I have to say I've found this week's episode of the Street
rather dreary what with the continuing McDonald saga and the unbelievable
Maureen/Reg situation. However, it's good to see Baldwin back
up to his old tricks again as head of the factory!
Maureen still hasn,t heard from Reg and is frantic with worry,
convinced something has happened to him. She decides to visit
him in Lowestoft, much to Maude's annoyance. Before Maureen leaves,
a letter arrives from Reg which reduces Maureen to tears, she
doesn,t tell Maude what the letter says and takes off to see Reg.
Meanwhile, Eric Firman calls on Curly to tell him that he has
received a letter from Reg giving his resignation from the company
and saying he has gone away, with no explanation given. Curly
is confused, he wonders what has happened... and then Eric Firman
tells him that Reg has ran off with the chief wages clerk, Yvonne.
Curly sets off to Lowestoft in search of Maureen, who reveals
the contents of her letter to Curly - it's a mushy letter from
Reg saying how hard he found it being apart from her and that
he can not go on any longer with his life the way it is. Maureen
is certain she will find Reg and everything will be alright but
Curly can't bring himself to tell her the truth.
Baldwin is losing patience with Kevin, who hasn't given him a
reply about whether or not he wants to buy the garage. Kevin goes
to see the bank manager who tells him that the bank is prepared
to lend Kevin the money but he must put up 10% of the funds himself
(approx. £4,000 ). Kevin and Sally wonder where the money
will come from. Baldwin is sure that if Rita knew of the situation,
she would offer to lend Kevin and Sally the 10% needed. He persuades
Alma to visit Rita to mention that Kevin needs the money. Alma
goes to the Kabin and tries to bring it casually into the conversation,
but she can't do it, and Mike is disappointed with her. As Baldwin's
PA, Josie finds out about the sale of the garage also, and talks
to Don about buying it for themselves. Don isn't keen at first
but Josie talks him into it and they both get excited about it.
Josie reads Baldwin's confidential letters to find out how much
he wants for the garage and they are planning on re-mortgaging
their houses to afford it. (I hope that Sally and Kevin do get
the garage, if there is one more scene with Sally setting or clearing
away the dining table, I think I'll scream!)
Jim McDonald is in court again, this time for breaking the promise
to the judge last time, to stay away from Liz. He is sent to prison
for 3 weeks until his court case comes up for assaulting Liz.
Steve and Andy were still hopeful that their parents would end
up back together again and see it as Liz,s fault that their parents
will divorce. Steve and Vicky go to visit Jim, and they ask Liz
if she has any message she would like to pass on, she says no.
When they come back from the prison they go for a drink in the
Rovers and Liz doesn't ask them about Jim at all.
Mavis and Derek are thinking of having an allotment to grow vegetables.
Des says he knows the chap at the council who is in charge of
allocating allotments and says he will have a word with him on
their behalf. In the Kabin, Rita takes a message for Mavis from
"Mr. T. Hedges who says he will meet Mavis and Derek at the
allotments that afternoon". As this is April Fool's Day,
Derek thinks that this is a practical joke from Des. They both
meet Mr. Hedges and Derek makes an April fool of himself assuming
the chap to be a hoax, when in fact, he was the genuine man from
the council.
Ida Clough is set to make a permanent return to the Street! Interviews
are being held for machinists at Baldwin's new factory and Ida
Clough turns up. Baldwin makes her wait for over an hour until
he sees her, he wants to make her squirm and beg for her job back.
In the end, he does give her a job and tells her he hopes her
trouble making days are behind her now (somehow, I don't think
they are.....) Ida and Josie are talking in the factory when Baldwin
spots them on his security camera so he calls Josie to his office
over the tannoy system and she trots off immediately, much to
Ida's displeasure.
Jack has organised a men-only gambling and drinking day out at
Uttoxeter races this coming Bank Holiday Monday. He is taking
names for the coach and asks Steve McDonald if he wants to go.
Steve looks at Jack, looks at Vicky and then looks nervous and
says "No, I'd better not Jack".
