Rovers Return Inn

The Rovers Return Inn is a fictional public house in the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street.

Rovers Return Inn
Rovers Return Inn exterior, as it appeared onscreen, from May 2013 to January 2014.
First appearanceEpisode 1
9 December 1960 (1960-12-09)
In-universe information
TypePub
Founded1902 (In-universe)
AddressRovers Return Inn, Coronation Street
LocationWeatherfield
OwnerWaterfords

The Rovers Return occupies a corner of the fictional Coronation Street and Rosamund Street set location in the show. The pub was built by the fictional brewery Newton and Ridley. In the programme, the Rovers Return Inn became a free house in 1995 and remained so until Newton & Ridley bought it back 28 years later in 2023, although the brewery continues to supply it. The name comes from the Ye Olde Rovers Return in Withy Grove, Manchester, a 14th-century building that became a licensed public house but ceased to be so in 1924 and was demolished in 1958.[1]

The fictional pub has had three in-universe layouts. The original layout generally consisted of the style of a public bar. The fictional pub was later destroyed after a fire, caused by character Jack Duckworth. Later, the original layout was replaced by a single bar, until once again, being destroyed by a fire.

History of the pub

The Rover's Return Inn opened in 1902 on the newly built Coronation Street (1902 being Coronation year for Edward VII). It was originally to be called The Coronation, but the brewery was forced to change the name as the go-ahead had already been given for the street to be named Coronation Street.[2] When Lieutenant Philip Ridley returned from active service in the Boer War, the pub was named in his honour.[2]

In 1918, to celebrate the return of the soldiers from World War I, the apostrophe was removed, thus making it The Rovers Return.[2] When Coronation Street began in 1960, the signage of the pub read "The Rovers Return" but at some point, was changed to read "Rovers Return Inn", without a "The". Albert Tatlock (Jack Howarth) was among the World War I veterans who were still living in the street when the first episode was aired and continued to live there for more than 20 years afterwards.

Visitors tour the Coronation Street set.

Originally, the pub was divided into three separate bars: the public bar, the snug (usually inhabited by unaccompanied ladies, where drinks were half a penny cheaper) and the select (where drinks were more expensive but were served by a waitress).[3] As late as 1960, the ruling in the pub was that ladies were not allowed to remain at the bar after being served. These archaic rules were dropped soon afterwards. When the pub was damaged by an accidental fire in 1986, the three bars were knocked into one large room.

The living quarters downstairs bear no resemblance to the exterior set of the pub. In reality, the living room (the "backroom") would be in the middle of the street at the side of the pub, outside the medical centre.

A replica of the Rovers Return pub, from the British soap opera Coronation Street. This pub, open to the public, was located on the Granada Studios Tour Manchester, England, in the same complex as the set used on the show.

Since 1960 the toilet and cellar doors on the other side of the building would seem to enter the Barlow's kitchen, next door at number one Coronation Street. There is also no obvious room for a commercial kitchen, despite the lunchtime serving of Betty Williams' (Betty Driver) noted hotpot while she was a barmaid at the pub.

Since 2008, viewers have seen scenes in a kitchen/dining room in the upstairs of the pub (for use by the licensee/residents), although no other characters had ever used or referred to this room previously.[4] A mock-up of the snug was a feature of the Granada Studios Tour.

The set's exterior doors are narrower than the doors on the interior set. This has always been the case as the exterior set is reduced in scale.

The Rovers before and after with the new wallpaper, floor and soft furnishings
The Rovers in late 2008, with new wallpaper similar to the original style. Shown are Jason Grimshaw, Steve McDonald, Lloyd Mullaney, Dev Alahan and Kirk Sutherland mourning Liam Connor, killed in a hit and run planned by Tony Gordon.

In early 2008, the Rovers Return was redecorated, giving it a fresh look more than 20 years after the refurbishment which followed the fire of 1986. It received new wallpaper, re-upholstered seating, new flooring and new light fittings. A smoking shelter was built, reflecting the recent introduction of a national ban on smoking in enclosed public places, which is accessed by a new door in the main pub area. This door has not been seen on screen.

