Member Article

York-based Continuum Attractions contracted to extend Coronation Street tour

York-based Continuum Leading Attractions, has agreed an extension with ITV, Manchester City Council and future developers of the site, Allied London to continue running Manchester’s ‘Coronation Street The Tour’ visitor attraction.

The tour has created over 80 jobs and Marketing Manchester said that the attraction originally had the potential to generate up to £25.5 million for the local economy, positioning ‘Coronation Street The Tour’ as one of the highest profile visitor attractions outside of London.

Operator Continuum Leading Attractions has confirmed that the tour will go beyond the initially agreed closing date in October.

Over 250,000 people have already visited Coronation Street The Tour since it opened in April 2014, with over 10,000 people a week estimated to continue to visit following the extension.

Juliana Delaney, chief executive of Continuum Leading Attractions, said: “I am thrilled to announce that we have been able to extend the opening of the attraction.

“The feedback we have received so far has been phenomenal and I’m so pleased those who have yet to experience the tour will now have the chance to.

“It’s a privilege to work with ITV within Manchester’s vibrant visitor economy to tell the story of this high-profile cultural asset to fans from around the world.”

Andrew Stokes of Marketing Manchester, commented: “2014 has been a fantastic year for Greater Manchester’s tourism industry with record visitor numbers and packed hotels.

“Of course, Coronation Street The Tour has played a significant role in this narrative, giving Manchester’s thriving economy an additional boost whilst offering a unique opportunity for visitors to celebrate an iconic cultural treasure.

“We are thrilled that the attraction will extend its run into 2015 and wish the team at Continuum every success for its duration.”

An ITV Spokesperson said: “We are delighted with the public’s reaction to Coronation Street The Tour. We are very impressed with the way Continuum is bringing alive the experience to the fans of the nation’s street. It’s brilliant to be able to allow them to enjoy this special part of the Corrie story a while longer.”

The set opened to the public in April 2014 for a limited period of six months before development of the site was to take place. Although the tour will remain open longer, it will eventually close to make way for a cultural quarter, hotels and residential development by Allied London.

Now celebrating its 30th year, Continuum Leading Attractions boasts a nationwide portfolio of popular and commercially successful visitor attractions, including Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, York’s CHOCOLATE Story in York and the Real Mary King’s Close in Edinburgh.

Continuum looks to double its portfolio of attractions within the next three to five years.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .