Judging the Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf Club PUTT PARTY contest

We had a brilliant time judging all of the entries into the Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf Club's PUTT PARTY contest on Saturday morning.

Putting at home with the Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf Club

The PUTT PARTY was a Show & Tell of the Mini Golf holes created by residents of Knowle West in Bristol and the culmination of a lot of hard work and crazy golfing fun.

During lockdown and over summer the Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf Club has created a home-based minigolf club for local residents. Having received supplies of arts and crafts materials the club members were challenged to create their own crazy golf holes.

It was superb seeing the innovations, classic styles, wild, wacky and mega minigolf constructions and tricky to pick a winner.

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Yesterday was our finale Putt Party, where Knowle West-ers showcased our DIY Mini Golf Hole’s with one another over zoom, drawing the virtual ClubHouse meetings to a temporary pause. We can’t thank our in-house Mini Golf VIP’s @emslemsgottfried & @richard_gottfried all the way from Stockport enough. What a tricky judging time they had. They fed back beautiful comments on all the houses holes, really respected our community with words of encouragement and praise for our different skillsets and mini golf crafting skills. Comments included ‘wow, I wasn’t expecting that!’ & ‘you had it all!’ 949 Mini Golf Holes 🕳 visited. We cannot wait for you to visit us in Knowle West (when restrictions allow). #superstars #mr&mrs #minigolfchamps #thankyousomuch #diygolfcourse #communityfirst

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After everyone had demonstrated their crazy golf layout and talked through the ideas behind it we entered into deliberation before declaring the Alford family the winners of the Mini Golf Artists Award 2020 for their excellent Crocodile hole.

You can see the winning design in the Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf Club Facebook Group and Instagram.

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HUGE congratulations to @thegurtlife Dan, Lucy & Rowan for their Winning design at our Finale Putty Party on Saturday morning. Novers (g)Nasher came from no-where and stole first place with a cranking automated croc mouth, a slide for the ball and a direct swift hole in one action. Unbelievable!!! Dan’s family holds the title of The Mini Golf Artist 2020! He’ll be collecting his trophy and prize set from the Filwood Fantastic market next Saturday at @filwoodcentre #welldone #expecttheunexpected #communityforthewin #welldonedan #aloveofcrocs

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The multi-level layout had moving parts to open the croc's mouth, a ramp, tunnel, a playable tee-off point and a nice green.

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I may have got a little carried away with the build for today’s @filwoodfantasticminigolf inaugural diy hole building competition. Chuffed to take the win with our entry, The Novers Gnasher! A run down of the materials used: The shell of the croc was from our neighbours old To Let sign and covered with an old yoga mat. The hand crank is from some random screws, bottle tops and left over wood from a garden project. The ball goes through the crocs mouth Into a cardboard tube before travelling down a 2 metre slope, through an old drainage pipe (to slow the ball down), arriving on finishing green. The only cost was £1 for the hinges in the crocs mouth! #lockdownproject #minigolf #knowlewest #diygolfcourse

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We're looking forward to seeing the creation scaled-up and included in the full-size Crazy Golf course being built at the Filwood Community Centre later this year.

Visit the Filwood Fantastic Mini Golf Club's Facebook Group and the Filwood Community Centre website for more information.

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Lost shops - Toys R Us in Warrington

A look at the old Toys R Us store in Warrington.

In our continued look at old, defunct and lost shops we took a walk round the old Toys R Us store in Warrington, Cheshire at the weekend.

Toys R Us ceased trading in the UK back in April 2018 and the Warrington location has been empty since then. The site will become a car dealership in the future.

While very little of the signage is still in place you can still clearly see ghost signs of the TOYS R US and BABIES R US logos on the building.

Working at Toys R Us

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.

We never had these branded bollards at the Gipsy Lane store in Luton

A look round the Warrington location

Here are some more snaps and videos of the store as it looked in July 2020.

