Woolworths in Brunstane, Edinburgh

A look at an old Woolworths store in Brunstane, Edinburgh.

The abandoned Woolworths store in Brunstane, Edinburgh in August 2011

My recent revisit to the old Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester reminded me of the old Woolworths shopfront we saw in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent last November. That in turn prompted me to look in our archives for the photos I took of the abandoned Big W Woolworths store at The Jewel retail park next to the railway station in Brunstane, Edinburgh, Scotland from 2011.

A closer look at the old entrance

Brunstane railway station on the left is dwarfed by the old abandoned Woolworths store on the right

The building is now home to The Range.

The last Woolworths

The last Woolworths shop in the UK closed in January 2009 so we were amazed to see the sign was still up at the Stoke-on-Trent store last year.

Ghost signs

We see a lot of ghost signs on shops and building on our travels. Many of these are from decades ago and they help tell the story of an area.

Unfortunately in the coming months and years we are likely to see a number of other brands disappear.

In addition to these Woolworths shops and the Blockbuster Video store we've seen the remnants of retail brands from recent years including Tandy in Hitchen, RadioShack in Lytham Saint Annes and Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness.

Do you have a favourite brand from years gone by? Are the remains of an old brand still visible on a building where you live or work? Do let me know.

Woolworths Pick n' Mix

Interestingly there's a Woolworths-themed miniature golf hole at Teezers Retro Golf course in Coventry, we played that course in April last year.

A loop-di-loop obstable on a Pick n' Mix minigolf hole

Social distancing minigolf

Minigolf in the time of coronavirus and social distancing.

We're interested in seeing examples of Covid-19 social distancing at minigolf courses around the world - from signage to scorecards we'd like to see them and share them.

If you're a course owner, minigolf club or player please do get in touch with your examples.

Social distancing at minigolf courses

It'll be interesting to see the changes to how minigolf is played as lockdown restrictions ease and it becomes safer to get out and about a bit more.

I've been writing about social distancing and the impact of coronavirus on minigolf and competitive socialising venues. You can see more of my posts at 'The Coronavirus (Ham & Egger) Files'.

Social distancing Pitch & Putt

We don't have any adventure, crazy or mini golf courses in Stockport, but we do have a Pitch & Putt miniature golf course at Bruntwood Park in Cheadle Hulme. We saw the social distancing measures in place there while out on our daily exercise recently.

Happy birthday to the Golfbaren minigolf courses in Sweden

Golfbaren Kristineberg and Golfbaren Aspudden celebrated their birthdays this week.

Golfbaren Kristineberg opened seven years ago yesterday, while Golfbaren Aspudden opened on the same day three years ago.

We visited Golfbaren Kristineberg and Golfbaren Aspudden during our long weekend in Stockholm to help celebrate Swing By Golfbaren's first birthday in February 2018.

At Golfbaren Aspudden

Golfbaren Kristineberg was the 803rd course we visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. Golfbaren Aspudden in Hägersten was the 804th.

Golfbaren Kristineberg is right next to the railway station

A snow covered Golfbaren Aspudden

Swing by Golfbaren was the landmark 800th course we visited.

Swing by Golfbaren indoor miniature golf course and speakeasy

The Golfbaren courses are owned by our friend, minigolf rival and legend of the game Hans Olofsson. As well as Golfbaren Kristineberg and Golfbaren Aspudden you can also play outdoors at the new Golfbaren Jungfrusund course.

Visit the Golfbaren website for more information.

Our trip to Sweden in 2018 was the second time we'd been there to play minigolf. The first was in June 2011 when we were in Stockholm playing for Great Britain in the WMF Nations Cup tournament.

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions

NO GOLF at Appley Park in Ryde on the Isle of Wight

We couldn't find the Pitch & Putt course listed on the signpost either.

Pitch & Putt and NO GOLF signs in Appley Park

Tuesday minigolf mystery - guess the course location

Tuesday minigolf mystery.

Where in the world would you have found this minigolf course?

Play Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge from The Simpsons

You can now play Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge from The Simpsons!

I know which club I'm choosing

I love The Simpsons and I love Putting so I was very very very happy to hear that Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge from the show has been made into a playable game!

Many thanks to my friend and minigolf rival Martyn Williams from the Welsh Minigolf Club for sending the link to me.

Play Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge online

The playable version of the game was made by Aaron Demeter. Follow him on Twitter too.

It's certainly cheered me up on this Minigolf Monday and is a bright spot in an otherwise incredibly gloomy year.

Happy Putting.

The remains of Blockbuster Video in Manchester

A return look at the remnants of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester.

I spotted the remains of a Blockbuster Video store while driving to Manchester last October. I returned for a look at the Fallowfield Retail Park location during my lockdown daily outdoor exercise time yesterday.

Some more of the inside of the store has become visible since my first visit. You can now see the remains of a computer system, a CRT TV on a desk and a larger CRT TV hanging from the ceiling.

How TV's should be

I wonder what the last film trailer to be shown on that telly was?

Blockbuster ceased operations in the UK in December 2013.

Oh how times have changed since then.

Social distancing

As with all of the other shops at Fallowfield Retail Park the pathways and walls have had Covid-19 social distancing signs and stickers added.

There's nobody around to observe social distancing from

It's quite something to see the remains of a defunct brand from 'the before times' alongside the signs-of-the-times during the coronavirus pandemic.

A Covid-19 social distancing sign on the exterior of the long since closed Blockbuster store

The tented bay you can see in the right of the photo is part of a drive-in Covid-19 test facility!