Whether you think Kevin is tight with his money or just plain
careful, he has decided not to buy MVB Motors. Sally is frustrated
with his decision, she saw buying the garage as an investment
for her famil's future but Kevin says the figures "don't
add up". Sally invites Rita for tea in the hope that Rita
will offer them the £4,000 deposit needed. Rita knows that
Baldwin has offered the garage to Kevin, but Kevin refuses to
talk about it when Rita arrives. He's made his mind up, and he
isn't going to go for it. He tells Mike - who isn't too bothered
as Don and Josie have been more than interested in buying the
garage. Mike goes straight over to Don and tells him the garage
is still for sale, after a little more negotiation from Mike for
a higher selling price, Don becomes the new garage owner.
Maureen stays overnight at Curly and Raquel's house on her arrival
back from Lowestoft. Curly hasn't told Maureen the truth yet although
Raquel assumes he has, and starts consoling Maureen, who is confused,
she doesn't know what is going on. When Raquel does tell her the
truth, they both sit crying, with Raquel telling Maureen things
will be alright, that she has been there before and came back
a stronger person. Maureen goes to see Maude the next day and
tells her the truth, that Reg has ran off with another woman.
Maude is being supportive of Maureen but at the same time has
that "I told you so!" look in her eye.
Mavis and Derek are granted an allotment by Tim Hedges of the
council. In Mr Hedges' office, he reads them the allotment rules,
including one rule stating that no gnomes must be situated on
the allotment! They get to work quickly, intending to grow Weatherfield's
best vegetables on their new allotment and while Mavis gets to
work pulling out the weeds, Derek is on hand with his new video
camera recording events for prosperity. Alma has an empty flat
above the cafe now that Maxine has moved back in with her parents.
A bit of social comment this week came from Percy and Trisha,
when Percy told her off for spending her benefit on lottery tickets
when she should be using the money for her son and their living
expenses. "Are you going to rob me of my hope then?"
she asks in desperation.
Deidre gives Mike Baldwin the cold shoulder in the Kabin when
he offers her a lift back to her flat. She is still fuming that
he gave the job in the new factory to Josie and not to her.
Nine of the Street's men go to the races on Bank Holiday Monday
including Roy Cropper (who can't drink as he's on antibiotics
for an ear infection). Gary Mallett starts drinking before the
coach pulls away from the Rovers. At the races, the men have a
run of good luck and win £2,000 which they want to gamble
again to win more but Jack stops them - he has a better idea -
to buy the race horse that won them the money! It is only Roy
who decides not to join in and buy a share in the race horse,
all of the others are keen. After much bartering, they do indeed
buy the horse but it's not until the journey back that they realise
quite what they have taken on when Roy Cropper tells them all
that he knew a jockey once and he reckons the costs will run to
about £10,000 a year for food and stabling.
Des is going away for a few days so Andy invites Ann over, buys
a huge bottle of red wine and intends to cook her a curry. In
the Rovers, Deidre is drinking with Liz to celebrate the fact
that Liz has a new job at the Hour Glass pub. Andy doesn't say
much to his mum and Deidre gives Andy a dirty look on her way
out of the Rovers, so of course Ann wants to know what is going
on, and Ann & Andy end up having an argument about Andy's
parents.
ITV TV announced this week that it plans to show a 4th episode
of the show each Sunday evening from this autumn (exact date not
known yet).
Alec Gilroy is back! Unannounced and unexpected, he turns up at
Steve and Vicky's flat. Steve isn't best pleased that Vicky lets
Alec stay at the flat for a couple of nights, he tells Vicky that
either Alec moves out or he does. Alec tells Vicky he's now "land
based" in the North West for the leisure company he works
for, and that they are accommodating him in a 5 star hotel. It
turns out he's running a travel agency in Rosamund Street and
he's staying in a spare room with some friends.
Old nag or thoroughbred? No, I'm not talking about Vera or Vicky,
but the latest addition to the Street's characters "Betty's
Hotshot", the racehorse! When Kevin learns that his dad has
spent money to buy the horse instead of using his winnings to
pay back some of the debt he owes him, he lets Bill know exactly
how he feels. Bill then sells his share of the horse to Fred Elliot
for £250. After being nagged by Gail for spending his money
on the horse, Martin also sells his share to Fred for £200.
