Granada Studios Tour
 |
|
| Location |
Granada Studios, Castlefield, Manchester, England, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 53°28′42″N 2°15′27″W / 53.47833°N 2.25750°WCoordinates: 53°28′42″N 2°15′27″W / 53.47833°N 2.25750°W |
| Owner | Granada Parks & Resorts |
| Rides | |
| Total |
Skytrak UFO Zone |
Granada Studios Tour was an entertainment theme park at the Granada Studios complex in Castlefield, Manchester which operated from 1988 to 1999. The park was located in the heart of Manchester city centre adjacent to the Granada House building.
The tour attracted over 5 million visitors, but visitor numbers were waning by the late 1990s and Granada Television had to prioritise other economic problems such as the failure of ONdigital (ITV Digital). As a result, the Granada Studios Tour closed to the general public in 1999 and for good in 2001. The Coronation Street set – part of the original theme park – was temporarily re-opened to the public in April 2014 for a six-month period, but its popularity meant it stayed open until December 2015.
The park was the brainchild of Granada producer David Plowright, who had long been interested in developing the land around the Granada Studios complex in Manchester. There was scope to the plans as the studio facilities were only used for filming once a week, allowing visitors and production to work harmoniously. Furthermore, much of the land that Granada owned was derelict and underused, with Plowright believing that such land should be cultivated.
Plowright's aim was to create a 'Hollywood-on-the-Irwell', a reference to the River Irwell which runs through Manchester. The Granada Group hierarchy which was the parent of Granada Manchester were pessimistic about Plowright's plans. Fortunately for Plowright, he gained the support of the Granada Television hierarchy, such as John Williams and commercial director Chris Mather.
A key part of the tour would be for visitors to walk down Coronation Street, but the Tour would also centre around the Bonded Warehouse adjacent to the main Granada House building. Plowright ordered the renovation of the Victorian Warehouse for the Studio Tour at a cost of £3m.
According to the book, 'The Dream That Died: The Rise and Fall of ITV' by Ray Fitzwalter, David Plowright and designer Roy Stonehouse decided one evening to have a ride on one of the tramcars when no-one was looking. Unfortunately, when they were traveling down the Coronation Street set, it got jammed under the bridge. To cover it up, they did a runner. The next day it was found and rescued by the furious technicians.
...
Wikipedia