The end of the Blockbuster Video store in Fallowfield, Manchester.

The abandoned Blockbuster Video store at Fallowfield Retail Park in Manchester, England has been demolished.

I spotted the remains of a Blockbuster Video store while driving to Manchester in October 2019 and have passed by many times since on my way to and from Manchester.

There are still two signs up on the main sign for the retail park

Until recently it was a very well preserved former Blockbuster shop - with some signage still intact, as well as the QuikDrop box, desks and counters intact.

Here's what the storefront looked like in January 2022.

Earlier this week demolition work started on several units at Fallowfield Retail Park, with the ex-Blockbuster also being knocked down to make way for a new Lidl supermarket.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Richard Gottfried (@richard_gottfried)

Photos of the site (12th January 2024)

Blockbuster Video in the UK

The last Blockbuster Video shop ceased trading in the UK on the 16th December 2013.

Blockbuster Video entered the UK video rental market in 1989 following the purchase of Ritz Video.

In 2013 there were over 500 Blockbuster locations in the UK. Throughout that year the number dwindled until October when only 264 shops remained. On the 16th December 2013 all stores ceased operations.

At its peak in 2004 there were more than 9,000 Blockbuster stores around the world. 500+ of which were in England, Scotland and Wales. Interestingly in Northern Ireland the Xtra-Vision brand was used by the owners in-line with the Republic of Ireland.

Blockbuster certainly wasn't the first video rental shop brand, but it was at one time the market leader.

Blockbuster Video store locations we've visited on our travels

Our interest in lost brands and retail history has 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

Urban Street Golf at Gravity Max in Liverpool

There's a Crazy Golf course at Gravity Max in Liverpool.

Urban Street Golf at Gravity Max in Liverpool (November 2023)

The indoor minigolf course at Gravity Max in the Liverpool ONE shopping and entertainment centre has a Big Apple theme.

Urban Street Golf at Gravity Max in Liverpool (November 2023)

Last April we visited Gravity Social in Northampton and won the pub quiz there - the first pub quiz we've played at a crazy golf course!

This was the first Gravity Max location we've been to and it looked amazing. There were so many different activities on offer, with a wide-range of people taking part. The augmented reality tenpin bowling looked cool and it's a version of the game we're yet to play.

Urban Street Golf at Gravity Max in Liverpool (November 2023)

As well as the Gravity Max venue in Liverpool there are also locations in Castleford and Wandsworth. The Wandsworth location also has Urban Street Golf.

Urban Street Golf at Gravity Max in Liverpool (November 2023)

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

Advertising for the Urban Street Golf at Gravity Max in Liverpool (November 2023)

Advertising for Gravity Max in Liverpool (November 2023)

Advertising for the Urban Street Golf at Gravity Max in Liverpool (November 2023)

Roxy Golf in Liverpool

There's a Crazy Golf course at Roxy Ball Room in Liverpool's Cavern Quarter.

Roxy Golf in Liverpool (November 2023)

As well as the Roxy Ball Room venue at the Cavern Quarter in Liverpool there are Roxy Ball Rooms in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield and York. Many of these are home to minigolf courses - or crazy pool.

Roxy Golf in Liverpool (November 2023)

Roxy Golf in Liverpool (November 2023)

Roxy Golf in Liverpool (November 2023)

Roxy Golf in Liverpool (November 2023)

Roxy Golf in Liverpool (November 2023)

Visit the Roxy Ball Room website for more information.

Roxy Golf in Liverpool (November 2023)

We've played several on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Junkyard Golf in Liverpool

There are three 9-hole Crazy Golf courses at Junkyard Golf in Liverpool.

Junkyard Golf in Liverpool (November 2023)

As well as the Liverpool venue there are Junkyard Golf courses in Manchester, Oxford, Leeds, Newcastle, and two locations in London (Shoreditch and Camden).

Junkyard Golf in Liverpool (November 2023)

Visit the Junkyard Golf website for more information.

We've played several on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Junkyard Golf is located at Liverpool ONE. Interestingly we played minigolf there when the site was a Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf!