Since that makeover in February 2008, the wallpaper was changed again in October 2008, making its on-screen debut on 17 October 2008. The producers were dissatisfied with the choice of wallpaper in February 2008. The new wallpaper is similar to the wallpaper used after the 1986 fire which hung in The Rovers for 22 years.

The Rovers before and after with the new taps, pumps at the bar and new curtains

The change of décor in February 2008 was a storyline in the show, in which Liz McDonald's (Beverley Callard) husband Vernon Tomlin (Ian Reddington) hired friends to redecorate. The new look of The Rovers in October 2008 was not explained in the story. A few weeks later, Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) commented to Jed Stone (Kenneth Cope) that the local pub had "recently" been redecorated.

Major events

The fictional timeline proceeds as follows:

Employees

Current staff
CharacterJob role

The Rovers is currently Closed for renovation work and thus employs no staff. Jenny Connor and her staff were all fired and Blacklisted by Jason Waterford from working here in the future.


Landlady
Barman / Cook
Barmaid
Barmaid

Previous staff
Job roleCharacters
OwnersJack Duckworth, Vera Duckworth, Alec Gilroy, Natalie Barnes, Fred Elliott, Mike Baldwin, Duggie Ferguson, Karl Munro, Stella Price, Tony Stewart, Steve McDonald, Liz McDonald, Peter Barlow, Toyah Battersby, Johnny Connor, Jenny Connor
LandlordsJim Corbishley, Nellie Corbishley, George Diggins, Mary Diggins, Jack Walker, Annie Walker, Billy Walker, Bet Lynch, Alec Gilroy, Jack Duckworth, Vera Duckworth, Natalie Barnes, Fred Elliott, Mike Baldwin, Duggie Ferguson, Shelley Unwin, Eve Elliott, Karl Munro, Stella Price, Steve McDonald, Liz McDonald, Peter Barlow, Toyah Battersby, Johnny Connor, Jenny Connor
Bar managersVince Plummer, Brenda Riley, Billy Walker, Glyn Thomas, Gordon Lewis, Fred Gee, Frank Harvey, Liz McDonald, Rodney Bostock, Jim McDonald, Linda Baldwin, Lillian Spencer, Stella Price, Peter Barlow, Carla Connor
BarmaidsJaney Atkinson, Harriet Shalcross, Cora Whitsey, Ida Croston, Sarah Bridges, Dora Sabden, Lally Gammel, Alderose Charnley, Zadie Diggins, Verna Halton, Edna Tatlock, Avis Buck, Flo Chad, Lil Foyle, Kitty Wilmore, Ada Billington, Iris Nutall / Rigby, Suki Colvert, Tara Plumpton, Josie Fairhurst, Mally Sahlcross, Sally Todd, Jenny Hagen, Lottie Kemp, Becky and Gracie Ashton, Edith Gleave, and Nicola Corbishley. Concepta Riley, Nona Willis, Doreen Lostock, Irma Ogden, Emily Bishop, Lucille Hewitt, Betty Williams, Bet Lynch, Blanche Hunt, Gail Platt, Fred Gee, Dawn Perks, Arlene Jones, Carole Fairbanks, Diane Hawkins, Suzie Birchall, Kath Goodwin, Maureen Barnett, Gloria Todd, Sally Webster, Alison Dougherty, Margo Richardson, Tina Fowler, Liz McDonald, Angie Freeman, Raquel Watts, Tanya Pooley, Vera Duckworth, Carol Starkey, Lorraine Ramsden, Tricia Armstrong, Joyce Smedley, Judy Mallett, Samantha Failsworth, Natalie Barnes, Lorraine Brownlow, Leanne Battersby, Amy Goskirk, Toyah Battersby, Geena Gregory, Shelley Unwin, Edna Miller, Eve Elliott, Linda Sykes, Maria Connor, Tracy Barlow, Bev Unwin, Violet Wilson, Michelle Connor, Lauren Wilson, Becky McDonald, Kelly Crabtree, Poppy Morales, Tina McIntyre, Eva Price, Sunita Alahan, Gloria Price, Mandy Kamara, Eileen Grimshaw, Sarah Platt, Emma Brooker, Glenda Shuttleworth, Daisy Midgeley
Barmen/PotmenIvan Cheveski, Sam Leach, Jacko Ford, Terry Bradshaw, Stan Ogden, Fred Gee, Wilf Starkey, Frank Mills, Charlie Bracewell, Jack Duckworth, Andy McDonald, Bill Webster, Sandy Hunter, Martin Platt, Gary Mallett, Spider Nugent, Vinny Sorrell, Jim McDonald, Harry Flagg, Timothy Spencer, Steve McDonald, Ciaran McCarthy, Vernon Tomlin, Lewis Archer, Karl Munro, Jason Grimshaw, Tony Stewart, Henry Newton, Ryan Connor, Sean Tully
CooksBetty Williams, Ciaran McCarthy, Mandy Kamara, Sean Tully
CleanersMartha Longhurst, Clara Midgeley, Hilda Ogden, Amy Burton, Sandra Stubbs, Tricia Armstrong, Joyce Smedley, Vera Duckworth, Edna Miller, Harry Flagg, Anna Windass

