1978: Joe Dawson

Bit of a Corrie bad 'un, this one. Joe Dawson (Peter Schofield) breezed into Rosamund Street in 1978 and acquired the vacant shop premises next door to The Kabin.

Of course, Rita and Mavis were very curious indeed to know what Mr Dawson's business was going to be.

An "outlet" - the third - for the bread and cakes produced at his bakery in Armitage Street, said Mr D.

But that wasn't all there was to it. The "outlet" was going to be a cafe.

And at that time The Kabin was doing a thriving trade as a cafe/newsagent's.

The Kabin soon received a visit from a local council inspector, and the cafe operation was declared illegal. There were no toilet facilities.

Len and Rita were furious - who had blown the whistle on them? Alf Roberts, a local councillor, made inquiries, and Joe Dawson was revealed to be the culprit.

Len went berserk and Mr Dawson nearly ended up on the end of his fist.

When Emily Bishop applied for a job at the cafe, Mr Dawson told her that he hadn't set out to drop Len in it: on enquiring about sanitary requirements for his new premises, he had baulked at the Council's insistence on his providing two loos and pointed out that The Kabin had none, so surely they were not necessary by law?

Emily believed him. But we viewers had our doubts.