Crazy Golf at the Farmers Craft Market Fun Days in Cheddington, Leighton Buzzard

The upcoming Farmers Craft Market Fun Days in Cheddington, Leighton Buzzard will feature a Crazy Golf course!

What a brilliant idea.

Visit the Fantasia Events website for more information.

One Under Mini Golf in Liverpool

A new minigolf course is opening in Liverpool.

Liverpool will soon be home to a new 18-hole indoor minigolf course.

One Under Mini Golf will be the brand's third site after Glasgow and a new location in Brighton.

Visit the One Under website for more information.

The One Under courses will be new additions to our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf at McGavin Park in Kilwinning

The Crazy Golf course at McGavin Park in Kilwinning, Scotland is being refurbished.

The updated Crazy Golf course is planned to re-open later this year.

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

New mini-golf course at Brunswick Moviebowl in Derry

There are plans for a new mini-golf course at Brunswick Moviebowl in Derry, Northern Ireland.

Visit the Brunswick Moviebowl website for more information.

We haven't been to Northern Ireland for a fair few years and the course at the Brunswick Moviebowl will be another to add to our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

High-Tech Mini Golf at Butlin's Bognor Regis

A new high-tech mini golf course is being created at the Butlin's Bognor Regis holiday camp in West Sussex.

The indoor minigolf course will be part of the new PLAYXPERIENCE centre at the holiday park.

PLAYXPERIENCE is due to open in September this year.

Visit the Butlin's website for more information.

Check out my blog posts about Butlin's.

One Under Mini Golf in Brighton

A new minigolf course is opening in Brighton, East Sussex.

Brighton will soon be home to a new 18-hole indoor minigolf course.

One Under Mini Golf will be the brand's second site after Glasgow.

There are also plans for a One Under venue in Liverpool.

Visit the One Under website for more information.

The One Under courses will be new additions to our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Putt Above Mini Golf & Bar in Blackpool

A new Putt Above Mini Golf & Bar venue is opening in Blackpool.

Blackpool will soon be home to a new indoor high-tech minigolf course as Putt Above Mini Golf & Bar opens on Blackpool Promenade on Thursday 11th January.

Find out more on the Putt Above Mini Golf website.

We're yet to play at Putt Above Mini Golf - there is also a Putt Above location at Merry Hill in Dudley. Putt Above Mini Golf differs to 'traditional' miniature golf as you play your round on the same lane, with obstacles and theming projection mapped onto the playing surface.

We're looking forward to having a game on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Castaway Island Adventure Golf in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

A view of the Castaway Island Adventure Golf course in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk in May 2022.

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf replaced the 9-hole and 18-hole Arnold Palmer Putting courses on the promenade. We visited in July 2016 and the course became the 693rd on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. When I returned in May 2022 it became the 556th course played.

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Castaway Island Mini Golf in Great Yarmouth

Visit the Castaway Island Mini Golf website for more information.

New minigolf courses in the UK

Information about new adventure golf, crazy golf and miniature golf courses in the UK.

There are lots of new minigolf courses being built, in development or planned to open in the UK.

Minigolf is an incredibly popular activity for all ages and there are new courses opening up all the time in a wide-range of outdoor and indoor locations.

Whereas the game has traditionally been a seaside pastime, it has grown to be a game enjoyed by people in more and more towns and cities - with many catering to a late night audience.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Up to Saturday 30th December 2023 we had visited a total of 1,044 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. 997 of these have been in the British Isles.

Moby Golf in Romford, Essex

Our minigolfing adventures began on the 30th September 2006 and in that time we've been able to play a total of 573 courses. Many locations have been found to be abandoned, closed, out-of-season or derelict on our initial visit. Luckily some courses that were closed on our original visit have since been played. And there are some course we've revisited and replayed many many times!

When we originally set off to visit as many courses as possible the target list was 600 in the British Isles. We've still got around 50 of those original courses to visit.

Only two of those original courses were indoor venues. Now the indoor game is booming and you can find minigolf courses indoors at shopping centres, retail parks, and in town and city centres around the country.

