What a carrot!

What a sight!

A carrot of distinction

It might have come from the same sample of seeds as the one my brother spotted during National Gardening Week earlier this year.

Coral Island amusement arcade in Blackpool

A look at the Coral Island amusement arcade in Blackpool.

A view of Coral Island and the Tower

I revisited the excellent Coral Island amusement arcade while in Blackpool yesterday.

The skull at the entrance recently suffered a fire. Luckily it didn't cause any real damage

Coral Island is one of my favourite amusement arcades. We've visited a LOT of arcades on our travels to over 200 seasides in the UK since 2006 and it's the only place we've found to have an Pirate Flyer Laser Gun Indoor Monorail!

The view from the Pirate Flyer Monorail

Visit the Coral Island website for more information.

Related blog posts:
- Pirate Flyer Laser Gun Monorail in Blackpool
- Amusement Arcades
- Blackpool

A look at the Metropole Hotel in Blackpool

While visiting the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course I had a look at the neighbouring Metropole hotel.

The Metropole is operated by Britannia Hotels, the owners of Pontin's. It was formerly a Butlin's hotel.

The Metropole hotel in Blackpool

Built in 1776, the hotel was owned by Butlins from 1955 until 1998 when it was purchased by Grand Hotels. In 2004 the hotel was sold to Britannia Hotels.

Interestingly it's the only hotel in Blackpool on the seaward side of the tram tracks.

The Pontin's flag flying at The Metropole

Related blog posts:

- The Metropole Hotel in Blackpool

- Blackpool

Graffiti Golf in Blackpool

A look at the Graffiti Golf course in Blackpool.

I swung by for a quick look at the Graffiti Golf course in Blackpool while in the seaside resort yesterday.

We played the course in August last year.

Graffiti Pirate indoor UV glow-in-the-dark Crazy Golf!

Back in 2009 the course was a 'normal' indoor Pirate Adventure Golf course and the 151st played on our travels. Since then the venue has changed hands a couple of times. In 2016 it was a Merlin Pirate Adventure Mini Golf course.

Visit the Graffiti Golf website for more information.

Related blog posts:
- Blackpool
- Graffiti Golf in Blackpool
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Merlin Pirate Adventure Mini Golf in Blackpool
- Minigolf Course Visit No. 151 - Blackpool, Golden Isle Indoor Adventure Golf

Popeye's Take Away in Blackpool

A look at Popeye's Take Away in Blackpool.

Popeye's take away in Blackpool

Popeye's takeaway in Blackpool has had a bit of a refresh since last year.

Popeye's take away in Blackpool has some new signage

They sell kebabs, pizza and burgers. But what about spinach?

Is spinach on the menu at Popeye's?

Related blog posts:
- Popeye
- Popeyes Take Away in Blackpool

A Coronation Street film location. In Blackpool

Visiting an infamous scene location in British soap history.

I was recently in Manchester city centre and was starstruck when I spotted Sue Nicholls and Mark Eden who played Audrey Roberts and Alan Bradley in Coronation Street.

This bit of celeb spotting got me chatting about the classic and infamous scene where the soap's baddie Alan Bradley got his comeuppance by getting killed by a tram in Blackpool.

My mate Marc 'The Roller' Bazeley and I jokingly wondered whether there was a plaque on the spot he was hit. After a little research I found out that there actually is a plaque to 'commemorate' the incident! It's on the entrance of The Strand Hotel.

We regularly visit the seaside resort so on my latest day out there I had a look to see where the scene was filmed.

The scene of telly soap baddie Alan Bradley's Coronation Street Death by Tram outside The Strand Hotel in Blackpool

A view from outside The Strand Hotel

A closer look at the tracks

A view of The Strand Hotel

A view of the street

I was able to avoid the same fate that befell one of soap's most notorious bad guys when I filmed this tram passing by the spot.

We've spotted quite a few interesting plaques on our travels.

Related blog posts:
- Plaque-ing Interesting
- Blackpool
- Plaques

Putting Green at Killacourt in Newquay

During the summer of 2015 we visited 62 miniature golf courses on a two week road trip of the South West of England.

One of those was the Putting Green at Killacourt in Newquay. Unfortunately it wasn't open for the season during our visit.

No putting

Happy 39th 'birthday' to Pac Man

Pac Man was first released in North American on this day in 1980.

A small selection of the Pac-Man stuff in my ever-growing collection

The 22nd May is considered to be Pac Man's 'official' birthday.

Waka waka waka

Back in the 1980's you could get Pac-Man breakfast cereal. I saw this old box at the Cereal Killer Cafe in Birmingham

But hey, why not celebrate the brilliant video game character as often as possible!

