1972: Ken Barlow investigates Sharon Duffy's whereabouts
The Vine was a public house in Victoria Precinct, operating in the early 1970s.
The trendy boozer was popular with everyone from small-time business owners to the Weatherfield elite. In 1972, the incumbent Mayor of Weatherfield, Harold Chapman met with councillor Len Fairclough there to inform him that he was in with a chance of succeeding him. Alderman Charlie Rogers later gave his backing for the same position to councillor Alf Roberts over drinks there.
The Vine was a favourite of club owner Jimmy Frazer, who would use it for informal business meetings. His associate Alan Howard was dragged to The Vine on several occasions, and much of the planning of The Capricorn nightclub took place within its walls. Alan was less comfortable with Jimmy's habit of inviting floozies to join them, including Anne Wallace and Leslie Holt. During one session, Alan's wife Elsie gatecrashed and interrogated the mens' companion Deirdre Hunt, although she had nothing to worry about on that score as Alan had no intention of betraying her.
Among the regulars at The Vine were local villain Franny Slater and his girlfriend Sharon Duffy. Franny's plan to rob Benny Lewis's penthouse was concocted there, with Franny giving Sharon the job of stealing a key to the flat from Ray Langton. Sharon spent the night of the robbery with Brenda Shaw, barmaid at the Vine, to give her a strong alibi. A month later, Ken Barlow questioned Brenda while looking for Sharon, as he suspected her involvement in the robbery. Brenda wasn't able to provide any firm evidence to exonerate Jacko Ford, who had been charged with the crime, but did inform him that Sharon had run off to London with Franny immediately after the robbery.
Befitting its clientele, The Vine was stylishly decorated with yellow/brown walls and furnished with circular seating areas with tall, leafy plants dotted about the establishment. Its most distinctive feature was a set of stained glass windows bearing the pub's name along one wall.
- Anne Kirkbride made her debut appearance as Deirdre Hunt in a scene in The Vine in Episode 1236 (20th November 1972).
List of appearances[]
1972