Sunderland's Hays Travel to open branch on the Coronation Street cobbles

Corrie fans will have their first sight of Hays Travel’s new branch on the cobbles of Weatherfield on December 4.

The award-winning Sunderland-based travel agent announced its new partnership with the world’s longest running soap opera to coincide with HM The King’s Coronation in May.

Since then, a storefront on the famous cobbles has been produced and eagle-eyed viewers will have spotted a ‘coming soon’ hoarding from 24 October.

Dame Irene Hays, owner and chair of Hays Travel, visited the Coronation Street set where she met Peter Fergusson, ITV Business Development Controller and Anthony Privilege, Branch Manager of Hays Travel Prescot - who was selected to be ‘Honorary Manager for the Day’ of Weatherfield’s Hays Travel.

Dame Irene said: “Our thanks to the team at ITV who worked with our in-house property team on our shop’s design and production.

"The on set branch had to look just like all our Hays Travel shops on high streets across the UK; we are proud of the finished result and look forward to seeing it on TV in December.”

Jason Spencer, Business Development Director ITV said: “We are really proud of our ongoing partnership since Hays Travel returned to TV advertising at the start of the year and we're now delighted to see the opening of the Hays Travel store in Coronation Street, enabling Weatherfield's residents to have a travel agents on their doorstep for the very first time!  

“We're all looking forward to seeing Hays Travel frequently on the cobbles from December, helping make a fabulous brand even more famous across the UK and beyond."

Anthony Privilege said: “I thoroughly enjoyed being Honorary Branch Manager of Hays Travel Weatherfield for the day!

"I am a huge Coronation Street fan and remember my Nan taking me to visit the set when I was a young lad.

"Being back on set brought back lots of memories and was quite an emotional experience. I think this partnership is brilliant; we have Hays Travel branches across the UK, so of course there should be one as part of the UK’s most famous street.”