Mini Golf at Hillier Garden Centre in Cheddar

There's a new 9-hole Mini Golf course at Hillier Garden Centre in Cheddar, Somerset.

Visit the Hillier Garden Centre website for more information.

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

Minigolf in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

A look at minigolf courses in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf in Great Yarmouth

One of the first places we visited on what would become our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour was Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. We chose the seaside resort for a big minigolf trip in 2007 as we knew there were a lot of courses there.

Playing the Arnold Palmer Putting Course on Marine Parade in 2011. This course has been replaced by Castaway Island Adventure Golf - the latest course to occupy the minigolf hotspot since the 1920s!

We've returned a number of times since then, including a trip in May to help launch the Big Mini Golf Tour 2022.

Castaway Island Adventure Golf in Great Yarmouth

Mini-Golf at Clippesby Hall

Hollywood Adventure Golf in Great Yarmouth

Lost World Adventure Golf in Hemsby

Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf in Great Yarmouth

Pop's Meadow Crazy Golf in Gorleston. This location was once home to an Arnold Palmer Putting Course

Stonehenge - the BIG mini golf in Hemsby

Putting in Gorleston

Minigolf has been played in the area since the early 20th century and there are plenty of options for a game in 2022. Here are the courses we currently know of:

Belton

• Mini Golf at Haven Wild Duck Holiday Park

Caister-on-Sea

• Crazy Golf at Haven Caister-on-Sea Holiday Park
• Crazy Golf at Haven Seashore Holiday Park

Clippesby

• Mini-Golf at Clippesby Hall

Great Yarmouth

• Pirates Cove Adventure Golf on Marine Parade
• Hollywood Indoor Adventure Golf at the Windmill Theatre on Marine Parade
• Castaway Island Adventure Golf on Marine Parade
• Crazy Golf at Merrivale Model Village on Marine Parade
• Pleasure Beach Adventure Golf on South Beach Parade
• Adventure Golf at Parkdean Resorts Vauxhall Holiday Park
• Pitch & Putt at Bure Park

Gorleston-on-Sea

• Pop's Meadow Crazy Golf on Pavilion Road
• Gorleston Putting Green at Gorleston Cliffs Sports Pavilion

Hemsby

• Lost World Adventure Golf on Beach Road
• Stonehenge Adventure Golf on Beach Road

Scratby

• Minigolf at California Cliffs Holiday Park

If you know of any other minigolf, crazy golf, adventure golf, putting or pitch & putt courses in the Great Yarmouth area please do let us know.

Minigolf history in Great Yarmouth

One of the earliest miniature golf postcards we have in our collection is this one showing the Putting Green on Marine Parade in Great Yarmouth.

Putting Green, Great Yarmouth. Postcard postally used on the 11th November 1927

The postcard was sent to Hayes, Middlesex on the 11th November 1927.

You can see the Hippodrome in the left of the image and this building is still standing and is the Hippodrome Circus on St George's Road. If you visit now you'll find a row of buildings in front of the Hippodrome itself! You will also find that there is still a minigolf course on the same spot as the Putting Green. Now called Castaway Island Adventure Golf the site was an Arnold Palmer Putting Course that we played a number of times on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Big Mini Golf Tour

Several miniature golf courses across the Greater Yarmouth Tourism & Business Improvement Area have come together to promote the game this summer as the Big Mini Golf Tour has teed-off across seven layouts. You can find all the details of the Big Mini Golf Tour, prize draw and places to play via the Big Mini Golf Tour Linktree page.

The Big Mini Golf Tour map

You can plan your visit to the participating miniature golf courses in Hemsby, Clippesby, Great Yarmouth and Gorleston-on-Sea by checking out the Big Mini Golf Tour map.

Follow the Big Mini Golf Tour

Check out the Big Mini Golf Tour web links, further info and social media.

Visit Great Yarmouth/GYTABIA

Funding from Visit Great Yarmouth/GYTABIA has helped to bring you the ‘Big Mini Golf Tour’. Visit Great Yarmouth/GYTABIA uses money raised from a business improvement district levy which is designed to raise the profile of the area, increase the number of people visiting and staying, improve the visitor experience and increase repeat visits, encourage people to stay longer and to visit more attractions and to provide incentives and opportunities to spend more in local businesses.