(Fred reckons owning a racehorse will help him with chatting up
the ladies!) Sean Skinner tries to persuade the remaining owners
of the horse what a good buy they have, in the hope they will
race the horse often (and spend money in his bookies each time
they bet on it). The trainer rings Jack, demanding £640
up front for stabling and training fees. When the bill isn't paid
the trainer brings the horse to the Rovers and is intent on leaving
the horse there until her bills are paid. Needless to say, the
lads pay up. Judy Mallett gives Gary a hard time as he spent their
holiday money on his share of the horse. Fred sees another opportunity
to buy yet another share of the horse, but Gary doesn't sell after
Jack convinces him the horse will win his money back for him when
they start racing it.
Baldwin tells Kevin who he has sold the garage to. Sally reminds
Kevin that he could be out of a job if Don decides to change things
at the garage but Don promises Kevin his job is safe and he will
be a better boss than Baldwin ever was. Don feels a bit put out
when he learns that Baldwin offered the garage for sale to Kevin
first, at £3,000 less than he paid for it. Don's troubles
look like they are just beginning however, when Kevin tells him
that an air compressor has broken down and will cost £5,000
to replace.
Derek and Mavis are reading all kinds of gardening manuals to
ensure they get the most out of their allotment. Fred Elliot offers
horse manure for sale to Mavis for the soil and Sarah-Lou overhears
Jack joke to Rita that Fred Elliot wants the horse for meat which
he'll sell in his shop, and of course she believes this and gets
all upset.
Maureen is terribly miserable. The strain of coping with her mother
and trying to get over Reg is proving too much for her and she's
weepy most of the time. Bill Webster offers her some sympathy
but she's too busy feeling sorry for herself.
Deirdre feels that life is passing her by so she has decided to
start looking for temporary work for an agency in an office.
Andy and Ann's on/off romance looks like it's back on again after
she offers to cook him a meal at his house. Another romance which
looks like it could be blossoming is Kelly (Ken's childminder)
and Ashley (Fred Elliot's nephew).
Young Jamie is in trouble again, but this time it's not his fault
(honestly!). Percy sees him in the back lane and then Josie's
bike goes missing so everyone assumes Jamie has taken it. However,
the bike was stolen by a young girl. Jamie follows her and brings
the bike back to Josie. She was going to offer him a reward when
Don arrived and told Josie that Jamie was the one who stole it
in the first place. Josie and Tricia have a slanging match and
then Tricia nags at young Jamie, who still protests his innocence.
Steve and Vicky are in BIG trouble. Remember when they paid off
Malcolm Fox in the stolen whisky episodes a while back? Well,
it's come back to haunt them now. The police call round to the
flat where Vicky is on her own, they intimate they know what has
happened and ask Vicky to tell them the truth, but she keeps quiet.
When she tells Steve the police have been round to see her, he
goes ballistic. He tells Vicky she must keep her mouth shut, whatever
the police say to her. The police come round again and take Vicky
down to the station for questioning, and her uncle Nick, the solicitor,
goes with her. Vicky tells her uncle the whole story about the
pay-off and also tells Alec what's happened. Uncle Nick advises
Vicky to tell the truth to the police before things get worse
but Steve says if she does this then one or both of them could
end up in prison.
The ladies of the street (Alma, Maureen, Liz, Deirdre, and Audrey)
have a boozy night in Liz McDonald's house in an attempt to cheer
up Maureen who is still crying over Reg. However, Maureen's fighting
spirit comes back and she's decided to seek revenge on Reg when
she learns that he is selling his flat above Rita's shop and may
plan to sell the corner shop from under her feet too. The flat
is being offered for sale with vacant possession, so Maureen moves
out of her (overbearing) Mother's house and into the flat in an
attempt to dissuade any prospective purchasers.
The racehorse owners spend the day at Thirsk races. When they
all come back to the Rovers drunk and in a celebratory mood, everyone
is surprised to learn that the horse didn't actually win the race.
