This is my second visit to the current sets at Media City - but is the first since the additions of the Weatherfield Precinct so this post will pick up a few of the changes. The first major change is that the route around the site has been reversed and on a busy Saturday they were having to take some management actions to keep the various groups separate. The first addition I noted was the above showing the entrance to the major indoor studio sets has been redressed with the signs for the hospital.
There is a line of external props stores which have been adorned by various past signs - and as it has just been an election I felt a reminder of the past voting posters for Sally and Norris were worth recording.
Many other people have recorded the new precinct and the flats. I have one huge query concerning Lauren's flat which like the one depicted above has a front door with letter box opening onto the external walkway and the flats are all obviously accessed via those front doors. However every visitor to Lauren's flat enters on the other side of the flat off some corridor along the back of the flats. I just do not understand it! When they became available I thought they might be used to ease some of the housing overcrowding on the Street but apart from Lauren, Gav and Sabrina (and Aadi briefly?) little use seems to have been made of them so far.
Not new since my previous visit - but the entire Victoria Gardens are in full leaf - my previous visit was in November and so the whole area was rather bare then so worth recording as looking completely different with everything appearing almost overgrown!
Shuttleworths is not new - but I am intrigued by the huge poster above for a nearby development and I wonder if this is going to receive a mention in coming weeks?
Also new is Seb's memorial garden which is outside the former gym which is showing no other signs of returning to life.
Len Fairclough's / Ed Bailey's builder's yard is all secured and remains for sale - if you are interested in a business opportunity!
I have not recorded the imminent arrival of Sainsburys / Argos on the Street who are taking the unit next to Hays Travel. We were told that the Argos vans moving around the Street in shot are actually working as they are used to move props around.
The last new item I recorded is the new front door to the flat above Preston's Petals. Obviously we all spot things as we wander around the set and so there may well be another post.
And we were on a Star Tour and I should note therefore that Alan Halsall (Tyrone) was the Star for our tour and was particularly good with an individual who was obviously very keen on the Street and for which this was very much a special occasion - and he made the visitor particularly welcome. Just a little touch - but observed by me that such care and attention (in a large group) was taken.
Kosmo
They really should have used the opportunity when extending Victoria Street to have demolished a lot of the South Side (the gym especially, and all that diagonal green fencing) and build a new row of terraced houses for all of these characters to actually live in. As it is, it's just something for the camera crews to have at their backs while they're filming the more interesting side of the street.
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