Coronation Street: The Tour (2014.)

Coronation Street: The Tour.

A Personal Review by Neil Sheldrake.

The Road to Coronation Street:

When ITV Studios announced plans to move to a new production site over at Trafford Wharf part of me hoped I'd have the chance to walk along the famous cobbles before the site was redeveloped.

When ITV released the news that from April through October 2014 people would have the opportunity to visit the Granada Studios site (where Coronation Street had been filmed from 1960 through December 2013) I counted down the days until tickets were released.

My friend and I booked tickets for Monday 14th April 2014 and couldn't wait. From the late 1980s through 1999 the general public could visit Granada Studios Tours (with sets such as New York City, Baker Street and 10 Downing Street as well as Coronation Street itself.)

Due to increased filming with extra episodes being broadcast it was no longer feasible for people to visit the Tours and subsequently it closed. With the Tours now closed, Corrie's viewers could see Rosamund Street where Roy's Rolls, Elliott's Butchers and also Victoria Court flats are for the first time in the show's history.

A few lucky people over the years have had the chance to visit the Street but unless you worked on the drama serial the closest you could get was the entrance where the stars would stop and sign autographs.

It was possible (for a time) to view the set from the fantastic Museum of Science & Industry (free to enter and well worth a look!) until this window was closed off to stop filming being spoiled (Coronation Street typically films six to eight weeks in advance.)

Personally (in May 2012) I'd managed to see Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) through the wooden fence having a cigarette, Sean Tully (played by Queer as Folk actor and chat show host) Antony Cotton driving away from the set and also Primer Doner from Lower Byrom Street.

I digress. Our entrance time was 14.10pm, and having arrived half an hour early we couldn't believe how fantastic the weather was. There was a good crowd there, all eager to see select interior sets (on the Granada Studios Tours I believe Des Barnes' former Bookies, Liz McDonald's house (now Eileen Grimshaw's) and Jim's Cafe were on show but no one had the privilege of going inside the iconic Rovers Return.)

Our enthusiastic tour guide (Peter) warmly welcomed us. In fact everyone working on showing people around the iconic set was friendly and smiled. After a brief list of don'ts (ITV have copyright over Coronation Street and is trademarked) we saw the plaque where Her Majesty, The Queen unveiled the new backlot (in 1982) and also the entrance to Carla Connor's flat.

After that we were led into the Green Room. This is where actors would typically rest in between scenes and also learn their lines. We got to see the pigeon holes (where a change in scripts etc) were left for the stars. Peter explained the background behind the inception of Coronation Street and how Tony Warren (the show's creator) wanted to create a serial drama on ordinary working class folk. Coronation Street's original working title was Floriziel Street until someone at Granada suggested it sounded like a disinfectant and the rest, they say, is history. Next up we were taken to make up and shown some of the fashion featured over the years (such as Carla Connor's wedding dress, designed in the show by the late Hayley Cropper.)

Next up where the "Corridor of Stars" where we got to see some of the dressing rooms. Interestingly enough Beverley Callard's (Liz McDonald) dressing room was the one nearest to Stage One. As Peter explained this was because The Rovers Return set is the only one to permanently erected as a lot of filming takes place there.

Further on we were lead to view a montage of some of the show's iconic story lines over the years. From the train crash in 1967 (all filmed within a sound stage when Corrie was still indoors only!) through to Hayley's wedding to Roy Cropper and the Tram Crash in 2010 it was great to see so many happy (and sad) memories.

Next up: the interior sets. I won't spoil this too much for people yet to go on the tour as it is well worth the wait! You get to see some of the serial's sets and how tiny they are! Iconic props are also on display, from a certain chain smoker and also, more recently, a very sad storyline from a well-loved and much missed character.

Whilst inside The Rovers, you get the once in a life time opportunity to stand behind the bar and have your picture taken pulling a pint of Newton and Ridley! Pictures are £7.50 each for one (two for £10, USB sticks retail at £8) and are available to buy inside the Gift Shop (housed inside the Rosamund Street Medical Centre.)