Dr Pac-Man's Covid-19 Testing Centre in Lanzarote

We've been documenting the signs of the covid times since the pandemic began in 2020 and have seen a number of different, interesting and fun ways to promote social distancing, testing and getting a jab.

Doctors Covid-19 Testing in Lanzarote

This escalator advertising for a Covid-19 Testing Centre that Emily spotted in Lanzarote last month is one of the best!

Surely Pac-Man should be avoiding the covvy though!

Doctors Covid-19 Testing in Lanzarote

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

A look at the Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf course at Hotham Park in Bognor Regis, West Sussex.

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

A big thank you as always goes to our friend and minigolf rival Stephen Skinner for sending us these photos of the Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf course at Hotham Park in Bognor Regis.

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf at Hotham Park in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

We haven't played the course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour yet, but back in 2011 we did play the old Crazy Golf and Putting course where the new Adventure Golf now sits.

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

A scorecard from the Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf course in Bognor Regis

Visit the Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf course website for more information.

Wildforest Falls Adventure Golf in Bognor Regis

Electronic Arcade Crazy Golf

New in the Crazy Golf Museum - Electronic Arcade Crazy Golf by Ambassador.

A brilliant car boot sale find this morning

Electronic Arcade Crazy Golf - see a video of the game in action

You get a nice pad of scorecards in the game

Minigolf in Denton Gardens, Worthing

Denton Gardens in Worthing, West Sussex is 100 years old today. There has been minigolf of one kind or another there for many of those years.

It's now home to the 18-hole Splash Point Mini Golf course.

Minigolf was first played in Denton Gardens on Tuesday 1st July 1924.

The 18-hole Splash Point Mini Golf course was the 181st played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Playing Splash Point Mini Golf in 2019

Playing the course in 2010

Worthing, Denton Gardens, Putting Green. The Photochrom Co Ltd. Posted  to Birchington, Kent on 30 July 1928

Putting Green, Denton Gardens, Worthing. Photogravure by S. & E. Ltd., Hastings. Postally unused. Undated

A postcard showing the Putting Green, Denton Park, Worthing - it's unposted and undated

The Putting Green, Denton Gardens, Worthing. Picture Post Card by Wardell's. Postally unused. Undated

Scorecard from Lost World Adventure Golf in Hemsby

Here's a minigolf scorecard from the Lost World Adventure Golf course in Hemsby, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.

A lovely addition to our collection of minigolf scorecards and ephemera.

Collected on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and this year's Big Mini Golf Tour.

Puttstars Crazy Golf at Ashton Leisure Park

There are plans for a new Puttstars Crazy Golf centre at Ashton Leisure Park in Tameside.

Check out the Puttstars website for more information.

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

We've played Puttstars Mini Golf at the Rochdale Riverside location.

Mini Golf at Puttstars

Duxbury Park Adventure Golf in Chorley

A new Adventure Golf course is opening at Duxbury Park in Chorley, Lancashire.

The 12-hole Adventure Golf course opens on Friday 17th June.

Visit the Duxbury Park Adventure Golf course website for more information.

Another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Scorecard from Stonehenge Adventure Golf in Hemsby

Here's a minigolf scorecard from Stonehenge Adventure Golf in Hemsby, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.

Scorecard from Stonehenge Adventure Golf in Hemsby

Scorecard from Stonehenge Adventure Golf in Hemsby

A nice addition to our collection of scorecards and ephemera.

Collected on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and this year's Big Mini Golf Tour.

Museum Week 2022

This week is Museum Week.

Since 2014 MuseumWeek has grown to include over 60,000 participants from 100+ countries. It has has become the first virtual, worldwide cultural event on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Weibo, WeChat and VKontakte.

MuseumWeek is an annual offline and online event based on the mechanism 7 days, 7 topics, 7 hashtags.

The global theme for 2022 is about innovation & culture and MuseumWeek will take this opportunity to explore 6 other topics in the whole cultural ecosystem, online and offline:

• 13 June: #innovationMW
• 14 June: #creatorsMW
• 15 June: #freedomMW
• 16 June: #sexualityMW
• 17 June: #environmentMW 
• 18 June: #lifeLessonsMW 
• 19 June: #danceMW

Find out more on the Museum Week website.

The Crazy Golf Museum

As the Curator of the Crazy Golf Museum it's always nice to be able to support museum initiatives such as MuseumWeek.

