Toys R Us is back and expanding

New Toys R Us concessions are planned to open in WH Smith shops during 2024.

This was the sign at the Toys R Us shop unit at Gateway retail park in Reading, Berkshire in September 2022. It looked to be in great condition and most of the signage and branding was still on display. This particular branch of Toys R Us was open for five months before the brand ceased trading in the UK

While the last of the original Toys R Us stores in the UK closed on the 24th April 2018 the brand returned to the UK in 2022 with an online presence, and further expanded in 2023 with the opening of nine concessions inside WH Smith.

The plans will see 30 Toys R Us concessions opening in WH Smith shops during the year.

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.

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited a number of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

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

• 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

Lost Toys R Us Stores

My book about Lost Toys R Us Stores is available to buy from Amazon.

There were once 105 Toys R Us stores in the UK. The business ceased trading in 2018 and all of the shops closed.

It is still possible to find traces of the brand on some retail parks and shopping centres around the UK.

The book takes a look at some of those old stores between 2019 and 2021.

Buy Lost Toys R Us Stores on Amazon.

Putt Putt Social Crazy Golf Tournament in Bedford

A Crazy Golf tournament is being held at Putt Putt Social in Bedford on Friday 17th May.

The team event will be contested at the indoor Crazy Golf venue.

Visit the Putt Putt Social website for more information.

Putt Putt Social Crazy Golf Tournament in Telford

A Crazy Golf tournament is being held at Putt Putt Social in Telford on Friday 17th May.

The team event will be contested at the indoor Crazy Golf venue.

Visit the Putt Putt Social website for more information.

A Debenhams ghost sign

Spotting a Debenhams ghost sign in Stockport.

A time capsule view of old Stockport

As a fan of retail history and ghost signs it was Marvellous to see the old Debenhams logo from 1986-1991 on show at the former Debenhams store in Stockport town centre yesterday evening.

The window graphics from the 90's, along with a ghost sign outline where the DEBENHAMS letters once were

The building is now home to the recently opened Joseph James Furniture Outlet.

How the shop looks in April 2024

Debenhams ceased trading on the high street in May 2021 after 243 years of operation. You can still find ghost signs and somewhat intact storefronts around the UK where the shop units have not been occupied by a new business.

Debenhams in Stockport, December 2020

The former Debenhams is over the road from the former Tandy shop, where you can still find a ghost sign. It's also on the same road where until recently you could find a British Home Stores ghost sign.

Minigolf at Leopoldpark in Blankenberge, Belgium

A visit to Leopoldpark in Blankenberge, Belgium.

Emily visited three courses and a new country on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when she went to Blankenberge, Belgium back in 2016

What a sight for minigolf fans

The seaside resort is home to a Minigolf course, a Crazy Golf and a Snookergolf layout. The three 18-hole courses at Leopoldpark became the 710th, 711th and 712th visited on the tour.

Since 2006 Emily and I have visited 1,045 miniature golf courses around the UK and overseas on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. As well as playing minigolf in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey and the Isle of Man we’ve travelled to minigolf courses in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Spain (Lanzarote and Majorca), Sweden and the USA.

The Minigolf course (left) and Crazy Golf course (right) at Leopoldpark

Photos of the Minigolf course at Leopoldpark, Blankenberge.

Photos of the Crazy Golf course at Leopoldpark, Blankenberge.

Photos of the Snookergolf Billiards course at Leopoldpark, Blankenberge.

We've got some great old postcards from Blankenberge that show the miniature golf courses which used to be at Leopoldpark. It's great to know there are still courses on the same spot today.

The whole place looks marvelously bright and colourful.

The Petanque terrain at Leopoldpark in Blankenberge

Visit the Leopoldpark website for more information.

The end of Toys R Us in the UK

The last Toys R Us stores in the UK closed on the 24th April 2018.

Toys R Us on the Western Esplanade in Southampton

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.

A sign at Toys R Us at St James Retail Park in Northampton

A sign at Toys R Us in Reading

It's been very interesting to find that there are still remnants of the brand on some retail parks in the UK and we've visited a number of these closed, abandoned, derelict and demolished Toys R Us locations on our travels.

Toys R Us at Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich

Toys R Us at Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees

Toys R Us at The Leisure Plaza in Milton Keynes

A sign at Toys R Us at Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke

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

• 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

Toys R Us at the Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

A new beginning...

Toys R Us did return to the UK shopping scene in 2022 with concessions opening inside some WH Smith shops.

This was the sign at the Toys R Us shop unit at Gateway retail park in Reading, Berkshire in September 2022. It looked to be in great condition and most of the signage and branding was still on display

Lost Toys R Us Stores

My book about Lost Toys R Us Stores is available to buy from Amazon.

There were once 105 Toys R Us stores in the UK. The business ceased trading in 2018 and all of the shops closed.

It is still possible to find traces of the brand on some retail parks and shopping centres around the UK.

The book takes a look at some of those old stores between 2019 and 2021.

Buy Lost Toys R Us Stores on Amazon.

Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport

Finding a 100% gluten free market stall in Cheadle Hulme.

We found Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport at a Worker Bee Market in Cheadle Hulme yesterday.

It was brilliant to find the totally gluten free stall. I bought a Black Forest Cake and Carrot Cake - both were delicious.

A rarity for me - two freshly prepared cakes!

It's been years since I've been able to buy something on the go from a market. I occasionally see 'gluten free' items, but served next to gluten containing items, or a warning to state they have been prepared in the same environment as gluten.

Black Forest gateau is one of my favourite cakes - I can't remember the last time I had one! This one from Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport was excellent

I had no trouble with that from the Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport stall. It was nice chatting to the bakers and hearing their own gluten free story. It gave peace of mind knowing the food would be safe for me to eat. That goes a very long way in making eating food enjoyable!

I took the cakes home so I could eat them with a cake fork, as I don't get to do that often

If we'd got there earlier I could've bought some savoury items too, including a Scotch Egg. However, they'd sold out by the time we got there. I can see why as the two cakes I bought were very good indeed.

Check out Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport on Instagram and Facebook for more information.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing Gluten Free Kitchen Stockport at another market in the area soon.

Crazier Nolf at Boom Battle Bar in Bournemouth

A look at the Crazier Nolf course at Boom Battle Bar in Bournemouth, Dorset.

Emily recently visited Boom Battle Bar in Bournemouth with some work colleagues for a social do, and saw Crazier Nolf there. A first for the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Boom Battle Bar calls its crazy golf courses 'Crazier Golf' (and we've played the location in Norwich). Crazier Nolf is Crazier Golf, but played without putters!

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 9

Emily didn't get a chance for a game of Crazier Nolf on this occasion as some of the electronic holes were out of order. But she get to play some of the darts and shuffleboard there.

Visit the Boom Battle Bar Bournemouth website for more information.

Check out this post to see all the different types and variants of miniature golf we've visited and played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour to date.