When Weatherfield Council put up the council tax by 9% in 2004, the residents of Coronation Street were particularly unhappy, none more so than the pensioners, and especially when they heard that £45,000 was to be spent on an “Alf Roberts Memorial Fountain” to be erected in a courtyard at the Town Hall to which the general public would have little access.
Emily Bishop, Blanche Hunt, Betty Williams and Rita Sullivan with Norris Cole in tow vowed to fight the plans but Audrey Roberts was livid when she saw an interview with old friend Emily in the Gazette where she publicly voiced her opposition. As the council plans steamrollered ahead, the old ladies became militant and decided to disrupt the official unveiling of the plans for the edifice.
Council worker Deirdre Rachid let the group into the courtyard, while saying she wanted nothing more to do with their action as she was putting her job on the line. As the ceremony got underway, snapped by a photographer and conducted by council official Mildred Crawshawe, Blanche immediately starting interrupting and haranguing the speech although she and Rita bickered about whether they were protesting about the fountain or the cost of the fountain. Mildred told them to leave but they refused to do so and she fetched George the security officer to evict them.
Whilst the “dignitaries” went off to the council chamber for more photographs, the Officer tried to reason with the group who were all set to make a stand but Betty was suddenly taken ill and collapsed on a bench, having to be taken to Weatherfield General. She was soon released and a month later it was announced that instead of the fountain, a set of public conveniences would be opened in memory of Alice Strudwick. Audrey bore the disappointment with dignity.