Granada Studios Tour

Granada Studios Tour was an entertainment theme park in Castlefield, Manchester. It stood beside the Granada House building in the city centre. The park opened in 1988 and closed in 1999. Over its eleven years it welcomed more than five million visitors. The idea came from Granada Television producer David Plowright, who wanted to turn underused land into a ‘Hollywood-on-the-Irwell’. He gained support from Granada Television leaders John Williams and Chris Mather to make it happen. The tour gave visitors a guided walk through sets from Granada’s programmes. A highlight was Coronation Street’s cobbled street, where people could stroll past the actual houses used since 1982. Other sets included a recreation of Downing Street, a giant room from Return of the Antelope, and the café from Emmerdale. Live shows featured a political debate in the House of Commons set, later bought by writer Paul Abbott for his BBC drama State of Play. Visitors could also drink in a replica of the Rovers Return pub or appear in a special Coronation Street scene using chroma key. The entrance was a New York street with yellow cabs and neon signs. A bus once took guests through a mock Checkpoint Charlie to Baker Street, but later the outdoor set was enclosed indoors. The tour also had rides like MotionMaster, which moved seats in time with adventure films, and Skytrak, the world’s first flying roller coaster. A Wurlitzer organ gave concerts in a period-style hall. After closure, parts were demolished to expand the real Coronation Street set, while the Baker Street building became a new studio.