Coronation Street viewers have expressed 'all kinds of heartbreak' as Carla Connor-Swain faces the loss of her beloved factory, with new fears emerging for the fan-favourite character.
In the ITV soap, filmed in Salford, Carla remains unaware that Idris Nazir is working to make her lose her livelihood so he can take over Underworld. Idris recently acquired a share in Speed Daal and became a business partner with his new girlfriend, Leanne Battersby.
Idris's Scheme Unfolds
After Carla admitted that her business was struggling, and following a brief clash over parking, Idris told Leanne he had been eyeing up the factory. When she said she couldn't imagine a time Carla wouldn't be in charge, Idris took it as a challenge.
During Monday's (November 2) visit to Weatherfield, Idris overheard Carla telling her wife, Lisa Connor-Swain, about an important meeting at the hotel. The meeting appeared to go well for Carla and Michael Bailey until Idris intercepted the client during a loo break, telling him Carla couldn't be trusted and wasn't the sort of person to do business with. The client returned with a cautious attitude, and Carla was later told the deal was off. She then revealed to Lisa that she would have to sacrifice her workers' Christmas bonus to keep the factory afloat.
Sabotage and Devastation
Things worsened when, as Carla came clean to her staff about the business' struggles, Idris met Brody Michaelis at the rear of the factory and, handing him a lighter, said he had a job for him. Brody stole factory keys from his foster carer, Sally Dynevor, let himself into Underworld, and held the lighter near the smoke alarm to activate the sprinkler system before escaping through the back door.
Sally raised the alarm in Tuesday's (November 3) episode. Carla rushed over to find water pouring out of the building, and went inside with Lisa to discover all her stock damaged, with water flowing and dripping throughout the entire building.
Fan Concerns Over Carla's Wellbeing
Before the devastation, fans had become concerned when Carla was seen drinking with Lisa in the Rovers. Lisa said, "Not too sure about this lunchtime drinking, you know," and Carla replied, "Oh, don't worry. Won't make a habit of it."
In Wednesday's (November 4) episode, Lisa found Carla alone drinking on the steps outside the factory doors, having told her workers she had no choice but to shut the factory and could only pay them a month's wages. Fans shared their worries on social media, with @TheConnorSwains saying: "This is all kinds of heartbreak #Swarla #Corrie," and @Izzy1728047 writing: "Oh Carla's drinking again, I am starting to wonder if that is going to lead into something again #Swarla #Corrie."
Some viewers disagreed about the drinking plot. @eternitydropped shared: "I'm going to be controversial here. I don't think Carla is drinking alcohol. It is a plastic screw top bottle. Lisa made the assumption we all did. It is the action that brings Carla comfort but she knows alcohol is too much of a slippery slope. Lisa is her support now." @missmollybruton added: "I don't think Carla is leaning on alcohol for support, I think she's just having a drink because she's very stressed. The choice of a small bottle (a glass) over a full bottle of wine shows that she's still making a conscious decision to look after herself/her kidney."
