Who owns the Rovers Return? Full list of Coronation Street pub owners
IT has become arguably the most famous pub in Britain thanks to it appearing on the nation’s screens since 1960.
Coronation Street fans have rejoiced at seeing all the drama that has occured at the Rovers Return Inn.
From fights to flirting to furious fires, the Pub has seen its fair share of doom and gloom over the years.
It has even seen a certain famous King take a visit.
Stocked up on the latest Newton & Ridley ales, the Rovers has also seen a plethora of Corrie greats take over the ownership of itself.
Famous couples of the cobbles alongside fearsome leading land ladies, the pub has seen its fair share of owners come and go.
Let’s remind ourselves of exactly who has taken residence at the helm…
Jack and Annie Walker (1937-1984)
Jack (Arthur Lewis) and Annie Walker (Doris Speed) were the first pair to be seen behind the bar when the ITV soap launched in 1960.
However, in their backstory, they had purchased the establishment much earlier.
in 1937, then newlyweds Jack and Annie took over the reigns of the pub and saw it through World War II.
When the pub began appearing on screens, Annie employed Martha Longhurst and Hilda Ogden to help with the day-to-day upkeep of running the boozer.
In 1964, the pair welcomed fifteen year-old Lucille Hewitt to live with them, who became like a daughter to the pair and remained living with them on-site for many years.
Sadly, Jack died in 1970 of a heart attack and Annie ran the pub solo for the next 14 years as the sole landlady.
She even continued to put her heart and soul into the pub well past her retirement age supported by Bet Lynch and Betty Turpin.
In 1983, Annie decided to take some time off and went to live in Derby with a close friend.
However, she later decided not to return bringing a close to her iconic long-reigning stint.
Billy Walker (1984)
Although reluctant, off-screen Annie persuaded son Billy (Kenneth Farrington) to take over the pub to keep it running and in the Walker family.
However, it was clear that Billy had no desire to run the establishment.
He was also plagued by debt during his time at the pub and found himself in trouble with the brewery numerous times.
Soon after, Billy decided to exit the pub after a very short stint bringing the end of a Walker family tenure for good.
Bet and Alec Gilroy (1985-1995)
Popular barmaid Bet Lynch (Julie Goodyear) ended up taking over the reigns of the pub in 1985 and knew exactly what the punters wanted.
Bet is arguable the most recognisable landlady of the Rovers.
Husband Alec (Roy Barraclough) later came on board following their marriage in 1987 when he handed over £15,000 in order to keep the Rovers in Bet’s name after the brewery announced plans to sell it on.
The couples quarrels behind the bar set them apart from the rest.
In 1992, Alec had a dream job opportunity to be the manager on a cruise ship which would require a move to Southampton.
He eventually convinced Bet that they should sell back their ownership and move.
However, at the last moment, Bet decided to remain and the pair’s marriage did not last much longer as Alec moved solo.
Three years later, the brewery told Bet that the pub was being sold and after being unable to come up with the funds herself, she realised it was time to move on and left Weatherfield for good.
Jack and Vera Duckworth (1995-1998)
With Bet gone, Corrie icons Jack (Bill Tarmey) and Vera (Liz Dawn) bought the pub.
However, money issues consumed most of their time at the helm and previous owner Alec Gilroy eventually became a partner after shelling out some cash to keep the pub afloat.
The working relationship was very poor and soon Alec ordered Jack and Vera out of the living quarters, despite agreeing that would be their home.
Soon, Alec was off again and as such, the pub was sold once more to a rather new resident on the street.
Natalie Barnes (1998-2000)
Widower Natalie (Denise Welch) took ownership of the pub in 1998 and decided to move in and told the Duckworth’s, who had remained living there, that they had to get out.
Her time at the pub went surprisingly smooth as she restored it to its previous glory.
Natalie welcomed many happy customers during her years at the top.
However, unexpected personal circumstances soon prompted her to look for a quick sale.
Natalie fell pregnant but was left single when the father Vinny ran off with her sister.
She quickly decided that she did not want to be a single mother in a pub and planned to sell the establishment off to a chain in order to get the money for her and her baby quick.
However, some persistent locals were able to swoop in and take if for themselves.
Fred Elliott, with Duggie Ferguson and Mike Baldwin (2000-2006)
Not wanting the Rovers to become a chain restaurant, the three men formed a partnership to keep it as it was and preserve what Natalie had done with the place.
Duggie (John Bowe) became the primary responsibility as the other two had existing businesses of their own.