The approach to the store

These branded stones are very very nice

Ghost signage

The lettering from the old sign is still visible on the side of the building

Note the markings on the ground

Coronavirus social distancing warnings

The container loading bay. When I worked at Toys R Us I spent parts of my evening shifts unloading the containers

One of the few signs still on the building. While it's unbranded, the Toys R Us typeface is recognisable

Toys R Us and Babies R Us ghost signs

The overgrown trolley bay at the front of the store

An empty trolley bay

A 'tombstone' to the dead brand

Toys R Us in Ancoats, Manchester

I took a look at the old Toys R Us store at the Central Retail Park in Ancoats, Manchester just prior to it's demolition in March 2019.

Check out photos of that location from two visits in February 2019 - one / two.

We had a look at what's left of the old Central Retail Park last Friday.

Lost shops

We've seen a number of other old and defunct brands on our travels around the country including Woolworths in Stoke-on-Trent, Woolworths Big W in Edinburgh, Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness, Blockbuster Video in Fallowfield, Tandy in Hitchin and RadioShack in Lytham Saint Annes.

Do you have a favourite old shop brand from the past?

The Simpsons art on an ice cream van

We spotted an interestingly decorated ice cream van in Cheadle on Friday.

It's always fun seeing The Simpsons in unexpected places

It's not the first time we've seen The Simpsons on an ice cream van - we saw this one in Leeds and another in Cheadle Heath.

This was on the High Street rather than Abbey Road

Related blog posts:
- The Simpsons

Urban Exploration - Central Retail Park in Manchester

A look at what's left of the old Central Retail Park in Ancoats, Manchester.

We went for a walk in Manchester city centre for the first time since March on Friday.

We've spent the pandemic within the confines of Stockport borough, save for a few incursions over the border to Fallowfield, Didsbury and Parrs Wood, so it was nice to see some different sights for a change.

Last year we'd walked past the old Central Retail Park in Ancoats and saw the beginning of the work to demolish the retail units. The site looks quite different now.

Desolate

The last signs standing

A view of the entrance roundabout

 

This was where Toys R Us used to be!

An old way in

There are plans to turn the area into a car park.

It's already looking car parky

It was a good spot to practice social distancing.

Related blog posts:
- Manchester
- Urban exploration
- Toys R Us at the Central Retail Park in Manchester
- Lost shops - Toys R Us in Ancoats, Manchester

New Shipwreck Adventure Golf in Swanage

There's a new Shipwreck Adventure Golf course in Swanage, Dorset.

Many thanks to our friend and fellow minigolf explorer Matt Dodd for letting us know there's a new Shipwreck Adventure Golf course at the Santa Fe Fun Park in Swanage, Dorset.

Check out the Santa Fe Fun Park website for more information.

It's another good reason for us to revisit Swanage. We had a great time in the seaside resort on our South West road trip in 2015. The existing Jurassic Adventure Golf course there was the landmark 600th UK visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've now been to 949 courses since 2006.

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Volcano Falls Adventure Golf in Castleford

A look at the social distancing measures at Volcano Falls Adventure Golf in Castleford.

Many thanks to my friend and minigolf rival Henri Myers for sending over some photos from his visit to the 36-hole indoor Volcano Falls Adventure Golf centre at Xscape in Castleford.

 

Visit the Volcano Falls Adventure Golf website for more information.

The two Volcano Falls Adventure Golf courses in Castleford were among the 20 courses we visited in the first 20 days of 2020. So much has happened since then!

Our travels in January took us to minigolf venues in Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester, Northwich, Doncaster and Castleford.

Castleford is home to six miniature golf courses and 87-holes - all in the Xscape / Junction 32 Outlet Village area.

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Caddy Shack Mini Golf at Shanklin Seafront

A look at the new Caddy Shack Mini Golf course at Shanklin Seafront, Isle of Wight.

A massive thank you to our friend Philip Walsh for sending over some photos from his round at the new Caddy Shack Mini Golf course during his recent stay on the Isle of Wight.

The Caddy Shack indoor Mini Golf course can be found at Shanklin Seafront.