The Crazy Golf Museum is the world's first virtual crazy golf museum - a worldwide archive of miniature golf memories, histories and ephemera.

The Crazy Golf Museum

Did you know:

• The world's first Miniature Golf course was created at St Andrews, Scotland in 1867. The Himalayas is still there now and is a real pleasure to play.
• The first minigolf course in the USA opened in 1916. James Barber opened the 'Thistle Dhu' layout in Pinehurst, NC.
• A Miniature Golf contest was part of the Olympic Games at the 1904 St Louis Games.
• The very first Crazy Golf course in the UK opened on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.
• The first artificial miniature golf course open in the USA in 1926 when Garnet Carter created the 'Tom Thumb' miniature golf course near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN.
• The first National Tom Thumb Golf Championship took place on the 23rd October 1930. 
• The first Putt-Putt Golf course was set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA back in 1954.
• National Miniature Golf Day always falls on the second Saturday in May.
• Miniature Golf Day is always on the 21st of September.

Visit the Crazy Golf Museum website and check out these Crazy Golf Museum-related blog posts for more info.

Fourteen years gluten free

Today marks my fourteen year Coeliac Anniversary - my Coeliacversary.

I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease fourteen years ago today. And so began my journey into the gluten free world.

What is Coeliac Disease?

Coeliac Disease 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's estimated that 1 in 100 people have the condition.

Living a gluten free life

I'm still alive and kicking as I've avoided gluten (my Kryptonite) since 2008

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

While having a life-long condition such as Coeliac Disease can be a pain - and horrible if I 'get glutened' - having the disease has had some positives. I've met great people since my diagnosis and have made some brilliant friends who I've met through Coeliac groups. I've also blogged a lot about living with the condition and the great free from food and drink I've found since 2008.

Thank you to everyone for their support, tips, help and recommendations over the years. It's very much appreciated.

For more information on Coeliac Disease visit the NHS Choices and Coeliac UK websites.

Making it a Blockbusters NQ night

Drinking in a video store.

We finally made it to Blockbusters NQ in Manchester last Thursday.

Not a video store

It was nice to have a drink in a 'video shop' speakeasy.

It was nice to be on the INSIDE of a new bar for a change!

We first heard about the nostalgia-inducing video rental shop bar last November and have been looking forward to stepping inside since we first saw it.

BE KIND
REWIND

The theming is really well done and the bar had a chilled atmosphere. It's worth a visit.

An eclectic selection

You can never have enough copies of True Lies. I prefer the Laserdisc edition myself

Most of the videos are retail ones rather than ex-rental tapes, but there are some big box treats to find lurking on the shelves.

A look at the cocktail menu and one of the big box ex-rental Blockbuster Video tapes I found on the shelves

The Chase is the best bit of Midnight Express

This big box ex-rental tape is from a Video Box Office store.Video Box Office was the Business to Business part of ChoicesUK and launched in the UK in 1985 when the brand offered video rental services via third-party convenience stores. As the popularity of physical media rentals declined in the late noughties 59 ChoicesUK shops were taken over and rebranded as Blockbuster stores! We found an old Video Box Office presence inside a Happy Shopper in Ilkeston, Derby in 2020

PLEASE REWIND

Check out the Blockbusters NQ website for more information and opening times.

Blockbuster Video

We're big fans of video, videos stores, retail history and retro stuff and have been visiting and documenting the last remaining traces of the Blockbuster brand in the UK over the last few years. We've seen a number of the brand's shopfronts, signs and QuikDrop boxes. As well as some other video shops.

The first of the old Blockbuster locations we found was also in Manchester, just up the road from us at Fallowfield Retail Park.

Blockbuster Video at Fallowfield Retail Park in Manchester, June 2020

Blockbuster Video Stores

The first Blockbuster Video store opened in Dallas, Texas, USA in 1985.

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 stores around the world. 500+ of which were in the UK.

Blockbuster ceased operations in the UK in December 2013. At the start of that year there were 528 Blockbuster locations in the UK. The number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. The remaining stores closed on the 16th December.

There is now just one Blockbuster Video store left open. It's in Bend, Oregon, USA.

However, the UK's high streets, shopping precincts, malls and retail parks still hold traces of the brand. And we've been to most of them!

We've now visited 28 former Blockbuster Video stores since we found the remains of the Fallowfield shop.

• 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
• Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
• Wythenshawe, Manchester