Rovers Return Inn Billy first appears in Coronation Street in January 1961, but takes over The Rovers Return in 1984 after his mother Annie retires and signs the pub over to him. It doesn't last long, though, and he leaves for good in 1984, after a series of run-ins with police due to the lock-ins held after hours. Arguably the most famous barmaid on "Coronation Street", Bet Lynch was in charge of The Rovers Return for a little over 10 years. In late 1984, the brewery, Newton & Ridley, unhappy with the way the pub was being run into the ground by Billy,
Rovers Return Inn Fred dies shortly after agreeing to the sale and, nothing having been finalised on paper, the pub now legally belongs to Fred's son Ashley (Steven Arnold). On Fred's death his entire assets, including The Rovers Return, are inherited by his surviving son Ashley. Fred had planned to sell The Rovers to Steve, but died before completing the sale. Like his father, Ashley is a butcher with no real interest in being landlord and decides to sell The Rovers to Steve as his father had planned. For years, Liz had worked at The Rovers on and off. She dreamed of buying