Crazy Golf history: from a minigolf course to a hotel

The site of England's first-ever Crazy Golf course is being turned into a hotel.

The Original Crazy Golf course in Skegness (2015)

A new Travelodge hotel and Starbucks drive-thru are being built on the location of England's first Crazy Golf course.

The Original Crazy Golf course on South Parade in Skegness, Lincolnshire has been derelict since 2018, and now work on the site is set to begin soon.

The Original Crazy Golf course in Skegness (2015)

England's first Crazy Golf opened on South Parade in Skegness in 1926 and the game is widely known by that name in the UK. Crazy Golf is seldom, if ever, used overseas except in tourist spots popular with UK holidaymakers.

In May 2015 The Original Crazy Golf course became the 363rd played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

It's sad to hear about the loss of this piece of miniature golf history. I'm glad we got to visit the course when we did in 2011 and 2015.

The Original Crazy Golf course in Skegness (2015)

We've also got some nice old postcards of the course in our collection, including this one when it was known as Craz-e-Golf.

Craz-e-Golf at Skegness by E.T.W Dennis & Sons Ltd S.2142 postally used on 21 June 1977

Skegness is home to several other minigolf courses. We've haven't been there since 2015, but did visit as many as we could the last time. At least one new adventure golf course has opened there since then.

We'll to revisit again soon and see how things have changed...

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.

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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

The former Toys R Us in Oldbury

A look at the former Toys R Us in Oldbury, West Midlands.

We passed by the old Toys R Us store in Oldbury, Sandwell, West Midlands on our way back from Bristol and Gloucester in July.

The retail unit was in the process of being demolished so there wasn't any signage or ghost signs in sight.

However, you could tell by the exterior and frame it used to be a Toys R Us store.

Empty inside

Toys R Us closed in the UK in April 2018. 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 in the last couple of years: 

• Brighton Hill Retail Park in Basingstoke
• Central Retail Park in Manchester
• Cathedral Retail Park in Norwich
• Deepdale shopping centre in Preston
• Enfield Retail Park in Enfield
• Festival retail park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
• Gemini Retail Park in Warrington
• Interchange Retail Park at Copdock Mill, Ipswich
• Riverside Retail Park in Nottingham
• St James Retail Park in Northampton
• Teesside Retail Park in Stockton-on-Tees
• Western Esplanade in Southampton
• Wyvern Retail Park in Derby

The former Toys R Us site at Oldbury is planned to become a B&M and Tim Hortons.

Lost shops - Toys R Us in Ancoats, Manchester

Views of the old Toys R Us store at the Central Retail Park in 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.

All of the stores on the site have been demolished and the area is being turned into car parking.

More photos can be found in my blog post: Toys R Us at the Central Retail Park in Manchester.

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.

Dead brands

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

An old Crazy Golf course in Pontypool Park

That time we found a derelict Crazy Golf course in a hedge.

You could see where the lanes of the miniature golf course used to be set up

This was back in August 2010.

The Eternit Miniature Golf course in Pontypool Park/Parc Pont-y-pŵl had been removed from its foundations and put in a hedge.

Such a sad sight to see.

We've played a number of Eternit Miniature Golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour in a variety of conditions. But the one in Pontypool was the worst of the lot.

It was one of the oddest of the many lost, abandoned and derelict minigolf courses we've found on our travels.

Check out the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour Newsletter archive and sign-up to receive future editions.

Lost minigolf courses - the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Exmouth

A look at the Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Exmouth, Devon.

We stayed in Exmouth, Devon for part of our summer holiday in June 2015 so we could visit the Arnold Palmer Putting Course on the seafront.

Sadly the course wasn't open when we swung by in June 2015

Unfortunately the course wasn't open on the day we visited and even more unfortunate is the fact that the course is now consigned to history as it was demolished in 2016.

A view of the 10-hole course

I'm a BIG fan of Arnold Palmer Putting Courses and the Exmouth layout looked superb.

The classic windmill obstacle was on hole 3 at Exmouth

It was a 10-hole course, with a lucky 11th hole where you could win a free game if you rang the bell with your shot.

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 4

Hole 5

The Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Exmouth was the 611th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Hole 10 was a waterwheel obstacle

The venue in Exmouth was also home to a grass Putting course

The first Arnold Palmer Putting Course in the UK opened in Coventry in 1965 and was part of an Arnold Palmer Driving Range. A course was also located at a Driving Range in Sheffield.

A classic Arnold Palmer Putting Course sign

Sadly over the years a number of Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in the UK have been closed, abandoned, demolished or converted beyond recognition.

As well as the loss of the Exmouth Arnold Palmer course, the two Arnold Palmer courses in Great Yarmouth have been replaced by one Adventure Golf course. The two courses in Cliftonville, Margate were closed in 2014 and removed shortly after. The course that was once in Folkestone is no longer playable - as it was used to make an art installation on the promenade.

