Despite the public campaign to save the old set, I think we all knew it was never going to last. When developers, property and money are involved, nothing seems to stand in the way of the bulldozer.
The MEN says that "Allied London - who now own the former Granada Studios site on Quay Street - have applied for council permission to knock down stages and the set itself.
In the formal plans submitted to Manchester council, it asks permission for the ‘demolition of existing buildings and structures including Stage 1, Coronation Street set and Lot, The Stables and Stage 2 Extension’.
The current tour is set to last until the end of the year when it has been agreed ITV will return the site to the developers.
It’s unclear if any of the elements of the set - such as the Rovers Return - will be saved for ‘legacy’ use as part of the planned St John’s development.
A report released earlier this year by the council, suggested some ‘Allied London will consider what if any of the Coronation Street set could be incorporated into the future masterplan within their legal agreement with ITV and the architectural and land use strategy for any new development’.
The developers will then build nine blocks which will be used for shops, offices and apartments."
What concerns me most about the knocking down of the old set, is that nothing has been offered to fans as yet. I know I'd love an original cobble, for instance. I'd especially love Maxine's Bench, but that's another story!
Let's hope the old set won't all end up in a skip and dumped - and that the developers reach out to fans to allow them to take, or buy, a little bit of Corrie history as their own.
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It's a real shame. Continuum have been making a lot of money on the tour but i suppose the developers are anxious. If it's going to have an arts centre, maybe some of the old set will be preserved, signage and such like.
ReplyDeleteFor a cultural institution such as this tv show, are there no facilities like the Smithsonian in the US in your UK?
ReplyDelete-------A Canadian watcher
Why not the British Museum? It would be a nice addition to the ancient art. There's a museum in Washington DC where you can see Julia Child's kitchen!
ReplyDeleteWell, planners and Councils tore the heart out of Salford when they demolished the original cobbled streets in the name of 'redevelopment', including Archie Street, so I'm not surprised that Coronation Street is going the same way. A crying shame.
ReplyDeleteAs much as viable will be stripped from the set and studio and sent to Media City, to most likely be kept as spare pieces and backups if anything gets damaged.
ReplyDeletee.g. Signage like 'Audrey's neon sign, the letters of the Rovers sign, Underworld sign, etc
Maxine's bench, phone booth, street decorations and that's just the outside stuff!
All inside things will go to the archives at Media City for sure, especially the props and artefacts.
What a shame! It will be very sad to see it go. It seems that money can conquer everything. I should hope that at least some of the set is preserved, as it no doubt antique. I was actually surprised that it was refused listed status- it is a huge part of British pop culture. Although, yet again- money.
ReplyDeleteDue to this version of the the Street Set being 33-34 years old, it wasn't old enough to be classified as listed.
DeleteAh I see! I didn't know about that rule.
DeleteUs Corrie bloggers should chain ourselves to the Rovers in protest! Haha!
ReplyDelete