Granada Studios Tour

Granada Studios Tour was an entertainment complex in Castlefield, Manchester operating from 1988 to 1999. It was situated on Water Street, adjacent to Granada Television's Quay Street complex.

Related Topics:
Castlefield - Manchester - 1988 - 1999 - Granada Television

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The exterior of the complex was a New York street setting, complete with yellow cabs and entertainers role-playing Police Officers. This area was the site of the first exterior set of Coronation Street, used from 1968 until 1982 (chosen for the Victorian viaduct which lay behind the New York facade).

Related Topics:
Cabs - Coronation Street - 1968 - 1982

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The guided tour itself, which lasted around an hour, comprised various sets from Granada productions, including a recreation of Downing Street, the Sherlock Holmes-era Baker Street backlot set from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series, and the giant room from Return of the Antelope, where furniture was designed on a much larger scale to create the illusion of small humans.

Related Topics:
Downing Street - Sherlock Holmes - Baker Street - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

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The focal point of the tour was the opportunity to walk down the actual cobbled street used in Coronation Street since 1982. The tour was closed on Mondays, as this was the day that the set was used for filming.

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Live action shows were performed at intervals throughout each day, including a parody of a political debate in the House of Commons chamber set used for First Among Equals. This set was often used by other television productions wanting to set scenes in the Commons chamber, and in 2002 was purchased by the scriptwriter Paul Abbott so that it could be used in his BBC drama serial State of Play. Abbott, himself a former Granada Television staff writer, bought it personally as the set would otherwise have been destroyed and he feared it would take too long to get the necessary money from the BBC. He currently keeps it in storage in Oxford.{{ref|ref01}}

Related Topics:
House of Commons - First Among Equals - 2002 - Paul Abbott - BBC - State of Play - Oxford

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Visitors could also enjoy a drink in a replica of the Rovers Return, the pub in Coronation Street.

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Other attractions included the opportunity to appear in a special Coronation Street scene in the Rovers Return with the main characters, using the chroma key process. Also, a ride was developed whereby people could watch an adventure 3-D film while being strapped into chairs which moved in synchronisation with the action on the large screen.

Related Topics:
Chroma key - 3-D film

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For a short while before its eventual closure, the complex was open only to pre-booked parties.

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