I've been playing Pac-Man arcade games for years

It'll soon be time to dig out my Pac-Man Christmas jumper for the festive season

A Pac-Man Smash air hockey table at Namco Funscape at the Trafford Centre

We've seen Pac-Man pop-up in a number of official and unofficial spots on our travels.

Credit Cruncher in Bristol

Pac-Man graffiti on the wall at Ghetto Golf in Liverpool

Munch Mart in Ipswich

Munchies in Nottingham

Munch in Burnley

Scof in Preston

Level in Preston

 

Pac-Man graffiti in Luton

 

The very nice official Pac-Man pin badge arcade cabinet set

Pac-Man ghost sticker in Düsseldorf, Germany

The Brabazon Practice Putting Green at The Belfry

A look at the Brabazon Practice Putting Green at The Belfry.

In September 2017 we visited The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield to play the Ryder Legends Mini Golf course as part of the inaugural American Golf National Adventure Golf Championship.

As well as playing the 12-hole Ryder Legends Mini Golf course we also visited the Brabazon Practice Putting Green at The Belfry.

666 views on my Halloween minigolf guest blog post at Minigolfnews

Spooky!

My Halloween-themed minigolf guest blog post has had 666 views so far!

Crazy Golf at The Whitehouse Inn, Truro

There's a Crazy Golf course at The Whitehouse Inn, Truro, Cornwall.

I believe the minigolf course at The Whitehouse Inn is a fairly new addition to the pub. It's great to see a pub beer garden including the activity.

The course is a fibreglass layout made by the team at DK Fibreglass. I wonder if it's got a Humpty on it?

The course at The Whitehouse Inn is similar to this fibreglass layout we've seen a number of times on our travels

We've always been surprised at how few pubs have a miniature golf course set-up for customers. We'd certainly be inclined to visit more pubs and spend longer in them if they had fun activities too.

The last pub beer garden Crazy Golf course we visited was at The Railway Hotel in Garswood, St Helens

We're looking forward to having a game on The Whitehouse Inn's Krazy Golf course when we're next down that way.

Back in 2015 we spent two weeks exploring the south west coast and visited 62 minigolf courses. Only one of those was at a pub.

Beer garden Crazy Golf at The Alexandra Inn in Penzance, Cornwall

Minigolf is certainly booming at the moment and we have seen an increase in venues opening up as alternatives to the pub by offering a crazy, mini or adventure golf course combined with a bar, food and cocktails.

My Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in Pub Beer Gardens blog post is due an update too as there have been a few more pub courses open up around the country.

Visit The Whitehouse Inn website for more information on the course.

Related blog posts:
- Pub
- Pubs
- Cornwall
- Crazy Golf

The last remnants of Blockbuster Video in Manchester

A look at the remains of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield.

A look at what's left of Blockbuster Video on Fallowfield Retail Park

A few years ago I blogged about seeing the last signs of the Tandy in Hitchen and how it brought back memories of my first job as a Saturday Boy at a Tandy franchise in my home town.

While in Manchester today I found remnants of another dead brand - Blockbuster Video.

Oh, what happened to this sign?

Dark clouds gathered over the brand in 2013

The store sign is prominently displayed on both sides of the main sign at Fallowfield Retail Park and the windows of the shop still retain Blockbuster signage.

A sign in the shop window

Most of the shelves inside have been removed, but the walls and desks clearly retain the brand colours of Blockbuster.

These window graphics still look fresh

Clearly still recognisable as a Blockbuster

The shelves are bare

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

Quik Drop box to nowhere

A documentary about the rise and fall of the brand called The Last Blockbuster is coming soon.

Interestingly you can play through a 'Blockbuster' store at the Ghetto Golf indoor miniature golf course at The Custard Factory in Digbeth, Birmingham.

The Blockbuster hole at Ghetto Golf in Birmingham

When I was a student I was one of Geoffrey's Helpers at Toys R Us. Most of the former stores have been converted into new stores, Stockport's is now The Range. I wonder if any of the old signage for the Toys R Us brand will still be visible in the next 5-10 years?

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

Related posts:
- Blockbuster
- Tandy in Hitchin
- Remembering Tandy
- RadioShack in Lytham Saint Annes

Putting Green at The Headland Hotel in Newquay

A look at the Putting Green at The Headland Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall.

During the summer of 2015 we visited 62 miniature golf courses on a two week road trip of the South West of England.

One of those was the Putting Green at The Headland Hotel in Newquay.