I suppose everyone where Coronation Street is shown knew this already, but it was news to me as I don't watch it. However I happened to see a bit in passing recently and my mouth dropped open when I saw Egrorian, unchanged except for being completely bald, behind the bar at the Rovers Return. Sure enough, John Savident was in the credits. I've been told he's been there for years as butcher and now publican.
I couldn't help but imagine our friends in t' Street.
"Ee, our Vila, you've been supping in t' pub again." Cally pursed her lips in disapproval.
"Give over, our Cally." Vila removed his cloth cap and flung it on the table. "Not doing a fry-up by any chance, are you, chuck?" He looked hopeful.
Cally ignored him.
Vila shrugged. "By gum, I could murder a cold chip butty." He opened the fridge and peered in.
Avon, who had been perusing the dog-racing statistics—he was developing a system—lowered his paper. "Why didn't you eat at Rovers then?"
"That Egrorian, him behind bar with bald head, he makes me nervous. Keeps making grabs for me knees when I'm sat in t' snug. And that ginger bloke Pinder gives uz both right black looks."
Avon raised his eyebrows and the newspaper. "No accounting for taste," he said dismissively.
"Aye, well. All I'm saying is there's trouble brewing at pub." Vila slumped in a chair and reached for the bread. "Just my luck," he said morosely. "Egrorian fancies me, and big blonde barmaid Jenna with huge dangling—"
"Vila!"
"—earrings, Cally." Vila looked innocent. "She won't even look at me."
"Can't blame lass," Avon said from behind his newspaper. "Who would?"
Vila glared, then sighed disconsolately.
"Cheer up, our Vila," Cally said, softening. "Here."
Vila's eyes lit up. "Black pudding! Ee! No one makes it like you, chuck. So black, even the white bits are black."
Cally smiled indulgently. "I'll put kettle on. Gan and Hilda Ogden are stopping over for cuppa."
"Oh, no!" Vila pulled a face. "Gan's all right, but his woman's always banging on about their Muriel."
"The Ogdens!" Avon crumpled his paper. "Spare me!"
"See Cally? He'll go spare," Vila said, grinning.
Avon gave him an icy look then stood up. "Not only are they thick as brick out-house wall, they moult. White hair all over sofa." He sneezed at the thought. "I'm going out."
"Me too," Vila said. "Darts with Dayna down at Rovers." He jammed on his cloth cap as he went out, whistling. If he was lucky, that new hairdresser Soolin might be there. Wouldn't mind setting his cap at her.
"Dominoes with that Blake on t' Council," Avon said as he left. "Anything but greater horned Ogdens."
Cally sighed, then cheered up. The Ogdens were bringing their attractive young lodger, Tarrant. She smiled. Now he was enough to make your hair curl.
The end