The village shop’s future seems to be assured.

Radio Times: It’s time for some tea and tenacity – and a birthday treat for Joe?

Characters: Caroline, Clarrie, Hazel, Joe, Neil, Oliver, Peggy, Roy

• At Grey Gables, Caroline and Roy discuss the management arrangements to be put in place for the duration of her Italian trip. Oliver calls in saying that he’s seen Mike. Apparently his milk round is close to being sold. Roy comments that he thinks that Mike is becoming bored with life in Birmingham.
• Peggy wishes Joe a happy birthday as she heads to the village shop, on a mission to try to persuade Hazel to change her mind about the development. Hazel really is in no mood to listen. Peggy implores her to remember her father’s implied wishes with regard to retaining the shop as a community service. When this fails, she points out that she is obliged to honour the existing ten-year lease. Hazel is implacable. Peggy makes a final impassioned plea and begs her to reconsider.
• Clarrie finds Joe guarding his tomatoes from attack on the run up to the show. She tells him to come home and get his suit on in readiness for the Grey Gables party. He’s convinced that they can’t afford the bar prices until Clarrie assures him that it’s all “gratis”. Suddenly, Joe has nothing but praise for the Sterlings. He’s always believed them to be wonderful human beings!
• At Grey Gables, Caroline and Oliver discuss their future trip with Neil, though Oliver regrets being away when the village hall’s future will be under such intense discussion. Clarrie and Joe arrive and he tells of Peggy’s meeting with Hazel, and how miserable she looked when it finished. With glasses charged, Oliver proposes a toast to Joe on his ninety fourth birthday.
• At The Lodge, Peggy has a visit from Hazel. She confirms that the lease has a break clause, allowing her to develop the shop as she wishes. Peggy is downcast, but Hazel seems to have had a change of heart. Despite heavy expenditure on working up her plans, she has decided that she can well afford to keep the shop exactly as it is. It’s what her father would have wanted after all. Peggy is over the moon and celebrates by offering Hazel one of Christine’s ginger biscuits.