Weatherfield Precinct in 2023.
Weatherfield Precinct is a mixed retail and residential development on Peel Street in Weatherfield, often frequented by the residents of Coronation Street and the surrounding area.
The precinct was constructed sometime in the 1960s, and is composed of twenty maisonette flats, with the first four housed above six retail units at its south. As of 2023, five of these units are currently occupied by:
- Rutland's, a bakers
- Sweety Nuff, a dessert parlour
- Pound Outlet discount store
- A branch of the Gregory Pope Foundation charity shop
- Bargainanza, a pawnbrokers
There is also currently one vacant unit, last occupied by the Peking Order Chinese takeaway. The precinct is bordered to the west by the Weatherfield Community Hub plus six car parking spaces and a recycling centre at its southern-most point. A children's play park and recreational area sits in the centre of the development.
As of September 2023, Flat 4 is currently occupied by Evelyn Plummer, with Shelly Rossington, a friend of Paul Foreman, living at Flat 18.
History[]
Liverpudlian born businessman Benny Lewis set up a Betting Shop at the precinct in July 1972 to capitalise on the recent demolition of the Dave Smith Licensed Betting Office on Rosamund Street. Benny hired Rita Littlewood as hostess, Lucille Hewitt and Ted Loftus as clerks, and Hilda Ogden as cleaner at the shop and lived in a luxury penthouse above the premises. Lucille continued to work at the shop for another two years before leaving to work with Rita at The Kabin.
A new shopping precinct was built in Weatherfield in 1975, potentially as an extension to the existing one, which featured a statue and fountain which cost the council £2,000.
Following Christmas 1991, Andy McDonald was attacked by a gang of lads outside of The New Pelican Video rental shop at the precinct as a result of his mother Liz reporting their names to the police for handling stolen goods.
On Christmas Eve 2001, after being picked up in a taxi at the precinct by estranged husband Les Battersby, Janice was kidnapped and taken to 23a Balaclava Terrace where he refused to let her leave until the following morning after she received a concerned phone call from boyfriend Dennis Stringer.
In April 2004, Tracy Barlow got a temporary job providing relief cover at a florists on the precinct. In July 2011, after several months working as a barmaid at the Rovers Return Inn, Tracy interviewed for a similar job, also at the precinct.
The following June, Fred Elliott was infuriated to see that rival butcher Eddie Maddocks had placed a poster in his shop window at the precinct denigrating Fred's meat.
A drunk Teresa Bryant was spotted at the precinct by Amber Kalirai in October 2008, angering her son Darryl Morton.
Lloyd Mullaney was spotted by Steve McDonald working for rival taxi firm Primo Cabs at the precinct carpark in July 2012, and offered his old job back at Street Cars.
In December 2013, terminally ill Hayley Cropper, exhausted from her chemotherapy treatment, fell asleep whilst Christmas shopping at the precinct with Roy Cropper, Tyrone Dobbs and Fiz Stape.
In February 2015, Audrey Roberts spotted Faye Windass, who was heavily pregnant at the time, skipping school at the precinct, making her adoptive mother Anna Windass concerned for her wellbeing.
In April 2019, Nick Tilsley had trainee hairdresser Natalie Watkins hand out flyers to advertise the barbers shop at the precinct, dressed as the grim reaper.
By July 2021, there was a posh boutique at the precinct owned by a friend of Daisy Midgeley, that was visited by Alya Nazir ahead of Ryan Connor's promo party in Victoria Gardens for his mobile pub and DJ business.
In January 2022, there was more than one charity shop at Weatherfield Precinct, that Craig Tinker planned to scour for evidence relating to Ted Spear's crutch. Between March and June 2022, during her brief separation from Kevin Webster, his wife Abi and her son Alfie Franklin lived at Flat 3, 52 Westgate Lane, a flat near to the precinct. Alfie later moved in with his father Imran Habeeb in May 2022.