During the turn of the century, the pub became central to more than a few scandals that the three lads had to cope with.
Fred famously employed Shelley Unwin as head barmaid at a time where regulars had decided that the Rovers had lost its shine.
Shelley managed to bring them all back with her positive can-do attitude.
Tragedy struck in 2006 when Fred, who had now become the sole owner, having planned to sell-up to Steve McDonald, died.
Legal ownership fell to his son Ashley, however he quickly honoured the planned and sale and signed everything over to Steve.
Steve and Liz McDonald with Michelle Connor & Tony Stewart (2006-2011 & 2013-2017)
Overall, mother and son Liz (Beverley Callard) and Steve (Simon Gregson) held ownership of The Rovers for a period of 11 years.
Liz brought a bit of glamour back behind the bar and had been desperate to become landlady ever since she arrived on the street.
Steve’s time at the pub was mostly dealt with his many marital problems behind the scenes with the backroom never seeing as many arguments.
Both Becky McDonald (Katherine Kelly) and Michelle Connor (Kym Marsh) spent time with Steve at the pub and there was also a fair amount of overlap too!
Eventually, Liz decided to flee to Spain after a final showdown with her on-off husband Jim who had returned.
Steve was left in an awful financial situation and shortly after his mother left, he advertised a new manager and later sold it onto her, Stella Price.
He then concentrated on his remaining business, StreetCars.
Just two years later, the mother-son duo were back running the place, this time fully accompanied by Michelle.
This time around did not result in anymore happiness as Steve suffered from depression for most of the time as well as watching his marriage to Michelle crumble once again following a devastating stillbirth and his infidelity.
Liz’s boyfriend, hunky Tony Stewart (Terence Maynard) also owned half of the pub after tricking Steve into selling over to him.
Tony later attempted to gain full control of the pub but it quickly fell through when he realised that Michelle would never sell to him.
A cheating scandal or two later and Steve and Liz waved goodbye once again when it became clear that Steve was no longer happy there.
Stella and Gloria Price (2011-2013)
Continuing the tradition of a blonde bombshell behind the bar, Stella (Michelle Collins) arrived and immediately settled in.
Although she had an ulterior motive from the start – to reconnect with her long-lost daughter Leanne Battersby.
Eventually, Stella and Leanne formed a bond and the rest of the Price family were quick to arrive, including daughter Eva (Catherine Tyldesley) and mother Gloria (Sue Johnston).
During Stella’s time at the pub, a huge fire broke out started by her soon-to-be-ex Karl Munro who had been having an affair with Sunita Alahan.
Stella had discovered the affair and moved on with the much-younger hunk Jason Grimshaw.
Determined to win her back, he bizarrely set the place alight in an attempt to frame Jason for the blaze.
The fire killed local firefighter Toni as well as Sunita (Shobna Gulati), who Karl left there to die.
Stella narrowly escaped after being upstairs in the bath when the fire took ahold.
With Karl later convicted of Sunita’s murder, Stella gave the pub up as she could no longer enjoy herself and so sold it back to Steve and Liz as well as Steve’s girlfriend Michelle.
Peter Barlow and Toyah Battersby (2017-2018)
The only stint as owners of the pub that was destined to fail from the beginning.
Peter (Chris Gascoyne), a recovering alcoholic, bought the place with new girlfriend and returning character, Toyah (Georgia Taylor).
They attempted to revamp the place by adding a B&B although the idea was quickly scrapped after their first guest turned out to be a conman.
However, things came to a head when a desperate Toyah managed to persuade Eva to give up her child so she could pass it off as her and Peter’s delivered by a surrogate.
After discovering the truth, Peter quickly dumped Toyah and put the pub up for sale after a little over a year in charge.
Jenny with Johnny Connor (2018-present)
Just before the loved-up couple secured the pub, it looked as though Newton & Ridley heir Harry Newton was going to take over however Johnny offered a low-offer to gain a quick sale from Peter after Harry was exposed as stringing Gemma Winter along for a relationship.
The Connors had a relatively successful stint in charge.
They had to battle through Covid but managed to keep things afloat where possible.
However, Jenny (Sally Ann Matthews) later had an affair with their B&B guest, Ronnie Bailey, leading to a split for the pair.
Johnny later decided to sell up but Jenny bought him out anyway.
Later after coming close to a reconciliation, Johnny lost his life after drowning.
Jenny still runs the pub to this day.
Her step-daughter Daisy Midgeley and lodger Glenda Shuttleworth help her out alongside long-running barmaid Gemma Winter.