Coronation Street first appeared on screen in December 1960.  Set in the north west of England, in the fictional area of Manchester known as Weatherfield.  As with other British soaps much of it is based around the comings and goings of the local pub.  The pub in question in Coronation Street is the Rovers Return, currently owned by Steve MacDonald and run by his mother Liz MacDonald.  The Rovers has had a variety of owners/landlords, the first on screencouple being Annie and Jack Walker, the first single mangeress was Bet Lynch who later married Alec Gilroy and they ran the Rover's together, there have been several other landlords/ladies,but probably the most famous pairing were Jack and Vera Duckworth.

Ken Barlow is the only character to have survived from the original episode.  Ken has had a string of relationships and wives, and is currently on his second marriage to Deirdre.

 

 

Being married to Ken is a risky business as two of his former wives have died!

As well as the Rovers, much of the action in the street happens in The Kabin and the factory.  The factory was for the majority of the time run by Mike Baldwin, but recently has been taken over by Carla Connor and Tony Gordon.  The Kabin belongs to Rita Sullivan, and Norris Cole is her sole employee.