One thing I would've changed (and this is my own opinion and not a criticism of the Tour) would have been the ability to be picked out at random, given five minutes alone with someone else from the Tour, and the chance to act out a scene from the show's history.

After taking in the interior sets and props we were lead to the inside of Nick's Bistro. On the backlot you'd have never of guessed it was a set located within one of the sound stages (complete with removable walls!) and Peter counted us down from five through one before opening the door and allowing us the chance to walk the Street!

Coronation Street: The Backlot itself.

The moment you step from inside Stage One onto the Street it's a magical feeling (akin to being a child at Christmas) to see the backlot, knowing how much history has gone before you. Walking up and down the Street there's a list of who has lived in each property over the years. From The Kabin right up to Victoria Court flats it's amazing and you are free to spend as much time as you wish there.

Looking through the letterboxes of the Platt household, Tyrone Dobbs' (complete with Vera's cladding in all it's gaudy finery!) and even Audrey's Salon it is strange knowing the properties are merely empty shells (the set was never built to full scale) and only Webster's Autos, Primer Doner, Barlow's Buys, Owen Armstrong's Construction, the Medical Centre Elliott and Son's were ever working interior and exterior sets.

It's a testament to the production team at ITV Studios over the years the fact they've managed to mask the fact on a bright, sunny day you can look through the well-worn net curtains and see the properties are empty!

Unfortunately it isn't possible to stand within the houses themselves, which is a shame (I'd hoped for the chance to walk up the stairs into the offices were the team would work on scripts, for example) and see how characters in the past managed to look out of the bedroom windows without it looking like they were extremely tall!

Because The Rovers Return is one of the widely recognised public houses within the UK (and beyond) people were queuing up to have their picture(s) taken outside the iconic pub, so if you lack a lot of patience you'd be well advised to store some up!!

After that my friend and I had a look at the painted backdrop behind the bridge to nowhere. The bridge itself is angled to give the impression Rosamund Street led somewhere in the long-running serial. It is weird to see such a drop, looking over to the Granada Studios building. Furthermore the bricks on the bridge are fake; and if you look up you can see the "wallpaper" peeling off!

We then walked along the ginnel, where many an illicit affair has taken place over the years, right down to Jason Grimshaw's walk of shame, wearing nothing but his boxers shorts(!!!), taking in the backyards.

You get to see the Smoker's Yard, and also through the walls of select properties. The backyards are (understandably) closed off but you get to see a lot. It was weird seeing the Mawdesley Street facade close up.

Interesting fact time: the chimneys and some of the walls are made out of fibre glass. This is because there is no support for the chimneys within the properties themselves and the backyard walls need to be moved around to allow filming to take place outside.

The Gift Shop: Rosamund Medical Centre.

The Medical Centre has an excellent selection of gifts for friends and families alike. You also get to see the snowman and woman Hayley and Roy's friends made for them when Hayley was sadly dying and facing her last Christmas with Mr Cropper.

There is also the chance to buy the BBC Four programme The Road to Coronation Street (featuring Jessie Wallace as the iconic Pat Phoenix; the programme itself is an ITV Studios Production), DVDs of the Tram Crash (which includes the live episode), Clotted Cream Fudge and, of course, your picture behind the bar of The Rovers (out! You're barred!!)

Overall Conclusion:

All in all (ticket prices start from £16.50, available at http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk) I thoroughly recommend visiting Coronation Street: The Tour. I was never lucky enough to visit Granada Studios Tours so this, for me, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tread the famous cobbles (I live in hope that, one day, I'll be fortunate enough to explore the new set at Salford Quays) and it's highly likely that I'll return.

At the weekend Old Granada Studios (http://oldgranadastudios.com) are running weekend markets on the site where Coronation Street moved outside for the first time in the show's history.

As the tour is only running until October 2014 I recommend you get your skates on! The site is earmarked for redevelopment and the fate of the 1982 through 2013 backlot is uncertain.

Thank you for taking the time to read my Blog; let me know your thoughts below please!

Coronation Street: The Tour (2014.)

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Coronation Street: The Tour, a personal review.