Brian’s attempt to lobby BL board members is not going well.

Radio Times: David and Ruth forge ahead, and Brian tries to change hearts and minds.

Characters: Brian, Darrell, David, Martyn, Peggy, Ruth

• David and Ruth have had a shock: the new slurry storage system will cost £40k, twice what they had budgeted for. Ruth thinks they can still manage it; David is doubtful. He has a talk to the planners and the Environment Agency, neither of whom see any problem. So, they decide to go ahead.
• Brian is lobbying. He wants to meet Martyn Gibson for lunch, or just a drink; Martyn reluctantly agrees.
• Darrell is doing a plumbing job for Peggy, watched over by her cats. He insists on doing the work for nothing, in return for the kindness she has shown to his family. It kept him busy anyway, otherwise he would just have been at home; however, there is a little work coming his way, some of it from Amside.
• Brian does his best to persuade Martyn to support him on the dairy project but Martyn is seriously concerned about the adverse public reaction. He would be very sorry to see Brian step down as Chairman, which Brian feels he might have to do; indeed, he doesn’t think Brian should stake everything on the dairy. He will come to the Board meeting on Thursday; he will listen to Brian; he will listen to Andrew; then he will decide.