Meridian's Southampton studios are closing and they're moving to a smaller base near Fareham.
I heard tha about Granada moving out of Quay Street a few months ago and they said Coronation Street wouldn't be affected. I can't see how. Can anyone explain it to me? Wouldn't they have to move the outdoor set as well?
Wish I had, Jez. But by the first time I got to Manchester in 2000 it had closed. Didn't have the time then anyway if it had been open. But when I was there in 2002 I had loads of time so it would have been great, especially being a weekend. Had to see it from the Museum of Science and Industry behind. Still, at least I've seen the cobbles even if I've never walked on them. Better than nothing.
Yes the Corrie set is outside at the back of the studios at Quay St I think, Ive visited the set twice, the last time being in 1996!
They are more at the side of Quay Street, as the road by the side of Dev's Shop takes you to the front side of Granada TV. Though bizzarely the Viaduct on Rosamund Street takes you to a car park. And one of the wall's which is near Victoria Street, with the huge gates is I believe The Museum Of Science and Industry.
Though I went in 1998 and 2000, in 1998 we went on a Monday, a filming day, but they managed to open it for a few minutes and you couldn't get in the street, but when we went in 2000 it had closed. Though I walked round the side sometime last year, when I was going to The Museum Of Science and Industry.
Though take my advice don't walk it from Manchester City Centre, walk from Deansgate Station, as it takes ages otherwise. Though if you go to the BBC in Manchester there is no problem as that is across the road from Oxford Road station.
Though be careful if you visit Granada as there is alot of security there, as we almost walked up into Coronation Street when we went in 2000, but we got given a dodgy look by a security guard and I also seem to recall the people who were working in the small GSkyB bit on the car park. Though you get a good view of Roy Roll's if you jump when you go past the gates near TMOSAI.
The 2nd time I went in 1996 they were filming but only in the morning so from about mid-day we were allowed on the set, we were waiting by the gates which separate the rest of the tour from the Corrie set, for them to let us in and saw Ken Barlow, Alec Gilroy - and Tina Hobley (who played Samantha at the time, currently Chrissy in Holby City) and Gaynor Faye (Judy Mallett, currently in Fat Friends)
The bit where the medical centre is now, that was a shop selling all sorts of Corrie merchandise. They also had a rovers return set but it wasnt the same as the one they use for filming, it was a proper licensed pub though.
I also enjoyed the backstage tour, they had the sets of the cafe (the original cafe), The bookies and the websters house I think. I also enjoyed the tour of the Granada News set (although I want the proper set, just a fake) and they showed us how they film a weather forcast too.
The 2nd time I went in 1996 they were filming but only in the morning so from about mid-day we were allowed on the set, we were waiting by the gates which separate the rest of the tour from the Corrie set, for them to let us in and saw Ken Barlow, Alec Gilroy - and Tina Hobley (who played Samantha at the time, currently Chrissy in Holby City) and Gaynor Faye (Judy Mallett, currently in Fat Friends)
The bit where the medical centre is now, that was a shop selling all sorts of Corrie merchandise. They also had a rovers return set but it wasnt the same as the one they use for filming, it was a proper licensed pub though.
I also enjoyed the backstage tour, they had the sets of the cafe (the original cafe), The bookies and the websters house I think. I also enjoyed the tour of the Granada News set (although I want the proper set, just a fake) and they showed us how they film a weather forcast too.
That was pratically the same with us, we went in 1998, we had a paid tour of the studios, which started off in this area where there were plenty of screens showing Granada's work on ITV, I also got a glimpse at the Yorkshire, Tyne Tees and LWT idents too. But then we went into a mock up of the This Morning set, a mock of up of the Granada News set, the real one at the time was probably in Liverpool, Jez. We didn't have the weather forecast, though we went into a room which had plenty of monitors, showing two clips, one was an early edtion of Don't Try This At Home and another one of Colin Weston preparing for some IVC, which I decided to look at as it was far more interesting. We went in the fake Rovers and it was okay, it did look realistic and you could get behind the bar but all of the pumps were disabled.
Though as I said when we popped down to the Street it was crowded and for some reason tons of people went mad, now I think we went on the day when Kevin Kennedy (Curly) had a serious drinking problem and he had to go. Though I was given a lift up and we were basically standing on the Rovers to see what was going on, but I couldn't see anything.
I do recall that Granada did open the set up sometime last year for only a few people, it was a first come first serve service on Granada's site, I tried to get tickets, but nothing. Though we know the Theme Park will never come back it would be cool if they opened the street again.
Though somewhere I have a booklet of Granada Studios, which was interesting.
and they showed us how they film a weather forcast too.
Are you sure it was a weather forcast? Granada Weather only ever used to be slides read out of vision by the news reader/announcer apart from Fridays where it came from Fred on the map in Liverpool. Granada Weather's only had in vision presenters since it moved to YTV in Leeds.
Yeah I remember the room at the beginning of the toor which had loads of tv screens, one with what Granada TV was showing at the time I think.
Yes I also remember the fake this morning set, it was tiny. With the weather forcast the tour guide showed how they made a weather forcast - it was the national ITV graphics they showed rather than the Granada ones.
Didn't have the time then anyway if it had been open. But when I was there in 2002 I had loads of time so it would have been great, especially being a weekend. Had to see it from the Museum of Science and Industry behind. Still, at least I've seen the cobbles even if I've never walked on them. Better than nothing.