Showing posts with label Warrington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Warrington. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 03, 2023

Crazy Golf at Level Up in Warrington

A new Crazy Golf course has opened in Warrington town centre.


You can find an 18-hole Crazy Golf course at Level Up in Warrington, Cheshire.

A new Crazy Golf course has opened in Warrington town centre

You can also play axe throwing and archery at the indoor venue.

Warrington isn't too far from us so we'll have to swing by for a look at the Mini Golf course when we're next over there.

Check out the Level Up website for more information.

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Crazy Golf in Time Square, Warrington

Time Square in Warrington will be home to a Crazy Golf course on Wednesday 26th July.


Time Square in Warrington will be home to a Crazy Golf course on Wednesday 26th July

The pop-up Crazy Golf course will be open from from 12pm to 9pm.

Visit the Warrington Council website for more information.

Friday, November 18, 2022

Lost Shops - Grainger Games in Warrington

Spotting an old Grainger Games shop in Warrington.


Grainger Games in Warrington

We saw this former Grainger Games shop at the Golden Square shopping centre in Warrington, Cheshire today.

Grainger Games in Warrington

We've also seen former Grainger Games stores in StretfordSalfordHydeAshton-Under-Lyne and Bradford.

Interestingly some of them still had a few bits of stock inside!

The shop unit in Warrington will soon be home to Funky Figures. It's nice to see they've kept all of the former Grainger Games shelving inside to give it a nostalgic hit.

The company was founded in 1996 and ceased operations on the 28th March 2018.

As a brand with shops in the North of England and Scotland I only became a regular shopper at Grainger Games when I moved to Stockport in 2016. I picked up some nice old games for my SEGA Master System there.

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

New Crazy Golf course at Gulliver's World in Warrington

A new Cape Canyon Crazy Golf course is now open at Gulliver's World.


A new Cape Canyon Crazy Golf course is now open at Gulliver's World in Warrington


Access to the Crazy Golf attraction is included with the theme park entry ticket.

For more information visit the Gulliver's World website.

Friday, August 07, 2020

Urbex - Toys R Us in Warrington

A look at the remains of the old Toys R Us store in Warrington, Cheshire.


The old Toys R Us store in Warrington, Cheshire. July 2020

Monday, July 27, 2020

Lost shops - Toys R Us in Warrington

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


Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020

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 in Warrington. July 2020

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.

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020

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.

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
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.

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
The approach to the store

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
These branded stones are very very nice

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
Ghost signage





Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
The lettering from the old sign is still visible on the side of the building

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
Note the markings on the ground

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
Coronavirus social distancing warnings

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
The container loading bay. When I worked at Toys R Us I spent parts of my evening shifts unloading the containers

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
One of the few signs still on the building. While it's unbranded, the Toys R Us typeface is recognisable

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
Toys R Us and Babies R Us ghost signs

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
The overgrown trolley bay at the front of the store

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
An empty trolley bay

Toys R Us in Warrington. July 2020
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?

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Happy National Tea Day

Today is National Tea Day.


Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
A tea-themed minigolf hole

Hole 1 of Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington is tea-themed.

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Teeing-off on hole 1 of the tea cups hole

2020's National Tea Day is the fifth edition of the event.

For more info visit the National Tea Day website.

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
The tea cups obstacles on hole 1 of the Superbowl minigolf course

National Tea Day supports Mind, the UK’s leading mental health charity.

Monday, December 02, 2019

Playing Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington

A visit to the Putters Adventure Golf course at the Superbowl in Warrington.


Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington

We had a very nice day out in Warrington, Cheshire on Saturday and visited Superbowl Warrington in the Golden Square shopping centre.


Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington

The 12-hole indoor Adventure Golf course has a funfair and circus theme and looks amazing. We've played miniature golf courses at funfairs, theme parks and at Circus Circus in Las Vegas but the Putters Adventure Golf layout in Warrington was the first we've played that has gone full on with the theme.


When we arrived we had to go to the tenpin bowling reception desk to ask to play. The member of staff who came over to the minigolf reception was really good and explained the layout. It was also a nice touch to be able to store our big coats and bags for free in the lockers next to the course.


The first hole eases you in by playing the Tea Cups. You then move on to the Dodgems, before riding the Carousel.

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Hole 1

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Hole 2

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Dodging the bumper cars

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Riding one of the big horses

Next up are the Waltzers and The Wall of Death before you enter a Haunted House - including a graveyard!

