Template:5 December

5th December 1984: Billy Walker's takeover of the Rovers Return Inn in 1984 after his mother Annie had retired had proved disastrous. His heart wasn't really in continuing the Walker's presence on Coronation Street and his first act was the ill-thought reaction of barring a complaining Percy Sugden which caused a mass walk-out of customers. Over the ensuing months he raided the till to pay poker debts, blackmailed Emily Bishop for a loan to pay off further debts he owed in Jersey, goaded Fred Gee into punching him so he could sack him without compensation and spread it about that Ken Barlow was having an affair with Sally Waterman. Finally, Newton & Ridley found out that he was buying cut price spirits from elsewhere instead of from them and bought him out of his licence. Billy returned to Jersey and for the first time since 1937, the Walker name didn't appear over the door of the pub.


 * For more information see Episode 2471 (5th December 1984).