Incidents

Martha's death (1964)

Episode 357, transmitted: 13 May 1964

In 1964, the producership of Coronation Street was handed to young, enthusiastic Tim Aspinall. He immediately began to ring changes. Since it had been fully networked across the various ITV regions in 1960, Coronation Street had never been out of the top ten ratings of the week (that continues to this day, 61 years on). However, competition came from the BBC (there were only two channels in those days, BBC Television and ITV – BBC 2 was to follow later that year). The BBC placed their most popular comedy series such as Steptoe and Son opposite the programme. In those pre-video recorder days, viewers were forced to choose what to watch, and, as a consequence, Coronation Street began to lose the rating war. It was decided, by Aspinall, that several "blockbuster" storylines would have to be staged, the most radical being the death of Martha Longhurst (Lynne Carol).

Despite being a nosy old gossip and, in the Mancunian dialect of the show was "... no better than she should be....", Martha was a highly popular character; thus, she was chosen to be killed off in a highly cynical bid to boost the ratings.

On the night of her death, the residents were gathered in The Rovers, singing songs and celebrating Frank Barlow's £5000 win on the Premium Bonds. Martha, on her way to Spain the next day, had been showing off her new passport, of which she was very proud. She began to feel faint and retreated to the Snug, away from the singing punters, all in tune with Ena Sharples (Violet Carson) on piano.

Feeling flushed she undid her top button, pushed off her beret, clutched her chest and collapsed onto the table. The regulars, with the impression she was drunk, came to see what was going on. Upon inspection, Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson) pronounced her dead. She had suffered a fatal heart attack at the table she had frequented for years. The punters left, leaving only the Walkers, lifelong friend Ena and the late Martha Longhurst.

Violet Carson, a highly accomplished pianist (she had played the piano on the BBC's long-running Children's Hour) kept her back to the camera as she played the song "Down at the Old Bull and Bush" as she was so upset by the storyline and didn't want the camera to see her tears.

That night saw the credits roll in silence for the very first time (something that would later become the norm whenever a character was "killed off"), with the rooftop scene replaced by a close up of the snug table that contained a sherry glass, a passport and Martha's famous NHS spectacles.

Lorry crash (1979)

Episode 1893, transmitted: 7 March 1979

Deirdre Langton (Anne Kirkbride) wheeled her young daughter Tracy (Christabel Finch) down to The Rovers in her pram. She was to see Annie Walker (Doris Speed) with regards to a knitting pattern. Knowing Annie's strict rules concerning children on licensed premises, Tracy was left outside in her pushchair.

No more than two minutes had passed as Deirdre and Annie spoke in the back room. Suddenly, their conversation was halted by the screeching of brakes followed by a terrible crash, which shook the pub. Annie froze but Deirdre rushed through the pub and outside where she had left Tracy. In that very spot was a 6-foot pile of timber. Accompanying the pile was a lorry, turned on its side and smoking from the crash. Deirdre hysterically pulled away from the wood screaming for Tracy.

