Rovers Return: largely untouched over its 40 years in Coronation Street. Photograph: Rex Features
ITV has announced its wish to launch a chain of Rovers Return theme pubs throughout the land. The replica boozers, emulating Coronation Street's legendary public house, will presumably try to do what the American Cheers bars did on both sides of the Atlantic a couple of decades ago - make their owners a ton of cash.
Punters could be treated to pints of Newton & Ridley's bitter and helpings of Betty Turpin's hotpot if the broadcaster can find a willing pub chain to team up with. But would you actually want to drink in a fictional pub?
Unlike the Queen Vic in EastEnders, the Rovers has remained largely untouched over its 40 years in the soap. A nice, slightly murky, old man's pub is one thing. But a Disney-style recreation of it is quite another. It'll be all laminated menus and the ITV1 logo everywhere.
And all this in the week the BBC has been criticised over its depiction of binge-drinking in EastEnders.
Isn't this just asking for trouble? If the law is changed to allow product placement on commercial stations, we can look forward to some very dodgily framed shots with a big pint of nut-brown Newton & Ridley best bitter in the foreground and the actors struggling for space behind it. "We are absolutely looking to exploit all our brands in a far more commercial and efficient way," said ITV managing director Dawn Airey.
Does this mean similarly themed establishments will be popping up all over the shop? Channel 4 could already be drawing up blueprints for a chain of Skins internet cafes. And maybe we will be treated to Casualty-themed A&E departments in hospitals where we can watch a complex series of staff/patient psychodramas play out while we wait for our stitches.
I doubt fans of Coronation Street will be satisfied to sit in a pub that vaguely resembles the one on TV when Granada is considering bringing back the studio tours allowing visitors to see the real thing up close.
But will you be popping in t'Rovers for a half, or would you rather it stayed behind the fourth wall where it belongs?
