Urban Street Golf at Gravity Max in Liverpool

A look at the Urban Street Golf course at Gravity Max in Liverpool.

Our friend and minigolf rival Gareth Holmes recently visited Gravity Max and sent these photos of the Urban Street Golf course there.

We visited Gravity Max on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour during our last trip to Liverpool last November. The course looks superb lit up in the daytime, and looks stunning in the evening.

Visit the Gravity website for more information on Gravity Max, Gravity Active and Gravity Social.

A Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston, Derbyshire

Finding a Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston.

On our way back home from a trip south we visited the abandoned Toys R Us in Derby as well as the still open Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston.

One of the retro brands I remember clearly from growing up in the 80s and 90s was Happy Shopper. The colourful sign with the happy chappy face is a lovely throwback. Happy Shopper received a rebrand in 2000, but if you are lucky you can still find the original branding and signage on some shops.

Having a look round the Happy Shopper shop in Ilkeston we spotted an extra bonus - it used to be a video shop too!

Other Happy Shopper shops

We didn't think there would be many - or any - of the original orange and yellow branded shops still around, but we were proven wrong when we saw one in Preston in September 2020.

Since then we've been lucky enough to spot and snap a few more.

Take a look at my posts about other Happy Shopper shops in:

• Preston
• Sheffield (Sharrow Lane)
• Sheffield (Page Hall Road)
• Ilkeston
• Hitchin
• Ashwellthorpe
• Ormesby St Margaret
• Lowestoft (2011)
• Lowestoft (2021)
• Wisbech
• Sittingbourne
• Burton-on-Trent 1
• Burton-on-Trent 2

Crazy Golf Meets the Movies! at Uredale Mill in Askrigg

A pop-up crazy golf course is opening at Uredale Mill in Askrigg for Easter.

The Crazy Golf Meets the Movies! 18-hole indoor minigolf course will be open at Uredale Mill in Askrigg, North Yorkshire from the 23rd March to the 7th April.

Visit the Uredale Mill website and Incredible Artists Facebook Page for more information.

World Crazy Golf Championships 2024

The 2024 World Crazy Golf Championships will be held in Hastings, East Sussex from the 7th to the 9th June.

Entries are open for the 2024 World Crazy Golf Championships at Hastings Adventure Golf.

The major miniature golf tournament will see the main event take place on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th June. A juniors event will be held on Saturday 8th June. And a team event will be held on Friday 7th June.

You can find out all the details on the Hastings Adventure Golf website, and the new Facebook Page for the World Crazy Golf Championships.

Richard Gottfried playing in the World Crazy Golf Championships

We both made our debuts in the 2007 edition of the event back when it was known as the Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championships. It was Emily's first ever miniature golf tournament.

Emily Gottfried playing in the World Crazy Golf Championships

The competition is played on the 18-hole Crazy Golf course at Hastings Seafront. The layout is of the Arnold Palmer Putting Course variety. The course was the 39th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in October 2007.

The World Crazy Golf Championships began in 2003 and has been held at Hastings Adventure Golf every year, except 2020 when the event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic). The current champion is Adam Kelly who is enjoying his second reign as world champion having also won the 2022 event.

Crazy Golf at The Friars Head at Akebar

The Friars Head pub at Akebar in Wensleydale, North Yorkshire has a free-to-play Crazy Golf course.

The Friars Head pub at Akebar is reopening on the 1st March and there's a free-to-play Crazy Golf course at the venue.

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

Check out The Friars Head website for more information.

Remains of a Happy Shopper shop in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk

A ghost sign at the old Happy Shopper shop in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk.

We were surprised and amazed to see an old Happy Shopper sign while en route to Hemsby during an East Anglian Road-Trip.

We had taken a couple of detours because of traffic and ended up on a different road towards the seaside that took us through the village of Ormesby St Margaret. We're always looking for points of interest and new things to spot when on our travels and as we drove past the village shop we both said to each other jokingly "I wonder if that used to be a Happy Shopper?"

Imagine our shock when we saw a really old, classic Happy Shopper sign in one of the shop windows!

Other Happy Shopper shops

We didn't think there would be many - or any - of the original orange and yellow branded shops still around, but we were proven wrong when we saw one in Preston in September 2020.

Since then we've been lucky enough to spot and snap a few more.

Take a look at my posts about other Happy Shopper shops in:

• Preston
• Sheffield (Sharrow Lane)
• Sheffield (Page Hall Road)
• Ilkeston
• Hitchin
• Ashwellthorpe
• Ormesby St Margaret
• Lowestoft (2011)
• Lowestoft (2021)
• Wisbech
• Sittingbourne
• Burton-on-Trent 1
• Burton-on-Trent 2

Globetrotters Easter Mini Golf in Horsham

A Globetrotters Easter Mini Golf pop-up event is taking place at Camping World in Horsham, West Sussex.

