Review: Last Night on the Christmas Cobbles

Coronation Street Blog reader Emma Cameron-Pryde visited the Coronation Street set on the last night before all the Christmas decorations were taken down.  She has now written this lovely review to share with us here on the Blog.  Thanks, Emma!

"What? You're going there AGAIN?! You're never away from the place!" was the response from a friend at the school gates when I said I was off to the cobbles on a very wet and windy Friday night in Manchester. Having already been twice before, and also being very lucky to have visited the new Corrie set at Media City after winning a tour as a competiton prize, this was the last opportunity to see the original Street in all its festive glory before the Christmas decorations came down this weekend. So we bundled up, packed the kids into the car, braved the elements and headed into town against the evening rush-hour traffic.

We were met by our tour guide Robert, who cheerfully whisked us inside out of the rain, and welcomed us into the warmth of the old "green room" where we were given a brief summary of how it all began way back on the 9th December 1960.

Down the corridor past the stars' dressing rooms into wardrobe and make-up, we were shown a selection of outfits ranging from Roy's pinny/cardigan combo, Rita's big brown coat, Becky's customised hot-pants, to Our Ashley's butcher's get-up (I say, I say, Our Ashley's butcher's get-up), not to mention numerous wedding dresses from all the Corrie nuptuals over the years. I got chance to sit in the make-up chair, but unfortunately despite being ready for my close-up, no photography was allowed to be taken inside.

Run VT - we were then treated to a short film of classic Corrie Christmases past, it was quite a moment to see some of the best bits and faces from years gone by.

Our tour continued round the interior sets where Robert explained some of the magic and trickery used in filming and how they make use of the space, before we finally stepped through THOSE double doors into the Rovers. The obligatory photo behind the bar caused great excitement with my son (age 9) pretending to pull his first pint, and my daughter (6) mithering to play the fruit-machine and giggling after spotting the bikini-clad peanut girl on the wall! To keep the little ones entertained, they were also given cards to "Spot the Meerkat" which were hidden in the sets as we went round. I was very thankful they were not on sale in the souvenier shop at the end, or pester power would've reigned supreme and I'd have ended up being stiffed for the price of a couple of Baby Olegs!

Continuing on past coffins and canal boats, to the display of the "precious things" secure in a glass case - Hilda's rollers, Ena's hairnet, Tracey's figurine, and then, WOW!!! The one item I would give my eye-teeth to try on... Deirdre's GLASSES!!! They were just sitting there, tormenting me in all their massive tortoiseshell glory, with only a glass box (just slightly thicker than the lenses) between us! Oh, if only I had been able to somehow distract our tour guide Robert for a few minutes. He must've read my mind and knew EXACTLY what I was thinking so he prised me away from the cabinet and moved us swiftly on...

To underneath the arches where Our Ashley was killed in the tram crash, cue the theme tune, and voila... we stepped out of the doors of Nick's Bistro onto the Street, all festooned in artificial (but very realistic) snow and fairy lights, and suddenly it was Christmas all over again.

Treading the hallowed cobbles with all the decorations, twinkling lights and the sound of Christmas tunes ringing in my ears made me want to come home, pour myself a small sherry, and put our tree back up! As it was, we were back in the now and home to watch Beth & Kirky's wedding - and how fabulous was that!

There is currently a petition online to save the Street from demolition by the developers later this year. I would urge all Corrie fans and Mancunians to please sign it in order to try and keep a little bit of TV history in our City! Perhaps we should all load up our big shoppers with butties, fill up t'Thermos, dig out the tartan travel blankets and stage a Roy & Emily Library-style sit-in protest against the big bully bulldozers! Who's with me?!