Tom tells Brian of his Bridge Farm plan; Brian has other ideas.

Radio Times: Tom enters the dragon’s den.

Characters: Alice, Brian, Ed, Jennifer, Neil, Tom

• Brian is back and beset with problems: Matt is displeased about Will being spirited away and his main backer for a Ukrainian venture has pulled out. Alice appears for breakfast, bright and chirpy with no sign of a hangover this time.
• The same cannot be said of Neil! Doing the pigs this morning is an uphill struggle, so an offer from Ed to do it for him is too good to miss.
• Chris has called to look at Spearmint but takes the opportunity to invite Alice to his award ceremony next week: Ronnie has pulled out and Emma can’t go. Despite being third choice, Alice accepts.
• Neil feels much better after another hour’s kip – so much better that he makes Ed welcome in the house, offering him coffee. Ed has done a thorough job on the pigs and Neil’s thaw continues when he invites Ed to come for tea – also to spend the evening here with Emma.
• Brian is on the phone to a potential investor when Tom drops in to deliver his bombshell: he wants to move his business back to Bridge Farm and go organic again as part of the family bid to buy the farm; his parents have made their point of view very clear on the need to do this. Brian makes his position equally clear: he has baled Tom out and financed him; if Tom thinks he can just walk away, he can think again. The phone interrupts but, make no mistake, this conversation is not yet over.