Julia agrees to step in and Phil doesn’t like the conclusions in the Brookfield appraisa

Radio Times: Alan’s report arrives.

Characters: Elizabeth, Jill, Julia, Lynda, Phil, Ruth

• Ruth’s been to the clinic – and has received the all-clear. Although her good news is not matched by Phil – he’s recevied the report from Alan and must trawl through the wieghty tome.
• Julia’s serving in the shop (and seems to be convincing customers not to buy the tat, much to Elizabeth’s chagrin – every penny counts!) when Lynda comes in. Julia is not interested, but Elizabeth and Lynda both manage to flatter her ego, the production is vital, the shop can be managed. In the end, she agrees, she will give us her Katisha.
• Ruth’s been having fun shopping, but back at the farmhouse she gets the singing Christmas tree back … and when she leaves, Phil reports on the findings – and they don’t make happy reading. His recomendation is an expansion of the dairy herd (from 120 to 200 – extra quota means extra income and lower per cow overheads, but with 160k outlay), get rid of the sheep to make room and then to, possibly, turn the remaining land over to low-cost cereals managed by a constractor. This would mean no Bert and little for David. It’s certainly not the kind of farm Phil had envisaged, but it would mean a secure future. He doesn’t think he could go that far and Jill agrees – David would hate it, besides, it would turn Brookfield into such a depressing place …