Inside the pub, Alf Roberts (Bryan Mosley) had been sitting with friend, Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson) in front of the window. Alf lay unconscious as Len, whose own arm was broken, desperately tried to help him.

Ken Barlow (William Roache), having rushed across from the community centre, took control. Having realised the driver was dead, he began to help the distraught Deirdre who was still frantically clawing at the timber. Once the police had taken charge, and Deirdre had been taken away to be comforted by Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) and Ena Sharples (Violet Carson), the timber was eventually cleared from the shattered pub.

The story was concluded when Tracy was found not to be under the timber but had been snatched away moments before the pub was hit. The snatcher was a crazed young woman called Sally Norton (Yvonne Nicholson) who had become obsessed with Tracy. Mother and daughter were reunited later by the canal as Tracy was rushed to the arms of Deirdre. For Alf, the scars remained, and he underwent a personality change months after he returned from the hospital.

Fire (1986)

Episode 2631, Transmitted: 18 June 1986

During a sing-along night, when the guests stood around the piano, the lights in the pub had been flickering and cutting out all night. Much to the frustration of Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear) and the rest of the punters. Jack Duckworth (Bill Tarmey), potman at the time, decided to fix the problem. Upon return, he was graciously thanked for solving the problem. However, he had replaced the fuse with a far stronger one, leaving the problem of a potential explosion. Bet retired to bed that night, having locked up. In the middle of the night, the inevitable happened, and the fuse caught fire. This scene was shown at the end of the previous episode, Episode 2630 on 16 June 1986.

The fire eventually took hold in the main bar area by the time young couple Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) and Sally Seddon (Sally Dynevor) returned from a rock concert in Sheffield. Noticing the smoke seeping out from under the Rovers' doors, Sally alerted Kevin. The street soon came alive as residents Percy Sugden (Bill Waddington) and Terry Duckworth (Nigel Pivaro) offered a helping hand. Immediately aware Bet was asleep in her bedroom and unable to wake her after banging the doors, Kevin acquired a ladder with the help of Percy and was able to reach the bedroom window. Ken Barlow (William Roache) phoned for the fire brigade, and he and Jack moved their cars to underneath the viaduct to clear a space for the brigade. Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire), Ivy Tilsley (Lynne Perrie) and Hilda Ogden (Jean Alexander) also came on the scene.

Inside, Bet had finally woken up, and raced out of her bedroom to attempt to escape, only to find her exit down the stairs blocked by flames that leapt up at her from the hallway. She released a blood-curdling scream and ran back into the bedroom, fearing for her life, and collapsed unconscious, overcome from the smoke, before she could reach the window. Julie Goodyear later revealed that her night dress, supposedly fire-proofed, had in fact caught fire during filming of the scene, and she was in genuine danger. She said in the 2010 documentary Coronation Street - 50 Years, 50 Moments that "the scream at the top of the stairs was for real. I was terrified."

Kevin climbed up the ladder and arrived at the window, using a brick to smash and then open it. Shouting to the rest of the residents that he could see Bet, he climbed in. Down below, the front windows of the pub exploded out into the Street, sending shocked residents screaming and running. As Kevin dragged Bet to the window, the Fire Brigade arrived to take over.

Bet was saved as heroic Kevin was led home, refusing to be taken to hospital. Vera Duckworth (Liz Dawn) had sarcastically suggested that the cause had been Bet smoking in bed, though Jack knew who was to blame. As Bet was led away and regained consciousness in the ambulance, she joked "Can you give me a minute, love, give me time to put my face on...?". The fire was quickly extinguished, but the Rovers was completely destroyed, and the cause was quickly identified as an electrical fault after an examination of the ruined fuse box.

Breaking with convention, the episode ended not with Bet fighting for her life, which would have been the usual soap opera cliché, but the pub itself, which Newton and Ridley thought was not worth saving and initially intended to demolish. Once the Rovers was renovated and refurbished, however, Bet pinned an electrician's number up on the board telling Jack to call upon the services of a professional, as they had the Rovers back and she intended on keeping it.

