Coronation Street

Episode 1983 (2nd April 1980) (21x27)

: 02, 1980

Vera tells Alf and Renee that Ida is challenging Ivy for the stop steward job. Albert doesn't like Ena staying at No.1 and urges Ken to get her flat ready quickly. Belshaw's send Len a cheque. Eddie can now get his £30 owing but Len refuses him a bonus for getting the money for him. Ivy and Ida bicker over the sewing machines about the election. Mike is nervous about who will win. Deirdre is despondent that work is slow to come in. Flying Horse landlord Tony Hayes has challenged Fred to a barbershop competition with the Rovers and he tries to find a quartet. Renee pushes Alf to volunteer. The atmosphere in the sewing room is bad and Pauline suggests the vote is held at dinner time. Ida wants the election to be a secret ballot. Eddie agree to join Fred and Alf in the quartet but Len refuses. Albert is pleased with a potato pie that Ena bakes but they continue to argue. She makes him do the washing-up. Bert agrees to be the final member of the quartet. The ballot papers are filled in for the election. Ivy worries about the result. Annie reminds Fred that the good name of the Rovers is at stake. Fred sets up the competition for next Monday. The men are horrified. They practice, singing Sweet Adeline, amusing Elsie and the regulars with their poor performance. Ena points out that Fred is the one out of key. The others agree and drop him and they instantly improve. Pauline gives the results: Ida gets 14 votes but Ivy wins with 17. The two make up. Ken tells Albert that the decorators won't be starting on Ena's flat until after Easter. He breaks the news to her when she comes back from the pub. Ena angrily tells Ken that he and the committee have messed her about for long enough. She announces that she is going back to Henry Foster in St Annes and threatens not to return. Albert is delighted. Fred and Alf realise there's nothing in the rules which says the quartet must all be men and press gang Renee into joining them after Rita refuses.