Weatherfield Precinct Exclusive! - Corrie Blog Chat with Colson Smith

Wandering around the new Weatherfield Precinct set, I must have taken countless photos, a lot of the new set, and having a free pass to roam this brand-new two-storey building, we did just that. Stood on the balcony and admiring the view of the new playground, the shops, and the beautiful mural/recycle bin combo, I spied Colson Smith (Craig Tinker) presenting the Coronation Street social media video. A tall figure in real life, and considering I'd just visited Weatherfield Police Station, I envisaged Craig being quite imposing when making those numerous arrests on the show. 

Aside from the countless other media interviews he appeared to do, we managed to grab Colson for a quick chat about this new area of Weatherfield, Craig's favourite shop, and if he will be making any arrests on this precinct in future.

What do you think of the new set? 

Really exciting! they've been watering it down to see where the puddles land. It’s mad, isn't it? As viewers, we’ve already imagined what this looks like, only now do we see it. The stories are already being written, and we do a good job of making brand-new things look old! They've tarmacked it, there’s graffiti everywhere (that's those murals), and it's got that Weatherfield look to it - very weathered! We never had that space at Granada, but here, we've had two extensions in five years. It still has that feel, that it's in Weatherfield, and when a character takes over a shop or a unit, it will feel like part of the show. 

Craig Tinker likes Sweety Nuff! on Weatherfield Precinct

What would Craig’s favourite shop be? 

Sweety Nuff - definitely. Although he would have spent his younger days in the bakery. It's got that ginnel as well, which means crime, it has to be good news for Craig. I imagine this has always been a part of his beat -it will be interesting to see what happens. It's also a good set in having that bit of cover (under the balcony) as a lot of the time, filming outdoors, we are constantly exposed to the Manchester weather! 

Inside Weatherfield Cop Shop! Image @rybazoxo

Spider is currently an undercover policeman. How do you think Craig would manage undercover? 

Would he be good or bad? Knowing Craig, I doubt he would be the best undercover cop in the world. -I would love to see it, though! There is room to get him out of the uniform and into plain clothes. It could not be on the street as everyone knows him!

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Thank you Colson for chatting with the Corrie blog. Keep following us for more Weatherfield precinct content, fan chat, and my 'behind-the-scenes' bonus blog post coming soon. 

I am @rybazoxo your Coronation Street blogger and Cobbles conossieur. Thank you @sophie_writer1 for asking the questions. 

Please keep following the blog for more Weatherfield Precinct content, over Christmas and into 2023. 

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Coronation Street Episode Review; Weds 23rd of May 2018 7.30pm

Welcome to Wednesday's edition of the Coronation Street Blog and the first of tonight's two-episode reviews.

Faye breaks the 'first one to talk, did it' rule while lingering around Eileen's backyard. Hiding behind a snazzy new fringe, will Faye's revenge against Eileen remain undiscovered?. Nicola Rubenstein is still on her side, but what has angered Faye all of a sudden?.

As David's day of reckoning calls, Shona is in a race against time to try and retrieve some form of mitigating circumstances.

On the street, Josh's old gym buddy turns up and admits she's seen Shona hanging around his old place of work. Is the net slowly closing in on Josh?.

The mitigating circumstances tact would help Zeedan too but it looks like he's leaving the street anyway. Jaded by the KANA romance and the back alley fight, not even Imran, Yasmeen, nor Rana's upset has any effect on his decision.

Meanwhile, the police tell Eileen to take notes, but they're still convinced Phelan is dead. Although we must remember, this is Weatherfield police. They tell Eileen he's been spotted at a karaoke in Luton (what would Phelan's song choice be?)and even a library in Abergele, North Wales.

Abergele you say.. in a caravan? with a beard?.

I wouldn't sharpen your pencil too soon, Eileen!.

Anyway, that's me done for another week.

I'm @rybazoxo your self-styled 'Cobbles Connoisseur'


Keep an eye out for @GlennWrites and his 8.30pm episode synopsis.
TARA!

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The History of Weatherfield's Police Stations

With Coronation Street about to get it's own police station, we're going to take a short look back at the Street's most recent Cop Shops. The oldest one I can find is the 'Weatherfield Central Police' Station.

In real life, this one was located on the Quay Street set, nearby to the fake Rovers Return that was used in the old tours. The Central Police Station was actually an entrance to the Granada building.

When the set moved, we never saw this version again, which explains why they soon began planning to build the new area of the set. But in the meantime Coronation Street was in need of a police station, and they used more than one location for it, unfortunately, I was unable to find out where these the first station was filmed, but thanks to fellow blogger Michael Adams, who pointed out where the second station is located. The second station is actually the former Plant Hill station in Blackley and was used as recently as tonight's episode.

From next month we will begin to see the new Police Station on screen, as it seems the set includes another station right next door to it, it seems likely that this will be an older part of the police station, rather than a separate one all together. It seems that in the context of the show itself, this station will actually be further away from the Street, as there is a gate that hides it away from Victoria Street.

 This will be Coronation Street's first purpose built Police Station set,it will be interesting to see what they will be using it for, I hope we see Craig Tinker become a full-time policeman, and maybe get to know a few of his colleagues. I imagine we'll also see a few of the street's residents spending a night in the cells.

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