SMUGNESS is not a pleasant characteristic. But what the hell, we did say this would happen. 

100,000 visitors in less than two months, half a million visitors a year if it continues, hotel rooms full, restaurants with lots of added customers. Simply why would any sensible city lose this bonanza?

The re-opening of the Coronation Street set in central Manchester has delivered over 100,000 visits in less than two months. If we average a ticket price at £15 (standard is £16.50 but there are concessions and so on) and then add a very conservative £15 for general spend in the city, the economic boost over a year will be something around £20m.

Unfortunately at present the Corrie set will remain open only until September. It may even be demolished as the Granada site - now called the St John's Quarter - is redeveloped. 

Given the tourist figures just released that would appear to be madness. We made the case for retention back in February 2012 (here), which is why we're now feeling smug. 

We interviewed Dave Jones, at the time, of Cavern City Tours in Liverpool who had to rebuild the world famous Cavern Club after it was needlessly destroyed in the seventies.

"There'd be no excuse not to keep it," he said. "It's there already. Nothing has to be re-built as it had to with the Cavern. This isn't the sixties or the seventies, there is a huge tourist infrastructure in Manchester today. The Corrie set could bring in thousands of visitors, be a main part of the tourism picture. It would be a sin to get rid of it, inexplicable. You couldn't make an excuse for losing that revenue now and getting rid of it."

So on Confidential we were astonished that the city council, the tourism agency Marketing Manchester and other interested agencies were so lukewarm about keeping the set. They seemed bent on wilfully ignoring the arguments people such as Dave Jones put forward. 

There were even mutterings in the Town Hall of whether the Coronation Street brand fitted the Manchester brand.

Streetlife

 

Streetlife

As we wrote at the time: 'That the tourism agency and council aren't prepared to make a firm commitment to saving the Corrie city centre set - a scene of so much drama for so many millions for so many years - is surprising.'

The only assumption that could be made was that the city and Granada didn't want any would-be purchasers of the vast site to be put off by having a world famous TV set in the way as they levelled the place and banged up apartments and offices. Let's hope Allied London, a developer big on imagination and, forgive the cliché, well-known for thinking 'outside the box', now move in a different direction. 

The official tone has changed.

Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, said: “2014 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for Greater Manchester’s tourism industry. From the opening of Central Library and redevelopment of Bolton Market, to the Whitworth Art Gallery and Elizabeth Gaskell’s House later in the year, it is a year full of exciting new things to see and do.

"Of course, Coronation Street The Tour has played a significant role in 2014’s tourism story and has now captured the imagination of a landmark 100,000 visitors. It goes without saying that visitation on this scale has a positive impact on the local economy and I wish the team at Continuum every success for their remaining run at Old Granada Studios.”

That last sentence rings out a warning.

Despite the 'positive impact' Manchester might be about to do the most unbelievably silly thing and drop this tourist asset. 

100,000 visitors in less than two months, half a million visitors a year, hotel rooms full, restaurants and bars with lots of added customers.

Simply why would any sensible city lose this bonanza?

Our review of the current tour is here.

You can follow Jonathan Schofield on Twitter @JonathSchofield or connect via Google+ 

Will this be the fate of the city centre set?

 

Will this be the fate of the city centre set?