Thank you to everyone for reading and contributing to the site since my first post back on the 21st December 2006.

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