Luckily you can still find playable examples of Arnold Palmer Putting Courses - in varying conditions and some with modifications - in the following locations:

• Bognor Regis - built in 1993
• Broadstairs - built in 1995
• Caister-on-Sea (Haven Holiday Park)
• Canvey Island (9 holes of an 18 hole course remain)
• Cleethorpes
• Filey (Primrose Valley Holiday Park)
• Gorleston-on-Sea
• Hastings
• Mablethorpe (Haven Golden Sands Caravan Holiday Park)
• Mablethorpe (Hooks Island)
• Prestatyn
• Skegness x2 (9 and 18 hole courses)
• Southend-on-Sea (1 of 2 courses remain - the 'East' course) - upgraded
• Southport
• Weston-Super-Mare
• Whitby

A scorecard from the Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in Skegness - this has a wonderful listing of other courses. Some of these still exist, while others have closed

Lost Arnold Palmer Putting Courses:

• Ayr (Haven Craig Tara Holiday Park, formerly Butlin's)
• Battersea
• Blackpool, Starr Gate
• Bognor Regis (Butlin's)
• Camber Sands - now a Car Park
• Cliftonville, Margate (2 courses)
• Coventry
• Eastbourne
• Exmouth
• Folkestone - now an Art Installation on Beach Huts!
• Goodrington
• Great Yarmouth (2 courses) - turned into Castaway Adventure Golf
• Hornsea Potteries
• Hove
• Ladram Bay
• Leicester
• Manchester
• Minehead (Butlin's)
• Nottingham
• Prestatyn
• Pwhelli (Butlin's)
• Rhyl
• Scarborough
• Sheffield
• South Shields
• Southend-on-Sea ('West' course demolished)
• Tynemouth
• Weymouth
• Whitley Bay
• Withernsea

If you know of any Arnold Palmer Putting Courses missing from the lists above please do get in touch.

Of the 912 courses we've visited since September 2006, 25 have been Arnold Palmer Putting Course locations.

Related blog posts:
- Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in the UK
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Exmouth

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The old Crazy Golf course in Llanfairfechan, Wales

A revisit to the old Crazy Golf course in Llanfairfechan, Wales.

While en route to Caernarfon last January we revisited the seaside town of Llanfairfechan in Wales.

Back on our roadtrip around the Welsh coast in 2009 we'd called in to Llanfairfechan and found only holes 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 remained of the promenade Crazy Golf course.

The course in August 2009

As it looked in January 2018

Strangely on this occasion more holes were visible as holes 1 and 18 could be found along with holes 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. There were also some traces of another two holes.



Shortly after our visit in January 2018 we heard that the course on was completely demolished. Very sad to hear, but I'm very glad we visited it on two occasions.

We think this was hole 1 - for some reason it wasn't fully on show the last time we were there! We also think the planters are also covering what were once holes

Hole 13

Hole 14

Hole 15

Hole 15

Hole 16

Hole 16

Hole 16

Hole 17

Hole 18

These look like they used to be holes

More evidence

An old 'green'

The course had such a unique look to it. I'd love to see what it looked like in its prime.

Another angle of the course in 2009

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Llanfairfechan
- Wales

Video:
- Crazy Golf course in Llanfairfechan

Crazy Golf in Towyn

No sign of the Crazy Golf course we played in Towyn in 2009.

Back in August 2009 we embarked on a BIG minigolf road-trip around the coast of Wales and while en route to Rhyl we swung by Knightly's Amusement Park in Towyn where we unexpectedly found a Crazy Golf course next to a car park.

One of the holes on the nice 9-hole course in Towyn back in 2009

Fast forward to September 2017 and we were once again heading along the North Wales coast and had the chance to visit Towyn. This time the large sign at the junction listed 'Mini Golf' on it, however when we had a look the great little Crazy Golf course we'd played in 2009 had been turned into a car park!

Mini Golf on a sign

They paved paradise...

Related blog posts:
- Towyn
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Minigolf Course Visit No. 144 - Knightly's Crazy Golf, Towyn
- Playing Minigolf in the towns of Tywyn and Towyn in Wales

Link:
- Knightly's Fun Park

Luton Mini Golf Meadows

Visiting the new meadows in Wardown Park, Luton.

Luton's new Mini Golf Meadows

Earlier this week I read about the developments at the old minigolf and crazy golf site in Luton's Wardown Park and today Emily and I headed down for a look at the new 'Luton Mini Golf Meadows'.

The area does look really nice

As part of our visit we met the project's co-ordinator Helen Hoyle who told us about the project, while we were able to tell her more about the minigolf courses that used to be there. We also completed a survey for the research while we wandered around the meadow.

Exploring the Mini Golf Meadows and completing my survey of 'Plot G'. Emily did 'Plot H'

The year-long project has been set-up to monitor how local Luton residents and insects react to the new meadows.

One of the pretty plots in the meadow

Over the years we played the minigolf courses in the park a fair bit. The Crazy Golf course that used to be in Wardown Park was the 18th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour way back on the 5th May 2007. The Grass Putting Miniature Golf layout became the 19th played on the 19th May. Until the meadows were planted minigolf had been played in the park since the 19th June 1934.

I spotted a metal cup from one of the grass minigolf holes sitting on the 'green' of the old Crazy Golf course. As a connoisseur of derelict minigolf courses it was interesting to see what had become of the old holes

Hole 1 as it used to look

Hole 1 now

A view of the old Crazy Golf site. The markings from the old fibreglass holes are still clear to see

Out standing in his field. In the middle of what once was a grass putting course

It was nice to see at some signs that the area was once home to two miniature golf courses.

A view of the Luton Mini Golf Meadows from the old Crazy Golf course

Hole 8 is no longer this way. You can find plots A-D there though

Signs of golf still exist 'in the rough'

Playing the Miniature Golf course back in 2010

Links:
- Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield
- F3ues Urban BESS project
- Green Estate
- Pictorial Meadows
- Luton Borough Council

Related blog post:
- Crazy Golf in Wardown Park Luton

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