Together with my brother Christopher - a charter member of the tour - and his family, we've visited a total of 1,089 courses.

Our travels have been recognised by the Guinness World Records, and I'm a record holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press). Check out the Guinness World Records 2024 book to see a lot more minigolf records too!

Check out the full list of courses we've visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New minigolf courses

For information about new minigolf, crazy golf, and adventure golf courses opening in the UK take a look at the posts with the New course tag here on the Ham & Egger Files minigolf blog.

Minigolf did you knows...?

Did you know these things about minigolf?

• The world's first miniature golf course was set-up at St Andrews, Scotland in 1867.
• James Barber opened the first minigolf course in the USA in 1916. The 'Lilliputian' miniature golf course was called 'Thistle Dhu' and located in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
• A Miniature Golf contest was part of the Olympic Games at the 1904 St Louis Games in the USA.
• Crazy Golf is 98 years old in 2024. The first course opened on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England in 1926.
• 1926 also saw the first artificial miniature golf course open in the USA. Garnet Carter opened the 'Tom Thumb' miniature golf course near Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
• The first National Tom Thumb Golf Championship took place on the 23rd October 1930.
• The first Putt-Putt brand miniature golf course was set-up by Don Clayton in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA in 1954.
• There are several Guinness World Records for achievements in Minigolf, Miniature Golf, Crazy Golf, Adventure Golf, and Putt-Putt. The 2024 edition of the Guinness World Records features a whole page about minigolf.

Miniature Golf 'Days' in 2024

There are two 'miniature golf days' each year.

• National Miniature Golf Day is always on the second Saturday in May. In 2024 that will be Saturday 11th May.
• The other minigolf day, Miniature Golf Day, is always on the 21st September. In 2024 that will fall on a Saturday.

Crazy Golf at Tenpin in Sheffield

Sheffield has a new indoor minigolf course.

A Prison Putt crazy golf course has opened as part of the new Tenpin bowling and entertainment centre in Sheffield.

Check out the Tenpin website for more information.

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

Football Crazy Golf at Football Fiesta in Watford

A new football-themed Crazy Golf course has opened in Watford, Hertfordshire.

Check out the Football Fiesta website for more information. Looking on the site there are also Football Fiesta locations in Cardiff and Swindon, with the Swindon venue also home to a Football Crazy Golf course.

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

Bonkers Illumination Golf opening in Matlock Bath

A new minigolf course is opening in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire on Tuesday 2nd January 2024.

Visit the Bonkers Illumination Golf course website to find out more about the 9-hole indoor minigolf venue.

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

Adventure Golf at Whitemead Forest Park

There's a 12-hole Adventure Golf course at Whitemead Forest Park in Lydney, Gloucestershire.

Take a look on the Whitemead Forest Park website for more information. Checking out the FAQs the park is open to non-residents and locals too.

The Adventure Golf course at Whitemead Forest Park is another new one for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour continues...

Up to Saturday 30th December 2023 we had visited a total of 1,044 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. 997 of these have been in the British Isles.

Moby Golf

Our minigolfing adventures began on the 30th September 2006 and in that time we've been able to play a total of 573 of them. Many have been found to be abandoned, closed, out-of-season or derelict on our initial visit. Luckily some courses that were closed on our original visit have since been played. And there are some course we've revisited and replayed dozens of times!

Southend Pier Crazy Golf

Last year we played courses together in England, while Emily also had rounds in Majorca and Orlando!

Our travels have been recognised by the Guinness World Records, and I'm a record holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press last year). Check out the Guinness World Records 2024 book to see a lot more minigolf records too!

Together with my brother Christopher - a charter member of the tour - and his family, we've visited a total of 1,089 courses.

When we originally set off to visit as many courses as possible the target list was 600 in the British Isles. We've still got around 50 of those original courses to visit.

Minigolf is an incredibly popular activity for all ages and there are new courses opening up all the time in a wide-range of outdoor and indoor locations.

It'll be interesting to see what takes place in the world of minigolf in 2024.

Check out the full list of courses we've visited.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

All the very best for 2024.