Marjorie reluctantly explains to Roy what her decision to give up Nightingale Farm means for him.

Radio Times: Mrs Antrobus makes a decision.

Characters: David, Jill, Marjorie, Nigel, Roy, Ruth, Tom

• Roy is helping out with Marjorie’s breakfast because Hayley is not available. She had a late night last night too; he thinks people take advantage because she won’t say ‘no’. Of course he didn’t mean Marjorie.
• It seems that the Parish Council meeting, which David attended last night, went on very late, or did they perhaps repair to The Bull. Anyway he was impressed by the range of topics they cover. When Jill turns up to help with Spring cleaning at Rickyard Cottage, she confirm Ruth’s suspicions by letting slip that Alistair was in the pub celebrating moving into his new surgery.
• Marjorie has not eaten her toast and she needs to explain to Roy what is on her mind. She cannot live at home any more; she has gone on the waiting list for The Laurels. Roy is keen to see if they can help her more, so that she can stay, but he admits she has to do what is right; it is not going to be easy for them because she will have to sell the house to fund it.
• Jill is not impressed with the half-hearted start Kenton made on the Brookfield garden; she and Phil will try to lend a hand to get it up to scratch. Nigel cycles in, rather shaken after a brush with a huge lorry. Jill suggests he bends the ear of not-yet-elected Councillor David.
• Roy is still in helpful mode, painting Tom’s unit, and is being treated to a lecture on the economics of pork production. Tom eventually notices that he is a bit distracted and Roy explains about his bad news. He doesn’t know where he and his family will go; there is nothing to rent privately in Ambridge. They could go on the Council list but with few points they are not likely to get anything better than Meadow Rise and he is determined not to bring up Phoebe there.