It may well be forgotten by many, but Albion Market was launched by Granada in 1985, and lasted 100 episodes before the shutters finally came down (pun intended) on the soap set in a market. I know lots of episodes are on youtube, and the theme tune (Fair Deal by Tommy Reilly, who plays harmonica on it) is catchy. Was it really ever destined to succeed, given the initial cool reception from the rest of the ITV network? And, in addition, if you were to try and relaunch the show today, even just as a ten part serial, how relevant would it be today?
And I've said it was a rare Granada flop. Did Granada learn any lessons from it?
I actually quite liked Albion Market, I think it was a case that it needed longer (much in the way of Eldorado) to establish itself but as usual they want these programmes to be successful from day one whereas it can take up to 2 years to bed in and establish an audience. EastEnders took 18 months before it started to beat Coronation Street in the ratings.
Granada did make the daytime soap Families which was popular being an Angelo/Australian soup but that went down hill when they ditched the Australian part of it, probably due to production costs?
I actually quite liked Albion Market, I think it was a case that it needed longer (much in the way of Eldorado) to establish itself but as usual they want these programmes to be successful from day one whereas it can take up to 2 years to bed in and establish an audience.
I think as much of the problem with Eldorado wasn't establishing itself, it's the fact the show was terrible to start with and became a laughing stock. Though it did improve hugely by the end, the damage was done and I guess the BBC didn't want to continue with a show which was basically seen as a punchline to a joke.
Granada were very arrogant in launching Albion Market, the PR stating that it would be around celebrating its 25th anniversary when Corrie hit 50. I'd say its failure led Granada to revamp the Street - the new factory, the new houses, finally hitting the 80s.
I think it was marketed (boom boom!) as a 'sister' soap to Coronation Street, being set in Manchester. Whether they ever planned to have storyline/character crossovers I'm not sure.
Granada did make the daytime soap Families which was popular being an Angelo/Australian soup but that went down hill when they ditched the Australian part of it, probably due to production costs?
Wasn't it initially a co-pro with an Aussie broadcaster, who then dropped it, therefore rendering the Aussie side expensive and unfunded/irrelevant?
Granada did make the daytime soap Families which was popular being an Angelo/Australian soup but that went down hill when they ditched the Australian part of it, probably due to production costs?
Wasn't it initially a co-pro with an Aussie broadcaster, who then dropped it, therefore rendering the Aussie side expensive and unfunded/irrelevant?
Interesting - would make sense as it was such a logistical nightmare with outside scenes in Cheshire and Sydney, and sets in Quay Street. They did move the remaining Aussie characters to Cheshire, as you do, to stay with a long lost sister who ran a pub.
Albion Market was filmed in a converted warehouse in Water Street, by the River Irwell, opposite the Granada Television studios. Part of it has been demolished to make way for the Marriott Victoria & Albert hotel but the rest is still visible from the bridge across the Irwell.
:-(
A former member
Albion Market never had a great time slot in the first place, it went out at 7pm on Friday and Sunday, within months Sunday slot went to 6pm.
LWT and TVS Hated the series, and in 1986 moved both episodes to around 4.30 or 5.30pm. Replacing the slot with its own programmes, ( I dare say it was part of the battle for more southern programme)
London and the south was already a lost cause with this series, I dare say the other ITV stations just went along with its since it filled up legal peak time requirements. I dont think certain ITV stations were happy it taken up that 6pm slot on a Sunday.