Coronation Street

I went about a week after they'd demolished the factory - it was rather a shock as they'd kept it quiet that they were to pull it down. Although it was exciting to get a sneek preview, I actually felt a bit cheated too as most of the street had hoardings down the middle, so it didn't look or feel like the proper "Coronation Street" I'd know all those years! Unfortunately I never got around to going again - I was planning to just before it closed to the public.

I think we must have been within a week of each other! I had exactly the same experience - I never really believed the factory would be demolished, so it was a surprise to turn up there and find it had gone.

when i went in 1993 it was around the time alf roberts was selling the shop to brendan scott so the new shop signs were covered up.

The scenes I saw being recorded were after he had taken over so when they did the filming they took the covers off the signs.

of course the demolition of an entire building would be a bit too difficult to hide so I guess they had to accept that visitors would know the factory was demolished before the demoition episode was aired

Guess if i'd have gone in December 89 i'd have just seen a big space.

While we are talking about behind the scenes at Corrie do they still do the tours at Granada because I'm going with my family in two weeks and we would like to visit as its years since I was there

Sadly, Granada closed the tour because it (apparently) was not doing well. If you'll remember, they opened it for one day only a couple of years ago... maybe they could do that again this year?

the tours closed in 1999 and it obviously wasn't well publicised as people still think it's open. (no offence to the previous poster)

on a recent trip to manchester, two different famlies stopped in cars to ask me directions to it and did not believe me when i told them it shut 6 years ago.

i directed them to the science museum next door so they could peep through the windows

Thanks both previous posters, its such a shame as I was looking forward to visiting when im over there. I can remember when I went in the good old times when it was open I loved it!!! I was searching on google and found this from wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granada_Studios_Tour


Thanks again

that's ok, happy to help. the other annoying thing was the closure of the 'world of coronation street' at blackpool at the same time, I never go the oppostunity to visit that.

The first I heared of the studio tour closing was some friends visiting manchester and planning to take their kids as they'd seen my photos of the street and wanted to visit, that was in 1999, not long after it closed.

interesting wikpedia site although i don't know where they got the idea you could visit a replica of the woolpack as emerdale isn't a granada production.

the site of the new york set, which still has the original viaduct, was recently used as davenports garage

Unfortunately the only chance of getting on the Corrie set these days is if you win a competition to go. I wish they would reopen the tours, even if it was one day a week. Being interested in tv pres i also found the others parts of the tours interesting like filming a weather report but it was the Street I really went for.

I remember the replica of the Rovers Return, it looked nothing like the Rovers on the outside, just the sign was the same. I believe that is still there now.

I wrote a letter to Granada recently asking if I could visit the set of Corrie (a long shot and I knew that but worth a try) and I got a reply from them today saying they dont offer visits to the set as they film 5 or more episodes a week. However they sent me a A3 size picture of the currrent cast with signatures on it, which was very nice of them. Im glad I wrote, the letter back was very nice. Ive also written to some of the cast and most have sent me an autograph signed photo back, ive written to Sally Whittaker and Betty Driver twice and both times they replied (Ive even got a copy of Betty's hotpot recipe on Granada headed paper!). Most recently ive had a reply from Zarrah Abrahams who plays Joanne.

If you walk past Granada TV on Quay Street, there's a massive notice on the Security Window saying Coronation Street is no longer open to the public blah blah... The thing they did a few years ago was a first come first serve sort of thing. Shame the attraction closed, though it was probably more due to an overhaul of Granada at the time to move into Television fully rather than lesiure, though the expansion of Coronation Street was probably a reason too. As ITV Granada do intend at some point to move into 'The Bonded Warehouse' which was part of the Granada Studios Tour.

Re: Demolition, I was too young to originally see it first time, though I saw it all when Plus showed it in 2002 I think, and I was surprised, though it explained when it happened (I didn't know previously) and it explained some of the News reports which would always show the Street with only the Left side and massive panels.

Is the 'Demoliton' episode on the DVD's from Network, as it's one I wouldn't mind seeing again, all I can remember is the Factory workers striking at the Demolition and Percy Sugden standing where the Community Centre stood, with Phylis at hand. Brings back memories...

I wish they'd moved the Corrie repeats over to ITV3, they were getting to a good point when they took it off. If it was still running, they'd be well into 1996 by now. I don't know why they never reinstated them, they were popular.

It was closed at around the same time they sold off The Great American Adventure Theme Park, in Ilkeston, and Camelot Theme Park in Chorley. They even sold off the Victoria & Albert Hotel (oopsite Granada), at the same time (BTW the hotel is actually owned by Royal Bank of Scotland and leased back to Marriot Hotel Group!!!).

The excuse given at the time was that the concentration was on so-called empire building and needing as much funds as possible to fight off possible takeovers from other ITV companies by buying them up!!!! Now look at the mess we have (hence my autosignature)