“Priest: It must be hard to maintain that level of cynicism, Dr. Fitzgerald.

Fitz: Not at all, Father. It must be hard to maintain that level of faith.” Cracker

“This is Manchester, we do things differently here.” Frank Cottrell-Boyce – in the voice of Tony Wilson

I like to joke that one of the faiths of my family, the family religion if you will, is Coronation Street. My mother was sat on the matt in front of her grandparents TV set in 1960 when the first episode aired. She has been a disciple ever since. While I myself haven’t taken communion since the year started with a 19 the characters from that time loom large in my consciousness and three ducks up a wall have a special meaning to me. So when I was trying to get some ideas from mum about what she would like to do in Britian I had a brain wave that a tour of the Coronation Street set would be something she would enjoy. Upon further research it proved that we wouldn’t be able to as we were not in Manchester on the weekend when the set is not in use for filming but we would be able to do the ‘Coronation Street Experience’ which includes a recreated Rovers Return and Roy’s Rolls set as well as a museum and show real movie.

So we set off bright and early for Manchester. Lisa was at work but Derick was free to drive us into Manchester. We were dropped at the ITV studio and took a quick photo at the main gate . A small group of autograph hunters were gathered at the security point hoping for a charitable moment from a passing star. We wandered down the road and into the visitor centre. The handful of other pilgrims were all of a cliché ‘Coro’ age with some English accents and some Canadian. The guide talked in an appropriate broad Manchester accent. She certainly wouldn’t have been out of place tucking into one of Betty’s hotpots or putting away a ½ of lager in the Rovers.
Mum enjoyed the experience and took her time poring over the exhibits. We were the last ones there in the end as we approached the 2 hour mark. The guide came and gave us some personal attention and we got the hint and exited by the gift shop picking up some memorabilia as we went.

Derick came to meet us outside and we jumped on a tram into the city. First stop was the Peveril of the Peak. This gloriously untouched Victorian boozer is the last building standing from its era with modern office and apartment buildings surrounding it. Still multiroomed with a central bar it has wonderful old settles in various small roomed drinking spaces. We tucked into a packed lunch alongside pints of Landlord.
Next we jumped in an uber to The Marble Arch only to find it shut on Tuesdays in Jan. So a quick detour to the Hare and Hounds to await my long time internet friend Peter Alexander, more widely known to the world as Tandleman.

My conception of Manchester pubs is influenced by the Rovers Return but also more grittily by the TV show Cracker. Robbie Coltrane’s character Fitz stumbles a line between genius and degeneracy through the smoky pubs of Manchester with his wonderful Scots accent. So it was fitting to meet Peter who is also a Scot and has a booming Scottish brogue. Now I am not for a moment suggesting my friend Peter shares any other qualities with Fitz or the late Mr Coltrane, just that the accent made the experience meet my expectations.

The Hare and Hounds is a oldschool boozer with an intact 1925 interior. It was frequented in the afternoon by gentleman of a certain age. Derick commented that it reminded him of the TV show Early Doors. It had Holts bitter on , a famously bitter, bitter.  The beer didn’t disappoint.

Peter had a couple of mates along for the afternoon. One of them was apparently an expert on NZ as his daughter had emigrated there. However I think his status as a sage of all things Aotearoa was dented when he came up with gems like “they don’t have sheep milk cheese in NZ” and “they don’t have red wine in NZ” both of which are of course rubbish.  

After that we moved to a more modern bar a block or two over where pints of more modern beer were consumed and more tall, small and medium sized tales were exchanged. As we drank it was mentioned that there was a Manchester fast food item that you buy from kebab shops called a ‘Rice and Three’. Rice and three different currys are selected and you get them in a polystyrene container. Naturally we experienced the delicacy on our way back to the tram stop. They were what you would expect of a curry from a British kebab shop but they soaked up the grog.

Finally we got back to the car and made the journey back into Cheshire where we slept soundly having completed the pilgrimage to the shrine.