Cecil Newton
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| Cecil Newton | |
| Occupation | Newton & Ridley Director |
| Born | 1933 |
| Died | 28th November 2003 |
| Children | Philip Newton |
| First appearance | 3rd June 1987 |
| Last appearance | 28th November 2003 |
| Number of appearances | 12 |
| Played by | Kenneth Alan Taylor (1987-1990) George Baker (2003) |
Cecil Newton was one of the top directors of Newton & Ridley. His authority within the brewery was such that even after retirement he had the final say in their operations.
In 1987, Alec Gilroy went to see Cecil regarding the tenancy of the Rovers Return. Alec was trying to trace Bet Lynch as she'd disappeared with £12,000 he loaned her to buy the tenancy. Alec felt entitled to the tenancy and was miffed when Cecil asked him to take over the Rovers as a mere manager until Bet came back. Bet had been in contact with the brewery and told them she was in Torremolinos, news which Cecil passed on to Alec. Alec flew out to Spain to find Bet himself and he proposed to her there. On their return, they successfully applied for the tenancy together.
Cecil paid a visit to the Rovers a year later, to check on Alec after he was mugged on the way to the bank, where his briefcase containing £2,000 was stolen. Cecil suggested that the brewery should raise the Gilroys' rent as the takings were obviously very high, but the money had actually come from Alec's club bookings.
Cecil retired in 1990 but came back into the fold to nix Nigel Ridley's repossession of the Rovers in preparation for a merge with the neighbouring house and conversation into an American theme pub. The local residents had campaigned against the scheme, and Bet and Alec had closed their doors in protest. Cecil put a halt on the plans just in time and told the Gilroys that the pub was still theirs. He then turned on Nigel, dismissing his "foolish young ideas" and announcing that the Rovers would always remain a working man's pub.
Cecil encountered Bet again at a brewery function in Blackpool in November 2003. Cecil fell in love with Bet and asked her to marry him, but his son Philip didn't approve of Bet and tried to split them up, going as far as to tell Bet that Cecil was going senile. During the ceremony, Cecil collapsed with a heart attack and died later in hospital.
- Kenneth Alan Taylor, who played the part from 1987 to 1990, was married to Street star Judith Barker who played Janet Barlow.
