Under Threat Corrie Set Refused Heritage Listing

ENGLISH Heritage has decided not to list the Coronation Street set built in the 198Os in central Manchester. Could this be the nail in the coffin for popular culture landmark? 

We broke the news that listing was being considered in February in this article.

Confidential thinks the Corrie set would be marketable asset for the city and contribute hugely to the regional economy. 

The grounds stated are that, "The criteria against which we must assess the architectural significance of buildings - or in this case, a television set - is extremely strict.

"The oldest buildings are just less than 30 years old - and most do not have interiors and therefore exist as facades, most of which 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."

English Heritage's Nick Bridgland said: "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 Corrie fans from all over the world to visit and enjoy it."

Meanwhile we've had this from the city council.

A spokesman said: "Soundings were taken with a major national leisure operator which owns a number of significant leisure facilities and attractions to assess whether there would be market interest in preserving the existing Coronation Street as a tourist attraction. The early feedback was that they did not think it would be a viable proposition."

This contradicts the, albeit informal, opinion of respected operators such as Cavern City Tours in our February article. 

So, eh up, things look grim for The Rovers and The Kabin.

Confidential is dismayed by the turn of events.

English Heritage may feel the refusal of listing is justified given the criteria it operates under but it has missed a trick to strike a blow for popular culture. 

The city will also miss a trick if they allow this potential tourist magnet to be demolished.

Of course the hope is that a prospective developer of the Granada site - IKEA and Urban Splash are rumoured to be interested - will themselves see the virtue of retention. Castlefield Forum of local businesses and residents might also be tempted to get involved. 

Confidential thinks the Corrie set would be marketable asset for the city and contribute hugely to the regional economy. 

The official figure for the value of the 2011 Manchester International Festival is £37.5m. For 2010's Manchester Day Parade the official contribution was more than £5m. 

Both seem high but if one day - the Manchester Day Parade - can deliver more than £5m of economic benefit then tens of thousands of Corrie obsessives and Corrie curious visitors each year would pulverise that figure. 

Financially it seems a nonsense not to keep the set of Corrie. 

Culturally it seems a nonsense too.

Manchester was called by historian AJP Taylor, 'the least aristocratic city in the UK'. The result is a more comfortable mix of the high brow and the pop.

Manchester is the Halle and the Hacienda, Nobel winning scientists and soccer stars, Manchester Art Gallery and music hall, Cathedral choirs and Corrie.

Demolition would send a signal that Manchester is turning its back on a key aspect of its roots. You get the feeling that some in the higher levels of city life are ashamed of the Corrie association.

It might not be many people's cup of tea - it certainly isn't mine - but in a city that is almost a Labour one party state this denial seems very peculiar. 

But for the number crunchers forget all that, just think of the tourist appeal. 

Coronation Street