Street stars get new set of cobbles

Coronation Street stars have strolled along a new set of cobbles as they launched the new purpose-built set – an exact replica in a fresh location.

Fittingly it was Sue Nicholls, who plays hairdresser Audrey Roberts, who was wielding the scissors as she snipped the red tape surrounded by fellow stars.

The new set is based at Salford Quays close to the BBC’s HQ and this fifth interpretation of the celebrated street took about 3,000 workers more than two years to create.

Sue said: “I know we all have our favourites but people come, people go and the Street goes on. The Street is the star, the cobbles are the star and that’s how it should be.”

Although it has been a painstaking recreation, there have been a few deliberate changes. The street is actually 2.5ft wider to allow cars to pass more easily.

Of the 400,000 bricks used on the lot, 144,000 of them were reclaimed from a derelict row of properties in Salford.

Kieran Roberts, the soap’s executive producer, said there was some sadness at moving on from the previous set at Quay Street.

” I’ve got personally, many, many memories as I’ve been working on that site for 30 years. As you know Coronation Street has been there for 53 years,” he said.

“I’ve got lots of wonderful memories of the people and the building and of course all the amazing stories we’ve told there but any nostalgia I have or indeed any of the Coronation Street team have is far outweighed by the enormous excitement we feel at the move to this amazing site.”

He went on: “Today is very much about the future of Coronation Street. It represents a massive investment by ITV in the future of Coronation Street which I believe will serve the programme brilliantly for another 53 years.”

Filming is due to begin in mid-January on the set which includes 120 pairs of net curtains, ready to be twitched.

Street stars get new set of cobbles