"Ah, but it didn't lose!" is their reply. The costs
of stabling and training are mounting up and the chaps don't think
they can afford to keep the horse on a long term basis so decide
on selling it. Fred Elliott has contacts with butchers in Belgium
and the syndicate agree to sell the horse there, where they know
it will be used for horsemeat. They agree not to tell their wives
as they know how upset the women will be about this idea. However,
Fred's nephew Ashley comes into the Rovers and tells Judy Mallet
the truth about the horse's fate.
Vera calls on Mrs Smedley to help out in the Rovers when they
have a busy spell. Mrs Smedley tells Vera their Judy would be
good behind the bar and that she's a hard worker. Vera has her
doubts but hires Judy anyway and so the Rovers have a new barmaid
in the shape of Judy Mallett. Don is causing tension with his
workforce when he tells Kevin that he wants his friends cars and
taxi-cabs serviced as a priority over other cars in the garage.
Kevin tells Don he's sounding just like Baldwin, not something
that Don wanted to hear, I think.
Jim McDonald is released from prison. Andy and Bill go to collect
him. He has been ordered to pay damages to Liz to the tune of
£140. Deirdre has been interviewed by the temping agencies
and now she's worrying about the fact that she's been out of the
employment market for so long she doesn't know anything about
computer software. (Perhaps when she does learn, we might see
Deirdre log on to the net and find herself a nice bloke in cyber
space?)
We all knew he was a bad sort and now he's showing his true, snarling,
eye rolling, finger picking, money grabbing self to all and sundry
in an attempt to save his own neck by having his own wife sent
to prison. Yes, who else but Steve McDonald!
Steve visits Malcolm Fox in jail to find out what he has been
telling the police. It turns out that Malcom's wife told the police
the truth about the pay-off as revenge on Malcolm when she found
out he was seeing another woman. Seeing the next few years ahead
of him in prison, Steve starts blaming Vicky for the whole episode,
tells her it was her money, she made the pay-off and she'll be
the one in prison, not him. (boo! hiss!). With Alec's support,
Vicky packs her bags and walks out on Steve, and spills everything
to the police. Uncle Nick and Alec help Vicky sort out her finances,
and they are shocked but not surprised to find out that Steve
has been taking huge amounts from her inheritance. Uncle Nick
advises Vicky to close her bank accounts so Steve can't get access
to any more money (which he tries to do) and to cancel the lease
on the flat (which she was also paying for). Steve goes to visit
Andy who has no sympathy for him and then he tries his mum, putting
on an act and denying all knowledge of Vicky paying off Malcolm
Fox but Liz sees through Steve straight away and throws him out
of the house by his collar.
Jim is out of prison and he bumps into Liz in the Rovers, things
are strained between the two of them. Jim and Bill Webster are
like two old cronies drinking in the Rovers, trying to drown their
sorrows.
Maureen moves into Reg's old flat and in an attempt to deter any
would-be buyers she asks Bill Webster to change the locks on the
flat and take down the "for sale" sign, which he does.
Alec Gilroy is interested in buying the flat but Maureen won't
let him in yet, she's not ready to sell. Alec is presently living
in a bed and breakfast with a landlady that has a hairdo that
would have made Bet Gilroy's coiffure seem positively sleek.
The ladies of the Street now know the fate of "Betty's Hotshot"
and decide to put pressure on their men to stop them from shipping
it to Belgium for horsemeat. Fred is still keen to ship it over
to Europe but he changes his mind when he hears that Rita is an
animal lover and was upset when she heard his plans for the horse.
There's trouble at t'garage when Don insists that Kevin services
his friend's taxi cabs and give them priority over other customers.
Don has his own ideas about running the garage but Kevin isn't
taking change too easily.
While the cat's away... Ken has gone away on a training course
and leaves Kelly in the house on her own to look after Daniel.
As soon as Ken is out of camera shot, Kelly invites Ashley round
to Ken's house and they play tonsil hockey. Ken has asked Emily
to keep an eye on Kelly in his absence - what will she say when
she finds out?
Some spoiler news from the UK press:
1)Maureen and Bill Webster are to married this summer
2)Bad boy Terry Duckworth is set to make a return.