The around-the-world themed minigolf event will run from the 16th March until the 14th April.

Visit the Globetrotters Mini Golf website for more information.

Roxy Ball Room in York

A new Roxy Ball Room has opened in York.

The indoor entertainment venue is home to Crazy Pool, as well as lots of other games and activities.

Crazy Pool is a cross-between crazy golf and pool, with the game played on tables with a cue rather than a club.

Visit the Roxy Ball Room website for more information.

Mulligans Adventure Golf in Hemel Hempstead

A new Mulligans Adventure Golf venue is opening in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

A new 18-hole indoor Adventure Golf course is opening at Jarman Park in Hemel Hempstead.

Mr Mulligan's in Milton Keynes

We've played several of Mr Mulligan's courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Mr Mulligan's in Worcester

Visit the Mulligans website for more information.

Putt Club Crazy Golf - London Docklands

A look at the Putt Club Crazy Golf course at London Docklands.

Many thanks to my friend and minigolf rival Gareth Holmes for sending over these photos from his visit to Putt Club Crazy Golf London Docklands.

Putt Club has locations in Southampton, Hull, Leicester, London Edmonton, London Docklands, and Watford.

Visit the Putt Club Crazy Golf website for more information.

They are all new venues for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Trowbridge Park Mini Golf

A look at the Trowbridge Park Mini Golf course.

My friend and minigolf rival (and sometimes team-mate) Seth Thomas recently swung by the Trowbridge Park Mini Golf in Trowbridge, Wiltshire and sent me these snaps.

It looks to be a type of Eternit-style miniature golf layout.

Check out the Trowbridge Park Mini Golf Facebook Page for more information.

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

Par 59 Mini Golf in Bristol

A look at Par 59 Mini Golf in Bristol.

A big thanks to my friend - and minigolf team-mate and rival - Kevin Moseley for sending over some snaps photos from his visit to Par 59 Mini Golf in Bristol.

The course opened after our last visit to the city so it'll be a new course to check out on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

You can also find a Par 59 venue in Cardiff.

Visit the Par 59 Mini Golf website for more information.

Birdie Time Pub and Mini Golf in Portland, Oregon

A look at Birdie Time Pub and Mini Golf in Portland, Oregon, USA.

A big thank you to my friend - and minigolf team-mate and rival - Kevin Moseley for sending over these photos from his visit to the Birdie Time Pub and Mini Golf in Portland, Oregon, USA.

It looks like a fun place to play.

I like the look of the Birdie Shuffle Putt game too. I've not played that before.

It's brilliant seeing different courses around the world. Oregon is still on my to visit list and hopefully I'll get a game on the mini golf at shuffle putt at Birdie Time Pub and Mini Golf in the future.

Check out the Birdie Time Pub and Mini Golf website for more information.

Mini Golf in Maryport, Cumbria, June 2023

Playing a round at the Lake District Coast Aquarium Crazy Golf course in Maryport.

The Lake District Coast Aquarium Crazy Golf course in Maryport

Back in April 2012 we swung by the Lake District Coast Aquarium in Maryport, Cumbria while en route to Scotland as we'd heard about 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.

Luckily in June 2023 we were able to return and this time managed a round on the Swedish Felt B-Run type of minigolf course.

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

May is Coeliac Awareness Month

The month of May is Coeliac Awareness Month.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease ('Celiac' in the USA and Canada) 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 is estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Coeliac Awareness Month 2024

This year Coeliac UK - the charity for people with Coeliac Disease - is on a mission to find the 1 in 100 people in the UK with coeliac disease and help guide them on the road to recovery.

Visit the Coeliac UK website and Coeliac Awareness Month page for more information.

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

You can read more about my gluten free journey in this case study on the This Is MedTech website - "When eating gluten-free isn’t a choice".

My Coeliacversary

This year marks my 16th year as a Coeliac! Time flies eh.

How should I celebrate my Coeliacversary this year...?

The old Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton

A look at the former Blockbuster Video store in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Back in 2021 the old sign at the former Blockbuster Video store on Regent Street in Nuneaton was uncovered when the tenant of the building moved out.

It was brilliant to see such a well maintained piece of signage - it looked like the store could've re-opened that day!

A ghost sign of the torn ticket logo at the back of the store

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

Australian Adventure Golf at Adlington Golf Centre in Macclesfield

A new Australian-themed Adventure Golf course is opening at Adlington Golf Centre in Macclesfield, Cheshire.

Check out the Adlington Golf Centre website and Australian Adventure Golf Facebook Page for more information.

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