The old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex (April 2023)

A look at the former Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.

We visited the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff-on-Sea in April. It was nice to see some of the signage was still in place, even though there was a lot of scaffolding up around it.

I've since heard that all of the Blockbuster signage has now been removed.

My friend and fellow blogger Mark Routh sent me photos of this particular Blockbuster Video Express store back in July 2020.

It's always fun to see ghost signs, remnants of old & dead brands and interesting signage while out and about on our travels. Since I found the remains of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester in October 2019 I've been intrigued to see the brand still has a lingering presence on the high street. The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013!

Our travels have taken us to several former Blockbuster stores:

• Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• Ashton, Bristol
• Barnsley, South Yorkshire
• Basingstoke, Hampshire
• Billingham, Teesside
• Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
• Chester, Cheshire
• Chorley, Lancashire
• Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
• Colne, Lancashire
• Failsworth, Manchester
• Fallowfield, Manchester
• Felixstowe, Suffolk
• Filton, Bristol
• Great Moor, Stockport, Greater Manchester
• Hastings, East Sussex
• Leigh, Greater Manchester
• Luton, Bedfordshire
• Marple, Greater Manchester
• Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
• Nuneaton, Warwickshire
• Oldham, Greater Manchester
• Prescot, Lancashire
• Shanklin, Isle of Wight
• Southampton, Hampshire
• Telford, Shropshire
• Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
• Wythenshawe, Manchester

Obstacle Golf at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria, June 2023

We revisited the Obstacle Golf course at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria during our short break in the Lake District last summer.

Obstacle Golf at Hope Park in Keswick, Cumbria

There's also a grass Putting layout and a Pitch & Putt at Hope Park (and Boules) and there are some wonderful views of the Skiddaw mountain from the courses.

We first visited the park back in April 2012 and played the Putting course on that occasion.

Check out this blog post to see more of the course.

Crazy Golf at Glebe Park in Bowness-on-Windermere, June 2023

A look at the Crazy Golf course at Glebe Park in Bowness-on-Windermere.

Crazy Golf at Glebe Park in Bowness-on-Windermere

We managed to have a game on the Crazy Golf course at Glebe Park in Bowness-on-Windermere during our short break in the Lake District last summer.

The course became the 567th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, having previously been visited in 2012.

Check out this blog post to see more of the course

Mini Golf at Game On! in Carlisle

There's a new minigolf venue in Carlisle, Cumbria.

A new minigolf course has opened at Game On! in Carlisle.

The venue is also home to tenpin bowling.

Check out the Game On! website for more information.

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

The old Blockbuster Video store in Southampton

A look at the former Blockbuster Video store in Southampton.

We visited the old Blockbuster Video store on Portswood Road in Southampton, Hampshire back in May 2021.

Work was underway to open the location as a new business. Luckily there were still some traces of the Blockbuster brand.

Finding other old Blockbuster Video shops.

It's always fun to see ghost signs, remnants of old & dead brands and interesting signage while out and about on our travels. Since I found the remains of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester in October 2019 I've been intrigued to see the brand still has a lingering presence on the high street. The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK in December 2013!

Our travels have taken us to several former Blockbuster stores:

• Abingdon, Oxfordshire
• Ashton, Bristol
• Barnsley, South Yorkshire
• Basingstoke, Hampshire
• Billingham, Teesside
• Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester
• Chester, Cheshire
• Chorley, Lancashire
• Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
• Colne, Lancashire
• Failsworth, Manchester
• Fallowfield, Manchester
• Felixstowe, Suffolk
• Filton, Bristol
• Great Moor, Stockport, Greater Manchester
• Hastings, East Sussex
• Leigh, Greater Manchester
• Luton, Bedfordshire
• Marple, Greater Manchester
• Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire
• Nuneaton, Warwickshire
• Oldham, Greater Manchester
• Prescot, Lancashire
• Shanklin, Isle of Wight
• Southampton, Hampshire
• Telford, Shropshire
• Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
• Wythenshawe, Manchester

New mini golf at Russell Park in Bedford

Bedford's Russell Park will be home to a new mini golf course.

The new mini golf course at Russell Park in Bedford, Bedfordshire will be a 12-hole layout and will replace the existing grass miniature golf course.

The Putting Green at Russell Park in Bedford, July 2010

The Russell Park outdoor mini golf course will be themed with holes and obstacles containing local history.

The Putting Green at Russell Park in Bedford, July 2010

The Putting Green at Russell Park in Bedford was the 184th course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in July 2010 and we played it several times when we lived nearby.

New Crazy Golf at Richardson's Hemsby Beach Holiday Park in Norfolk

Richardson's Hemsby Beach Holiday Park in Norfolk will be home to a new Crazy Golf course.

The Crazy Golf course is part of a programme of renovations and upgrades at Richardson's Hemsby Beach Holiday Park.

Visit the Richardson's Hemsby Beach Holiday Park website for more information.

