Coronation Street bosses have unveiled a brand new extension to the soap's growing Manchester set - although the 1960s-style Weatherfield Precinct has nods to the region's past. The much-mentioned precinct has been visited by the residents of Coronation Street for decades in storylines, but now for the first time viewers will be able to take trips to the "fabled" shopping centre on screen.
A design team researched similar shopping precincts that were built across the UK in the 1960s - and paid particular attention to those in Manchester and Salford. Weatherfield Precinct aims to show something "all walks of life will identify with" and will include a charity shop, a dessert cafe, a bakery, pawnbrokers and even a pound shop.
On Thursday, Coronation Street stars got to walk around the set for the first time ahead of filming starting there from next week. Viewers can expect to see the new exterior precincet set on screen in episodes on the hit ITV soap from January 13, 2023.
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Many of Coronation Street's favourite faces were there for opening day including Jack P Shepherd, Sally Dynevor, Antony Cotton, Jimmi Harkishin, Daniel Brocklebank, Channique Sterling-Brown, Elle Mulvaney, Tanisha Gorey, James Craven, Harriet Bibby and Colson Smith. They officially declared Weatherfield Precinct open for business at a media launch event on Thursday.
The two storey construction features maisonettes, a staircase and balcony leading to the properties, a piazza and an array of accessible local shops and units, all based on the ITV 7.7 acre site at Trafford Wharf. A children’s park and play area with swings and a roundabout adds extra scope for filming away from the cobbles.
As part of the wider Weatherfield community, the precinct has often cropped up in the soap’s dialogue with characters heading off to the parade of shops. The new set will afford scriptwriters the chance to make the most of the show’s broadening horizons, creating opportunities to explore storylines beyond the cobbles of Coronation Street itself.
Designed and developed by the Coronation Street Design and Construction teams, the new set has been cleverly aged and weathered to look like it has been there for decades, the range of shops chosen to accurately represent the many similar 1960s-built shopping precincts in towns and cities across the UK.
There is even a charity shop which will be one of the first sets to provide a new workplace for residents when Roy Cropper and Evelyn Plumber volunteer their services.
Producer Iain MacLeod said: "Hats off to our design and construction teams who have conjured a totally convincing new precinct for our drama. They took their inspiration from Salford’s many real-world, late 20th century shopping areas and what they have created is a brilliant, characterful space to tell a diverse range of stories.
"Expect to see teens hanging out at the dessert shop, families enjoying the play area and, after dark, a rogues’ gallery, up to shady business in the ginnels. I am really excited by the arrival on screen of this much discussed but never seen corner of the Weatherfield universe.”
Head of Design Rosie Mullins explained the process: “Back in 2013 Coronation Street moved into its new home at Media City. With this move came exciting potential to continue to develop and expand our Weatherfield Community onsite.
"The first expansion came in the form of Victoria Street and Weatherfield Police Station builds back in 2018.
"In February 2021 I set about the first pencil drawings for a very exciting new exterior build - Weatherfield Precinct. We have often heard about this precinct and although we have filmed over the years at a range of shopping locations, we had never established our own Weatherfield Precinct.
"It had always intrigued me - what would it look like and who would we find there? The opportunity to bring to life a colourful and grittier area of Weatherfield was so exciting.
“Weatherfield Precinct was inspired by the 1960s shopping precincts that we see across many areas of the UK. In designing this the team gathered hundreds of images with a particular focus given to those in our local Manchester and Salford area.
"I wanted there to be aspects of the Precinct that people from all walks of life identify with and recognise. I wanted it to reflect how communities develop but aspects of them can also feel like stepping back in time.
"In this Precinct we find an array of businesses, a playground, residential flats, a small ginnel, Weatherfield community hub and a very colourful community recycling centre. Working with Iain on what the writing team needs from the Precinct has meant that we have managed to pack so much into this new set.
"I cannot wait to see the arrival onscreen of Sweety Nuff dessert & milkshake shop, Gregory Pope Foundation Charity Shop, Rutlands bakery, Pound Outlet and Bargainanza Pawnbrokers. The most incredible part of this has been watching this build rise from a small car park with a mass of ugly steel, concrete and timber to the beautifully constructed, characterful 1960s 2 storey precinct that we see today.
"This build has been one of the most enjoyable builds that we have undertaken and showcases the many behind the scenes talents that the programme has to offer. I am incredibly proud of the detail, the quality of the build and for what it offers for future storytelling for the show.
"I am also so very proud of how it was brought to life by our in-house talented Design Team. The team worked tirelessly in the not so glorious Weatherfield weather on a 9 month build which was led by myself and Keith Eccleston Construction Manager and with incredible Art Direction and design from Rosie Jones.
"A dedicated team of joiners were led onsite by Rick Ellacott and Martin Broadbent. Bringing the build to life has involved Corrie's Painters and Scenic Artists and their skill and magic. The captivating visual ident of Graphics were provided by Lynsey Phillips and an amazing array of authentic and characterful set dressings sourced by buyer Jess Williams.
"Our Prop Dressing team have done a fantastically detailed job of bringing the businesses and the building itself to life. The team worked alongside our clever Electricians who have installed an ambient and authentic lighting that complements the build perfectly."
Secrets and stats behind the build...
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The build was completed in just 9 months whilst filming 5 days a week continued around it.
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From the Corrie team it took 1 Production Designer, 1 Construction Manager, 1 Art Director, 2 Site Supervising Joiners, 2 Painter & Decorators, 2 Scenic Painters, 11 joiners, 2 builders, 3 Construction workers applying brick slips, 5 dressers, 4 electricians, 2 Production buyers.
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The build, like Victoria Street, is a facade. Some of the doorways have displays dressed inside the doorways giving the illusion of depth.
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The precinct was built using the steel work at the back of Victoria Street.
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The concrete 3D wall tiles seen are actually scenically painted to look that way and are a lightweight PVC
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There is a practical balcony that can also be used for filming.
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Look out for the interior set of the charity shop in the future
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Claude the ice cream loving french bulldog was commissioned as a mascot for the dessert shop
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