Christmas in Coronation Street won't be the same without the residents being able to go for a drink at their beloved pub The Rovers Return.
However, a late Christmas present is in store for Weatherfield as the legendary boozer is set to reopen in style for New Year after landlady Jenny Bradley (Sally Ann Matthews) was forced to sell the pub during the cost of living crisis.
Just days before New Year, Jenny tells Daisy Midgeley (Charlotte Jordan) the exciting news that their bid was accepted and the Rovers is now officially theirs.
And there's even better news when Waterford's agree for them to reopen the pub in time for New Year's Eve.
Jenny and Daisy assemble their old team together as Sean (Antony Cotton), Glenda (Jodie Prenger) and Gemma (Dolly-Rose Campbell) head to the Rovers with boxes of booze for the celebration.
Jenny and Daisy watch proudly as the locals get stuck in and prepare the pub for the grand reopening.
The Rovers Return wouldn't be complete without one much-loved resident — the late Betty Williams (Betty Driver). In a touching moment, Gary Windass (Mikey North) hangs up the barmaid's picture back on the wall in pride of place.
Meanwhile, The Rovers team swap their glad rags and dress up in bad taste outfits as they get into the party spirit for the night ahead.
The next day, Jenny reveals to Daisy that Waterford's have given them permission to move back into the pub full time while the sale goes through. Everything seems to be back to normal in Weatherfield!
Executive producer Iain MacLeod reassured fans that the Rovers won't have a drastic new look when it reopens and will remain largely the same.
He said: “It's not going to look radically different. I think certain sets, I'm not saying they should never change, but I'd certainly feel like I don't want it to be modernised and gastro pubified or turned into a chain pub.
"Like I feel weirdly protective of Deirdre’s wallpaper in number one. I do feel like the Rover's decor, it’s going to be updated a touch but for the most part, I really like the look and feel of it at the moment.
“So it's going to reopen looking quite similar, but the circumstances of its ownership are going to be much more fraught.”
Coronation Street airs hour-long episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 pm on ITV — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on ITVX.