Art Mini Golf at The Minories in Colchester

An art-based Mini Golf course has been created at The Minories in Colchester, Essex.

The artist created minigolf course will be open from the 11th February to the 25th February.

Visit The Minories website and the Cuckoo Farm Artist in Residence: Tom Armstrong - Mini-ories Golf page for more information.

Toys R Us shopping trolleys in Stockport

We're always interested in spotting remains of retailers of yesteryear and saw this pair of Toys R Us shopping trolleys at the Renewal North West charity shop in Stockport.

A couple of years ago we saw these ex-Woolworths trolleys at Bolton Market.

I worked in the Gipsy Lane Toys R Us store in Luton, Bedfordshire back in the year 2000.

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018. It's interesting to see that there are still remnants of the original brand in the UK. 

Toys R Us returned to the UK in 2023, as the brand can now be found in some branches of WH Smith. We haven't been near to any of the new version stores yet. It'll be interesting to see what they're like.

Former Toys R Us store locations we've visited on our travels to date:

• Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke
• Central Retail Park in Manchester
• Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich
• Deepdale shopping centre in Preston
• Festival retail park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
• Gateway retail park in Reading
• Gemini Retail Park in Warrington
• Interchange Retail Park at Copdock Mill, Ipswich
• St James Retail Park in Northampton
• Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees
• The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes
• Western Esplanade in Southampton
• Wolverhampton Road in Oldbury
• Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

Players Golf & Games in Shrewsbury

There's a new indoor minigolf course in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Players Golf & Games opened in Shrewsbury in late 2023 and is home to a 9-hole indoor crazy golf course.

Check out the Players Shrewsbury website for more information.

We went to Shrewsbury twice last year, both times before Players opened. It'll be another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour next time were in the town.

Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida, USA

A visit to Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida, USA.

Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida

Emily played the Congo River Golf course in Orlando, Florida last September.

There are real alligators at Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida

The 18-hole Orlando I-Drive Congo River Golf  location was the 1,030th course visited and 569th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The gators at Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida

The gators at Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida

Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida

Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida

There are several Congo River Golf adventure golf courses in Florida.

Visit the Congo River Golf website for more information.

Pencils and promotional scratchcards at Congo River Golf in Orlando, Florida

A wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man in Florida

Emily spotted a wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man in Florida last year.

Emily spotted this wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tube man on North Federal Highway 1 between Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale in Florida last September

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

A visit to The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf course in York.

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

Emily visited The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf course in York last November.

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf was the 1,043 visited and 573rd course played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

Potions for sale at The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

Check out The Hole in Wand Magical Mini Golf course website for more information.

The Hole In Wand Magical Mini Golf in York

Adventure Golf at Lyons Winkups Holiday Park in Towyn

A new Safari Adventure Golf course is opening at Lyons Winkups Holiday Park in Towyn.

The new safari adventure golf course is planned to open in time for Easter this year.

Check out the Lyons Holiday Parks website for more information.

We've played the Pirate Island Adventure Golf course at Lyons Robin Hood Holiday Camp in Rhyl. It was one of the best courses I've played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golfing at Sunnybank Gardens & The Yorkshire Ice Cream Farm

Videos of the Crazy Golf course at Sunnybank Gardens & The Yorkshire Ice Cream Farm in Hatfield, Doncaster.

On this day in 2020 we visited our 945th minigolf course when we played the 11-hole layout at Sunnybank Gardens & The Yorkshire Ice Cream Farm in Hatfield, Doncaster.

Visit the Sunnybank Gardens & The Yorkshire Ice Cream Farm on Facebook for more information and opening times.

Sunnybank Gardens Crazy Golf course in Hatfield, Doncaster

A look at the Sunnybank Gardens Crazy Golf course in Hatfield, Doncaster.

Time for minigolf

On this day in 2020 we visited our 945th minigolf course when we played the 11-hole layout at Sunnybank Gardens & The Yorkshire Ice Cream Farm in Hatfield, Doncaster.

Sunnybank Gardens Crazy Golf course in Hatfield, Doncaster. January 2020

The course was one of 20 minigolf courses we visited in the first 20 days of 2020.

Check out the Sunnybank Gardens & The Yorkshire Ice Cream Farm Facebook Page for more information and opening times.

Sunnybank Gardens Crazy Golf course in Hatfield, Doncaster. January 2020

New Crazy Golf at Claremont Pier in Lowestoft

Claremont Pier in Lowestoft, Suffolk will be home to a new pirate-themed crazy golf course.

A new pirate crazy golf course is planned to open at Claremont Pier in Lowestoft.

The 18-hole indoor crazy golf course will be called Pirates at the Clarement and is planned to open before Easter this year.

Visit the Claremont Pier website for more information.

We've been to Lowestoft several times on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour over the years. It's a nice seaside town and we're looking forward to revisiting.

When it opens, the new course in Lowestoft will become the easternmost crazy golf course in the British Isles.