An Express reporter who visited the Coronation Street set has revealed that the famous Rovers Return pub is considerably smaller in real life than it appears on television.
Fran Winston was on the Weatherfield cobbles to interview several female cast members about upcoming storylines when she was assigned to conduct the interviews in the Rovers Return.
A familiar but surprising set
Walking onto the set felt familiar, as Winston has watched the show all her life, but it was not quite what she expected. Although much of the pub is real, including the dartboard, she knew it would not be a fully functioning pub.
As expected, the set had three walls and no ceiling, allowing cameras and lighting equipment to be positioned around the space. However, she was not prepared for how much smaller it was than it appears on television, even allowing for forced perspective and filming trickery.
Capacity concerns
In its 66-year history, the bar has often been packed with cast members celebrating milestones, with those celebrations frequently descending into chaos and physical altercations. Standing inside the actual Rovers, Winston struggled to understand how so many people could fit in, let alone choreograph a fight without damaging equipment.
When the group of journalists dispersed into various snugs and corners of the pub, it already looked busy. Adding the cast members and ITV staff meant it was approaching capacity for an average northern pub, if it were real.
Stepping behind the bar, Winston was struck by how tiny it was. Having worked in bars while studying, she felt staff would have come to blows if crammed into a space the size of the Rovers.
Appreciating the craft
The experience made Winston appreciate how much work goes into making the scenes look effortless. Actors must hit their marks, deliver lines, and move around the space while remaining conscious of the cameras and fellow performers.
Standing in a place that has been part of British television history for so long, she could imagine Betty behind the bar or Bet Lynch making an entrance. She had to remind herself she was there to work rather than indulge her inner Corrie fan, but concluded there are worse places to conduct interviews than the Rovers Return.
