Episode Guide : Series 1

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Pilot (25 MAR 73)
Open All Hours

Granville tells Arkwright that he's been told that Nurse Gladys Emmanuel's car has been seen parked outside another man's house every night. Arkwright is consumed by jealousy and worries about it all day.

That evening, Arkwright decides to tackle Nurse Gladys about her nocturnal visits. He pretends to have hurt his arm and goes to visit her. She sees through his ruse and gives him something unpleasant to drink. He finally tells her what he's really come about. She explains that she's been visiting her sister and there's nowhere to park her car outside her sister's house.

Granville takes a fancy to a young lady petrol pump attendant. He bemoans the fact that he has to use a shop bike when he'd rather have a van to drive. He's also depressed about the fact that working all hours in the shop doesn't leave him any time for a social life.

This pilot was shown as part of Ronnie Barker's 1973 series "Seven Of One".

Episode 1 (20 FEB 76)
Full Of Mysterious Promise

Miserly Arkwright decides to save some money on new stock by buying a job lot of 'damaged' tinned food. The damage takes the form of an absence of labels on all of the tins. Arkwright tries every trick he can think of to unload them on his customers.

Also appearing:
Kathy Staff, Peter Wallis, Gillian McClements, John Lawrence

Episode 2 (27 FEB 76)
A Mattress On Wheels

Granville tries to talk Arkwright into buying a van for deliveries. Granville doesn't mind what sort of van it is, as long as there's room for a mattress in the back.

Also appearing:
George Innes, Juliet Cooke, Harry Markham, Jean Heywood, Barbara Keogh

Episode 3 (5 MAR 76)
A Nice Cosy Little Disease

Arkwright thinks that District Nurse Gladys Emmanuel is neglecting him. He racks his brains to think of a 'nice cosy little disease' that he can pretend to contract, so Gladys will have to 'minister' to him.

Also appearing:
Clare Kelly, Graham Armitage, Juliet Aykroyd, Barbara Keogh, Tony Aitken

Episode 4 (12 MAR 76)
Beware Of The Dog

An attempted burglary persuades Arkwright that the shop needs a guard dog ... or perhaps the sound of a guard dog will do?

Also appearing:
Shirley Steedman, Kevin Moreton

Episode 5 (19 MAR 76)
The Well Catered Funeral

Arkwright's old friend P-P-P-Parslow dies suddenly. That makes Arkwright stop and think for a moment, but then he realises that there's a profit to be made providing the food for the wake. After the funeral, Arkwright encourages Granville to "get out more", but only so he can pursue Nurse Gladys Emmanuel.

Also appearing:
Kathy Staff, Reginald Barratt, John Challis

Episode 6 (26 MAR 76)
Apples And Self Service

Arkwright has overstocked with apples, so he starts a sales drive to get rid of them. He also decides to reorganise the shop to provide a "self service area".

Also appearing:
Madge Hindle, John McKelvey, Michael Redfern, Edna Dore