Ray, Deirdre, Len and Jerry in the office at the yard.
The Builder's Yard was a firm operated for twenty years by Len Fairclough from 1963 until his death in 1983. It was located behind his home at 15 Mawdsley Street.
The yard operated under several names between 1963 and 1988:
- Leonard Fairclough's - between 1963 and 1965, 1968 to 1970 and then again from 1978 to 1983
- Fairclough and Booth - between 1965 and 1970
- Fairclough and Langton - from 1970 to 1973, and again from 1975 to 1978
- Fairclough, Langton and Booth - from 1973 to 1975
- Bill Webster Property Repairs - from March 1984 to January 1985
- Cheap and Cheerful - from September 1985 to February 1987
- Duckworth and Watts - from February to June 1987
- Bradley's Securities Limited - from May 1988 to January 1989
Fairclough and Booth[]
Soon after the yard was established, Len took on Jerry Booth as an apprentice. As a birthday present in 1965, Len offered Jerry partnership in the company. They would later became equal partners in the business two years later, when Len risked losing the yard. He had invested £300 in an ill-fated property deal, and Emily Nugent was employed to sort the company's books out.
The business took on the legal name of Fairclough and Booth.
A year later in 1968, Jerry left the partnership and Len decided to demolish 15 Mawdsley Street, expanding the yard into where it once stood. Ray Langton was employed as a labourer shortly afterwards. Based on the signage in the yard, no effort seemed to have been made to change the trading name of the firm until 1970.
Fairclough and Langton[]
The business fell into debt in 1969, and Len was given £300 from Elsie Tanner to save it. To repay her, Len sold his van and overworked. Because of this, his position within the council was put in jeopardy and Ray decided to set up his own yard. Some months later in 1970, he went into partnership with Len, with the company known as Fairclough and Langton.
Jerry returned to Weatherfield in 1971, and the following year Len employed him again as a labourer. His duties at the yard were often underappreciated by Len and Ray, though by the end of 1973 he was equal partner again. At the same time, Deirdre Hunt was employed as a secretary.
Upon Jerry's death in 1975, the yard was once again owned by just Fairclough and Langton, and two years later the pair decided on new terms for their partnership. The new contract saw Len own 60% share of the yard, and Ray the remaining 40%.
Towards the end of 1978, Ray emigrated to Holland and Len reluctantly took on Eddie Yeats as a labourer, though fired him in 1980.
Later years[]
The old yard (left) at the end of the Mawdsley Street side of the ginnel on set at the MediaCity studios. The production hub can be seen beyond the gates at the end of Viaduct Street.
Len's death in a car accident in 1983 meant the business was now in the hands of his widow Rita. She rented the land to Bill Webster for some months in 1984, and later by Terry Duckworth and Curly Watts until 1987.
Alan Bradley took interest in the yard in 1988, to run his alarm security firm from it. Rita wasn't happy, but Alan refurbished the yard and employed Martin Platt as his assistant. She demanded he left the premises a few months later when he had an affair with client Carole Burns, and Alan later set up a new business in Curzon Street.
Staff[]
(1963-1983)
- Len Fairclough - Owner
- Jerry Booth - Co-owner from 1965-1968, then again from 1973-1975
- Ray Langton - Co-owner from 1970-1978
- Emily Nugent - Accountant
- Deirdre Hunt - Secretary
- Eddie Yeats - Labourer
(1983-1988)
- Rita Fairclough - Owner
- Bill Webster - Manager in 1984
- Terry Duckworth - Manager from 1985 to early 1987
- Curly Watts - Manager from 1985 to late 1987
- Alan Bradley - Manager 1988 to 1989
- Martin Platt - Assistant
Background information[]
Despite being at the previously established location of 15 Mawdsley Street, it is said to be on Inkerman Street in Episode 2842 (27th June 1988) and over six months later in Episode 2901 (16th January 1989), a cheque is delivered to Alan Bradley with the address 3 Back Maudsley Street.
The old yard can be seen as part of the Mawdsley Street facade on the opposite side of the ginnel at the MediaCity studios.