Phil offers a compromise to bring Alistair in out of the cold; David is for, Ruth and Sam are against.

Radio Times: Jack goes down memory lane.

Characters: David, Lilian, Peggy, Phil, Ruth, Sam

• When Phil bumps into Sam, he gently probes about the new vet but Sam makes his excuses and evades the inquisition.
• Finding the front door open, Lilian walks in and finds Jack in the attic. He is seeking out wartime memorabilia for Peggy’s stall and finds an old Birmingham newspaper. When Peggy returns and also finds the door open, Lilian confesses to being the guilty party.
• David and Ruth were missed at the single wicket competition; David thought it best not to spoil Shula’s big day. Phil turns the subject to the new vet; he has a compromise to put forward: use Stephen for technical support – a kind of consultant – but Alistair for everyday matters. David is not sure Alistair would buy that but he could ask. They would need Sam’s agreement.
• Lilian has really come to share her problems with her mother and Jack is despatched to make tea. He gets himself into a panic because he has lost the paper for the stall. Peggy ends up making the tea.
• Sam cannot see the sense in it – two vets will cause confusion: Alistair, not being a specialist, might not know when he needs to pass information on. But could Sam make it work? He would do his best but he doesn’t like it. David is for it but Ruth is against: they took the decision for business reasons and, fond as she is of Alistair, she thinks they just cannot do it.