Alma Halliwell

Storylines

Alma Halliwell is first introduced in 1981 as the wife of cafe owner, Jim Sedgewick (Michael O'Hagan). The marriage is a disaster and when Alma falls pregnant a year later, she has an abortion rather than bring a child into their loveless home. Alma takes over Jim's Café after they divorce in 1982. She emigrates to Florida for a while with a pools winner named Phillip but when he squanders the money, Alma returns to Weatherfield. The character properly begins to make an impact when she takes a more active role in the management of the café in late 1988. This is the beginning of a long-running working relationship with local resident Gail Tilsley (Helen Worth), who becomes Alma's business partner in 1989 and it ended when Alma sells her share to fellow neighbour Roy Cropper (David Neilson) in 1996. Nevertheless, Alma remains one of Gail's closest friends and also forms a strong companionship with Gail's mother Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls) at the same time.