The Guardian (along with many news sources) reports that Coronation Street, which is threatened by redevelopment as the city's media move from central Manchester to Salford Quays, lost out after a detailed analysis by English Heritage.
English Heritage said it failed the listing system's "extremely strict" criteria on age, albeit only by months, but other problems with supposed historic and architectural value were rife.
The ruling says: "Most of the houses do not have interiors and therefore exist as facades, and most of those have been altered. The set as it stands today is an active reminder of the long-running television programme, rather than a survival of an earlier era of television productions."
The full-size street was opened by the Queen, an indication of the show's status rather than the quality of the set. Its two predecessors were built smaller than life-size to fit into Granada TV's production space, obliging actors to walk more slowly than normal. The first set was indoors; the second outside and unpopular with staff because it was built at an angle which caught the wind.
A number of housing and tourism groups are thought to have approached ITV, which is expected to move out next year.
ITV Granada said in a statement: "We continue to consider the future of the Coronation Street set ahead of our planned move to Media City".
Nick Bridgland, of English Heritage, said: "There is no question that Coronation Street is a television institution and holds a huge place in many people's hearts. While listing is not appropriate for the set, a better solution could be for a local group or organisation with an interest to care for it and allow fans from all over the world to visit and enjoy it."
ITV should maintain it for a tourist attraction; that could bring in pounds for that and possibly more, and also possibly win over program lovers who would visit the attraction and maintain their viewing.
ReplyDeleteOh please, I'm absolutely dying for it to open as a tourist attraction, and the pub and cafe be real. Oh! hot pot and a pint in the Rovers would ba amazing!! such a good opportunity....
ReplyDeleteSadly Granada's previous tourist venture closed after a few years. But I understand that one of the major problems was allowing tourists and cast onto the set and juggling filming times. Hopefully with the site free of personnel there'll be a much better chance of it working. It would be culturally criminal to knock it down.
ReplyDeleteIf it failed the age criterion by just months, why not reapply in a few months time?
ReplyDeleteI suspect snobbery on the part of English Heritage ...