English Heritage told Manchester Confidential: "We have received an application to consider the Coronation Street set for listing, and we are in the process of providing an assessment. An English Heritage advisor has visited the set."
Corrie publicity manager for the show, Stuart King, told Confidential: "There are no plans to open the new set to the public". But what about the current one? Surely fans will be able to visit that once Corrie no longer need it for filming? Well, the site says that the city centre ITV/Granada site, including the Corrie set, is judged as a 'surplus property asset' to be disposed of as a 'mixed use development'. As such ITV have said 'no decision has been made on the future of the current set. All options are open'.
ITV made no comment when Confidential pushed them on whether it would consider retention of the set as a tourist attraction in the centre of the city. They repeated ad infinitum that 'no decision has been reached'. Given the prime location of the property there's clearly potential for the world famous Coronation Street set to be demolished should it not fit in with the plans of a future developer.
Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, said: “We recognise the importance of Coronation Street in terms of attracting visitors to the city. The show has a large fanbase in the UK and further afield, with large audiences in Canada and New Zealand. With this in mind, Visit Manchester is in talks with ITV about how to maximise the Coronation Street brand.”
This fan says please, please, please keep the current Coronation Street set, turn it into a proper museum / learning and education centre for Corrie and other Northern TV and Granada memorabilia and open it to the public, please.
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Seems like a perfect opportunity for drawing visitors to Manchester. With so many fans, most of whom long to visit the set, it would be sure to be a hit. I remember very fondly my trip to the studios when they used to be open and would love to go again.
ReplyDeleteI thought the museum behind it was thinking of taking over the outdoor set. It would be such a perfect fit.
ReplyDeleteThey can build great condos over the old set, whilst keeping them in tact down below.
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