The closing credits for this episode were particularly long, this was due to a pigeon being captured on the camera after the closing sequence was filmed. The sequence initially was to show workmen finishing boarding up the pub's doors and windows and taking the rubbish bags with much of the charred debris away. After the rubbish wagon drove off, the pigeon magically flew over the viaduct and landed on the blackened Rovers sign. The closing credits were extended to show this, with almost the entire theme tune being played, and delays between the last few credits. The entire sequence was 1 minute 45 seconds, over twice as long as usual.

Ray Langton's death (2005)

In 2005, Ray Langton (Neville Buswell) returned to Coronation Street, where he died of stomach cancer. His death was the second death in the history of Coronation Street to take place inside The Rovers.

Dylan Wilson's birth (2008)

In February 2008, barmaid Violet Wilson (Jenny Platt) gave birth in the pub to Dylan who was fathered by gay barman Sean Tully (Antony Cotton). Landlady Liz McDonald (Beverley Callard), Eileen Grimshaw (Sue Cleaver) and Vernon Tomlin (Ian Reddington) were present at the birth. Sean's boyfriend, Marcus Dent (Charlie Condou), delivered the baby.

Cellar (2008)

Episode 6834, Transmitted: 6 June 2008

In June 2008, Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) and Dan Mason (Matthew Crompton) became engaged in a petty feud. Steve believed that Dan scratched his car (the real culprit was Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) ), which resulted in Steve stealing Dan's mobile phone. At closing time, Dan went to the pub to confront Steve. He ended up hitting Steve by accident. Steve then struck Dan with a crate and threw the mobile down the cellar stairs. When Dan went to retrieve it, Steve locked him in the cellar. Dan, suffering pain from the blow of the crate, fell over in agony on the stairs. Steve, however, had already left and did not hear his shouts for help. The next day, Michelle Connor (Kym Marsh) found Dan and he was rushed to hospital. Steve was arrested for attempted murder and unlawful imprisonment.

Fire (2013)

On 18 March 2013, Karl Munro (John Michie) set fire to the pub's cellar to frame Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas) but was caught by Sunita Alahan (Shobna Gulati) who was knocked unconscious by Karl when he fled to the Bistro to do his "Full Monty" act. Norris Cole (Malcolm Hebden) and Emily Bishop (Eileen Derbyshire) came into the restaurant to tell everyone about the fire, and Karl discovered Stella was upstairs in one of the pub's bedrooms, so he went back in to save her. As he got to her, the stairs collapsed, trapping them. Luckily Paul Kershaw (Tony Hirst) managed to get to them and got Stella out while his friend and fellow-firefighter Toni Griffiths (Tara Moran) got Karl out before the roof collapsed on top of her and killed her. Shortly afterwards the fire brigade arrived, put out the fire and were able to get Sunita out. The fire caused significant damage and caused financial problems for Stella meaning that she could not afford to hire Owen Armstrong (Ian Puleston-Davies) to do the refurb but after a failed attempt of offering Owen half the pub in exchange for the refurb, Stella's mother Gloria (Sue Johnston) paid him the £80,000 required to complete the work. Sunita was in a coma for a while and was killed by Karl when she began to recover. The Rovers re-opened on 26 May 2013.

Interior set

The Rovers Return set features walls and windows that can be removed to allow filming from different angles. There is a painted backdrop which looks over to the Metcalfes' house, Audrey's salon and the flat above the salon.

See also

Bibliography
  • Little, Daran. Life and Times at 'The Rovers Return'. Boxtree, 1994.
  • Banham, Martin. The Cambridge Guide to Theatre. Cambridge University Press, 1995. page 1067.

References
  1. Frangopulo, N. J., ed. (1962) Rich Inheritance. Manchester: Education Committee; pp. 195–96
  2. Little. (1993) p.8.
  3. Little. (1993) p.90.
  4. Little. (1993) p.91.
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