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Hole 4

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Scream if you want to go faster!

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Hole 5

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Inside The Wall of Death

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
The green on hole 5

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Outside the Haunted House

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
The green of hole 6 and the tee of hole 7

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
A creeping terror

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
The artwork in the graveyard is amazing

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
A skellington making a grab for my equipment!

After surviving the terror inside you putt through a nicely done Hall of Mirrors before shooting your ball through a cannon.

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Outside the Haunted House

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Emily on hole 11

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Hole 11

The final hole is located inside the Big Top.

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
The final hole

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington
Hole 12

In our match-up I scored 27 to take the win against Emily who shot a 31.

Visit the Superbowl Warrington website for more information, opening times and prices.

Tenpin Bowling fun centres and shopping malls are both fast becoming popular locations for new indoor miniature golf courses.

We've previously been to Walton Hall & Gardens in Warrington, but Saturday was the first time we've visited the town centre. We were impressed and look forward to returning. The Geeky Christmas Market at Warrington Indoor Market was really good, with a nice Return of the Jedi photo opportunity. We also had a superb time at Retro Arcade.

Videos from our visit to Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington.







Putters Adventure Golf was the 938th course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006. It was the 899th minigolf course we've been to in the British Isles.

Retro Arcade in Warrington

A visit to the Retro Arcade in Warrington.


Retro Arcade in Warrington

We've been to quite a few arcades, retro bars and barcades over the last few years and Retro Arcade is easily one of the best.


Retro Arcade in Warrington

As I grew up playing in the amusement arcades of the 1980s and 90s I remember how brilliant it was back then.


I also remember how far I ever managed to get in games. Even though I played back in the days when a game was 10p a go I never had enough money - or patience - to play anything all the way through. I used to love having a go on as many games as I could with my pocket of change. A lot of the time my brothers and I spent in the arcades would be waiting our turn while watching older and better players on the machines. That and making out we were playing while watching the attract screens, the FBI Warning from William S. Sessions and demo modes.

Retro Arcade in Warrington
Just a small selection of the original arcade cabinets available to play

There's a marvellous range of original cabinets at Retro Arcade and when I first walked in it took a few seconds for me to take it all in. Some of the rare titles on offer include Tron and Video Pinball.

Retro Arcade in Warrington
As well as the quirky and rare Video Pinball cabinet Retro Arcade has a number of real pinball machines

For an £8 entry fee you receive unlimited play on stacks of arcade machines. There's also a SEGA Mega Drive, NES and PSone tucked away at the back near the bar area and I enjoyed playing Wardner on the Mega Drive. It's one of my all-time favourite arcade games.

Retro Arcade in Warrington
Retro Arcade has made very good use of the space in the old railway arch

When I got inside I had a quick play on RoboCop and died on level one. I then had a go on Hyper Sports and then had a wander.

Retro Arcade in Warrington
What a game

Retro Arcade in Warrington
What a cool menu

We went to the bar and then I went back to the Data East RoboCop cabinet. As the machines are all set to free play mode I knew this was my opportunity to finally complete the game. And I did. If I had been spending 10p or 20p a go on it I'm certain I would've spent all my pocket money for the month playing the game the way I went through continues.

RoboCop Arcade game at Retro Arcade in Warrington
It's taken me three decades to see this screen

RoboCop Arcade game at Retro Arcade in Warrington
It was worth the wait

After accomplishing a feat 31 years in the making I had a bit of a break before stepping up to play Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Another coin eating beast and certainly a machine to play to get your money's worth at Retro Arcade. I managed to get further than I ever had before but had to give up after quite a while as my trigger finger was getting worn out.

Retro Arcade in Warrington

What really made the experience perfect for me was that you could actually hear the games you were playing. Quite a feat considering all of the sounds coming from dozens of arcade cabinets. There's also a free play jukebox and that was kicking out some superb tunes from the 80's and 90's.

Part of the fun of playing a game is hearing the sound and music of it. So often I've been to an arcade bar only to find that the music at the venue is far too loud and so therefore drowns out the music and sound effects from the game.

The staff on our visit were great and it was fantastic to see a real mix of people enjoying the experience.

Retro Arcade is a must visit venue.

Retro Arcade in Warrington
I'll be back

Check out the Retro Arcade website for more info, opening times and prices.

Retro Arcade in Warrington