Renee Roberts Irene " Renee " Roberts ( née Bradshaw ) was the owner of the Corner Shop from 1976 to 1980 . She was the second wife of Alf Roberts and sister of Terry Bradshaw . Renee ' s purchase of the shop in 1976 came as Terry returned to his native Weatherfield after being brought up in Lancaster . Renee wanted to keep a close eye on Terry but put her stamp on the shop , making changes including opening on Sundays and gaining an off - licence , ruffling some feathers amongst her Coronation Street neighbours . Renee married Alf Roberts in 1978 and over time Alf became more involved in the business , and eventually bowed to pressure from Renee to sell up and buy a bigger shop in the country . In 1980 , while the Roberts were out celebrating the sale of the shop , Renee ' s car stalled at traffic lights and a lorry crashed into the car , killing her . Biography . 1943 - 1978 : Early life . Renee Bradshaw was born in Weatherfield on 3rd March 1943 , the daughter of Harold and Daisy Bradshaw . Renee and her younger brother Terry were educated in Weatherfield and Renee got 6 O - levels at Weatherfield Girls High School . When Harold died in 1969 , Daisy moved the family to Lancaster and married Joe Hibbert in 1972 . Renee worked as an insurance clerk for a time before entering the retail trade as a cashier in a supermarket . When Terry left the Army for a new life in Weatherfield , Renee visited to check up on him and became interested in the local Corner Shop , which was up for sale . She liked the shop and the area , and felt that she would be looking out for her brother by providing him with his own flat . Immediately taking out a loan from the bank , Renee made Gordon Clegg an offer for the shop and bought it after a two week trial . An inquisitive , headstrong woman , Renee quickly made her presence known in Coronation Street by evicting Elsie Howard , Gail Potter and Tricia Hopkins - who had been living in the accommodation and flat - and opening the shop on Sundays , incurring the wrath of religious Ena Sharples , who accused her of leading the residents into temptation . Her bossiness caused lazy Tricia to leave the area and get her own back on Renee by reporting her for opening late and selling non - perishable goods on Sundays . Renee ' s biggest decision on installing herself in the shop was to apply for an off - licence . This set her against Rovers Return Inn landlady Annie Walker , who feared her profits would be affected and put forth her case in court that the Rovers already fulfilled the neighbours ' alcoholic needs . Renee fought her corner and started a petition in favour of the off - licence , which gained 276 signatures , and was granted the licence . Fortunately , she and Annie made peace over the matter and both were welcome in each other ' s establishments . Later in the year , Renee ' s fiancé sailor Harry McClean arrived on leave to see Renee . Harry was worried that Renee had bought the shop to tie him down and broke the engagement . Terry also left to return to the Army - he had struggled to find work and had been led a merry dance by Gail , who had been warned off Terry by Renee on her arrival in the Street . Renee blamed Gail for pushing Terry away and leaving her on her own . In early 1977 , she rented the flat to Bet Lynch , but accepted money from Mike Baldwin to subsidize her . 1977 saw Renee become close to GPO man and Councillor Alf Roberts . He had occasionally lent a helping hand at the shop and when he caught Renee ' s cold Renee nursed him in her bed . She was away for some of that year and Betty Turpin looked after the shop while she away . Upon her return she saw more of Alf , although it was Alf who pushed Renee for them to take things further . Renee was receptive but made Alf get rid of his bowler hat , as she thought it made him look old . At a club , they got drunk and Alf proposed marriage . Renee accepted but when they sobered up Alf didn ' t consider that her acceptance was brought on by drink , and told people that they were engaged . After a discussion , they agreed that they weren ' t serious about marrying , but continued to court into 1978 . On returning from a business trip to London , Alf gave Renee an expensive bottle of scent and proposed again - but Renee refused as she thought he was taking it for granted that she would say yes , even though she did want to marry him . After counsel from Len Fairclough , Alf proposed again , making his intentions clear to Renee , and this time she accepted . 1978 - 1980 : Marriage to Alf . Renee and Alf got married at Weatherfield Register Office on 20th March 1978 and took their honeymoon in Capri ( after Alf jokingly suggested Scarborough to see Renee ' s reaction ) . A scene was caused at the reception when Alf punched Renee ' s stepfather Joe Hibbert when he said Renee was lucky to marry as she wasn ' t attractive . Joe left Daisy later in the year , taking all of her money . Renee felt obligated to take her in , especially as she and Alf had just asked Bet to leave the flat . Renee asked Bet to move back in , thus making the flat unavailable for Daisy , as Renee and Alf didn ' t want to have to put up with her . In 1979 , Alf decided to retire from the GPO and work full - time at the shop . Renee was set against the idea as she thought of the shop as hers , not theirs , but when she broke the news to Alf that she didn ' t want him working with her , and accused him of marrying her for the shop , he was deflated . Renee was stunned when , later that day , a lorry crashed into the Rovers when Alf was drinking there , and Alf was taken to hospital where he fell into a coma . Renee sat at his bedside until he woke up , worried that the cross words they shared would be their last , but he soon came out of his coma and was well enough to leave the hospital . It quickly emerged that Alf wasn ' t quite himself - he resented Renee making a fuss over him however and started making uncharacteristic angry outbursts , including one moment where he launched into an unprovoked tirade at Annie Walker . Alf insisted there was nothing wrong with him and turned on Renee when she apologised to Annie on Alf ' s behalf . Renee became frightened of Alf and made him see a psychiatrist , threatening to leave him otherwise . Alf began receiving psychiatric treatment and was soon back to normal . With money in the bank , the Roberts enjoyed occasional holidays and Renee was always disappointed to be back in the Street . In 1980 , she told Alf she wanted to move to the countryside , and won Alf round by suggesting that they run a sub post office . In preparation , Renee decided to learn to drive , although Alf was jealous of her instructor Jim Lorimer , and threw a tantrum when she was late returning from a lesson . Alf mostly dealt with the sale of the shop as they put it on the market ; he wanted £16 , 000 and the new shop would cost them £28 , 000 . They reached a deal with Mr . and Mrs . Bannister for £15 , 000 and , on finding out that they had the sub post office , decided to go out to a country pub to celebrate . Alf insisted on driving as he thought Renee drove dangerously , but as he had been drinking he had to let Renee take the wheel for the drive home , with Alf prompting Renee as she hadn ' t yet passed her test . However , her driving infuriated him and when she stalled the car at some road works in a narrow lane , Alf got out of the car and insisted on driving himself . Before Renee could get out , a lorry came down the lane and hit the car head on . When the police and ambulance arrived , Renee was taken to hospital and underwent emergency surgery but died in the operating theatre from a ruptured spleen and liver . An inquest ruled Renee ' s death as accidental , and she was cremated . Quotes . " Lime ? " ( First line , querying a green jelly sold to her by Tricia Hopkins in the Corner Shop ) . " I can do it ! " ( Last line , to Alf Roberts ) .