The rules

A sanitisation point and queuing area at the course

A glow-in-the-dark section of the course

Visit the Shanklin Seafront website for more information.

Shanklin Seafront is also home to two other outdoor minigolf courses - one is a Pirate-themed adventure golf layout and the other is a Jurassic course.

It'll be brilliant to make a return visit to the Isle of Wight on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've had some day trips there in the past and played a lot of courses, but need at least a long weekend there to play them all.

Philip has also been to the brand new Shanklin Crazy Golf course, the Putting Course at Luccombe Hall Hotel, Rylstone Crazy Golf and Tea Gardens in Shanklin and the Mini Golf course and Billiard Golf tables in Puerto Colón, Tenerife this year.

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Pickle Rick's in Stockport

There's a Pickle Rick's Pizza place in Hazel Grove, Stockport!

Blockbuster Video Express in Westcliff-on-Sea

A look at the old Blockbuster Video Express in Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend.

Many thanks to my friend and fellow blogger Mark Routh for sending me these photos of the old Blockbuster Video Express store in Westcliff on Sea, Essex.

It's amazing the signs are still up seven years since the demise of the brand.

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

I found out the Blockbuster signage was still in place at the Westcliff-on-Sea store via this post on Instagram.

We should've been visiting family in Southend-on-Sea this summer but that trip has been postponed. Hopefully we'll get back down there soon so I can check out the old Blockbuster store too.

Check out Mark's superb postcard blog at Mark's Postcard Chat and his Facebook Page. The blog is a wonderful insight into the world of postcard collecting and social history.

Minigolfing in Dovercourt, Essex

A look back at the minigolf course we played in Dovercourt, Essex.

We played the 6-hole Swedish Felt Mini Golf course on Low Road in Dovercourt, Essex back in 2009.

It was the 92nd played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Related blog posts:
- Swedish Felt Mini Golf courses in Essex
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Essex

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Mini Golf Putting at Luccombe Hall Hotel in Shanklin, Isle of Wight

Finding out about a hotel Putting Course in Shanklin, Isle of Wight.

A big thank you to our friend Philip Walsh for sending over some snaps of a grass Putting Course he found during his recent stay on the Isle of Wight.

It looks like a nice little course for a putt around.

Visit the Luccombe Hall Hotel website for more information.

We're looking forward to a return visit to the Isle of Wight on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We've had a couple of day trips there in the past and played quite a few courses, but need at least a long weekend to play them all.

Philip has also been to the brand new Shanklin Crazy Golf course, Rylstone Crazy Golf and Tea Gardens in Shanklin and the Mini Golf course and Billiard Golf tables in Puerto Colón, Tenerife this year.

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New Crazy Golf course in Shanklin, Isle of Wight

Finding out about a new minigolf course in Shanklin Village on the Isle of Wight.

Many thanks to our friend Philip Walsh for letting me know about a new crazy golf course he found while on a recent trip to the Isle of Wight.

The course can be found at the ice cream/donut/slush cafe opposite the parking in the old village. The finishing touches were being put to the course when he was there so he didn't have the chance to play a round. He did however let me know that the ice cream they served was very good.

The course is a 9-hole layout and costs £3 a round.

We're looking forward to a return visit to the Isle of Wight on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in the future. A number of new miniature golf courses have opened since our last trip to the island.

Philip has also been to the Rylstone Crazy Golf and Tea Gardens in Shanklin and the Mini Golf course and Billiard Golf tables in Puerto Colón, Tenerife this year.

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Adventure Mini Golf opening in Stoke-On-Trent

New Adventure Mini Golf centre opening in Stoke-On-Trent.

A brand new Adventure Mini Golf venue is opening next to Waterworld in Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.

For more information visit the Adventure Mini Golf website.

The two-course, 36-hole indoor adventure golf centre is the sister site of Adventure Island Minigolf at Star City in Birmingham. We've played there many many times over the years, including a number of tournaments and leagues.

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