I visited the Coronation Street set and the food at Roy’s Rolls left me gobsmacked – but have you noticed?
NOT everything you see on Coronation Street is what it seems – from the food to the locations where some of the biggest storylines have taken place.
The Sun Online previously revealed how the Corrie cast sometimes have to eat cold food and confirmed whether or not Betty’s hotpot is actually real.
And now we can bring you even more secrets from the show’s iconic cobbles.
Coronation Street: The Tour recently gave The Sun Online access to the show’s set which is based in Manchester.
It soon became clear not everything viewers watch on the ITV soap is what it seems.
Keep reading on to find out what exactly is real and what’s purely soapland fiction.
The Street
Die-hard Corrie fans may not be surprised to learn that this is not the original set for the long-running show.
Its first ever set was completely based indoors at one of Granada Television’s studios in Manchester.
The famous cobbles were painted onto the studio floor and actors regularly had to pretend to step up or down on a pavement.
In 1968 the first exterior set was erected before a more permanent street was built at the backlot of Granada Television in 1982.
It remained in use throughout some of the show’s most dramatic storylines including the horrific tram crash in 2010 to mark the show’s 50th anniversary.
But as the show expanded it outgrew the set and Coronation Street was replicated at MediaCity in Manchester, where its been its home since 2013.
A show source told The Sun Online how some of the original cobbles were dug up and placed back down on the new street.
Weatherfield General
Weatherfield General is the first port of call if a character has been injured.
It’s where Leanne Battersby’s son Oliver tragically died after battling an incurable disease.
In most recent scenes viewers saw Daisy and Ryan rushed to its A&E department after becoming the victims of a heinous acid attack.
The hospital is of course completely fictional and its entrance that’s regularly shown on screen is in fact the main doors to the Tony Warren studio.
Its carpark where ambulances can often be seen pulling in with emergencies is a normal working carpark for crew, but it is also used as the fictional grocery store Frescos’ parking lot.
With a bit of hoarding and exterior sets the show’s producers are able to transform the bland space and create an illusion for fans.
The Police Station
Coronation Street’s very own police station was introduced to viewers on screen in 2018.
The structure is a full functional building which means scenes can be shot inside.
But what fans may not be aware of is that Debbie Webster’s hotel the Chariot Square is rather close.
In fact, the hotel’s reception and bar is located upstairs in the police station building.
However, it won’t come as a surprise to learn that the hotel really only has one bedroom and that’s located in a studio.
Weatherfield Precinct
The Precinct is Coronation Street’s newest edition and made its on screen debut just this year.
Featuring flats, a playground and a number of small business including a Chinese takeaway, the Precinct has been visited by residents for years but never shown on television.
The Sun Online was told how the creation of the set involved upcycling and reusing materials.
This included using existing open cans of paint used for other sets to bring colour to the development.
All of the shop’s partial interiors are from previous sets that are no longer in use.
The staircase to the flats is the old Underworld interior staircase covered in brick slips.
Roy’s Rolls
This has become a staple of Coronation Street and is regularly the place to find two characters having a gossip over a bun and cuppa.
We’ve previously revealed how all the lovely food you see on display is plastic.
This means the sandwiches and famous bacon butty the likes of Tyrone Dobbs orders on the way to work is inedible.
In some jaw-dropping news, the prison in which the likes of Ray Crosby and Harvey Gaskell are banged up is filmed upstairs in the cafe.
From Roy’s to a few doors down at Barlow’s Legal you’ll find the show’s prison set stretching across the buildings.
Sometimes you’ll see a character being released from the slammer – these scenes are actually shot at the show’s main entrance.
Victoria Street
Victoria Street made its debut back in 2018 and features the tram station, an EE mobile and BT shop and co-op in product placement deals.
It features a staggering 7,000 cobbles from the old set.
It’s also where you’ll find Speed Daal, which is just a pair of doors that don’t lead anywhere.
We’re told the tram station was introduced as quite close by is Manchester’s real transport service MetroLink.
The noise of the trams would be heard during scenes so it made sense to place a tram station on the cobbles.
However, Transport for Greater Manchester placed silencers on the line, which now results in producers having to include fake tram noises over scenes!
Nostalgic fans will be glad to know the old door handles from the Rovers Return are used for the tram stations doors.
The Rovers Return
Located at the top of the street is the most iconic building on the Coronation Street set.
Its green facade is instantly recognisable whether or not you’re a fan of the show.
But behind the famous double doors is absolutely nothing.
The pub is fictional and shot in the studio just a short walk away.
Its interior contains lights which reflect out onto the street to make it seem like a realistic pub.
Following our visit to the cobbles, we’d recommend fans keep an eye on Tracey Barlow’s flower business…
Oh, and don’t call the StreetCars phone number as it’s fake and you won’t reach Eileen Grimshaw on the switchboard.
Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
If you want to visit the Corrie set the official tour is offering a 25% discount on visits before 14th May to celebrate the Kings coronation. The discount code is ‘CORONATION25’