A look at the old store

Did you ever rent games from Blockbuster? I remember buying a few ex-rental PlayStation games from the Luton store in the early noughties

Frozen in time

I wonder what the last item to be dropped in here was?

Some old paperwork

Unfortunately in the coming months and years we are likely to see a number of other brands disappear.

The last Blockbuster

There is currently one independently owned franchise still operating as Blockbuster in the USA and you can find it in Bend, Oregon.

We were planning to visit Portland, Oregon later this year. The Blockbuster in Bend is 174 miles from Portland and a 3-hour journey by car.

There used to be a Carphone Warehouse in Fallowfield. That store was another casualty of the retail wars. They actually bought Tandy when that went out of business too. My first job was at a Tandy franchise in my home town back in the 1990s

Blockbuster Crazy Golf

Interestingly there is still another 'Blockbuster' store in the UK. It's part of the Ghetto Golf indoor crazy golf course at The Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham.

The Blockbuster Video hole at Ghetto Golf in Digbeth, Birmingham

Do you have a favourite defunct brand? Are the remains of an old brand still visible on a building where you live or work? Do let me know.

Mini Golf in Dovercourt, Essex

A look at the miniature golf courses in Dovercourt.

We visited Dovercourt in Essex way back in May 2009. There we found a 6-hole Swedish Felt Mini Golf course and a Putting Green on the seafront on Low Road.

We recently asked where this course was on our Facebook Page and had some interesting guesses and only one correct answer.

The Mini Golf course was the 92nd played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've now been to 948 courses since September 2006.

Since our visit over a decade ago another Crazy Golf course has been added to the site. You can now play Crazy Golf, Putting, Croquet and Petanque there.

Our visit to Dovercourt was part of a Suffolk, Essex and Hertfordshire minigolfing roadtrip which saw us visit courses at Stonham Barns, Felixstowe, Clacton-on-Sea, Blake End near Braintree and Hemel Hempstead.

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf Course Visit No. 92 - Dovercourt
- Crazy Golf in Dovercourt, Essex
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex

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A minigolf blog from Lanzarote

A look at some minigolf courses in Lanzarote.

Emily should've been on holiday with her sister Jo in Lanzarote this week. Like many people's holidays this year the trip has been postponed until a later date when it's safe.

Luckily Jo and her husband Les have been to Lanzarote before and have sent us photos of the miniature golf courses they've played and visited there.

Minigolf San Antonio in Lanzarote

Minigolf San Antonio in Lanzarote. Photo by Les Tubby, July 2018

Mini Golf Aquarium in Lanzarote

Mini Golf Aquarium in Lanzarote. Photo by Les Tubby, July 2018

Mini Golf in Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote

Mini Golf in Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote. Photo by Jo Tubby, October 2014

We've also published guest blog posts from friends who've been to the island too.

Mini Golf in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote

Mini Golf in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote. Photo by Richard Rochester, January 2018

Rooftop Mini Golf in Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote

Rooftop Mini Golf in Puerto Del Carmen, Lanzarote. Photo by Brian Butterworth, January 2018

Guest blog posts

Over the years I've published guest blog posts about minigolf courses in 21 countries.

If you live near a course and would like to write about it or contribute some of your photos of it please do get in touch.

Similarly, if you're a minigolf course owner or manager we'd love to hear from you.

A new minigolf course from Spain

While a lot of the world is in lockdown people have been 'Putting at Home', creating their own crazy golf layouts and playing minigolf board games.

The team at Plakks have also taken the time to launch the new Pitch & Plakks indoor minigolf game.

See the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour newsletter archive and sign-up to receive new editions

Putter Madness prep

The team at Putter Madness are getting prepped for when they are able to operate their portable minigolf courses at events in the future.

One of the new pieces of branded signage is this new ‘Please wash your hands’ strut card.

Twelve years gluten free

Today marks my twelve year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

Twelve years ago today I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and began my journey into the gluten free world.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In Coeliac Disease the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This can trigger a number of painful, horrible, stressful and uncomfortable symptoms.

In the UK it's estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Living a gluten free life

Having suffered from a range of symptoms for around ten years I finally received a positive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease following some 'interesting' and in-depth tests and procedures in 2008. It came as a relief to finally have a name for the mysterious cause of my illnesses and ailments, but at the time I was only given a brief summary and told that I'd have to "cut down on bread and beer". It was only later when I met with a Gastroenterologist and a dietitian that I found out that the only treatment for people with Coeliac Disease is a strict, life-long gluten free diet.

My life as a Coeliac in LEGO form

While having a life-long condition such as Coeliac Disease can be a pain - and horrible if I 'get glutened' - having the disease has had some positives. I've met great people since my diagnosis and have made some brilliant friends who I've met through Coeliac groups. I've also blogged a lot about living with the condition and the great free from food and drink I've found since 2008.


Thank you to everyone for their support, tips, help and recommendations over the years. It's been very much appreciated.

For more information on Coeliac Disease check out the NHS Choices and Coeliac UK websites.

Putt-In-Play - a 1930's minigolf toy

We love the look of this 1930's parlor golf putting game made by Gibbs Toys of Canton, Ohio, USA.

The wooden set originally consisted of the 9-holes, two wooden shafted 5 1/2" putters with metal heads, six steel golf balls, rules, blank score cards and a golf bag.

Do you have a favourite minigolf game or toy? Do let us know.

Foam Golf Set at Lidl

Look what's in the Middle of Lidl!

You can currently get a Foam Golf Set in the middle aisle of Lidl for £14.99.

My brother Christopher spotted this Foam Golf Set while doing his weekly shop in Lidl