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Private Notes
Tommo and Dave follow Mike and Ernie back to the factory. Emily plans a summer holiday abroad. Hilda is bitter that she hasn't got a colour TV. Eddie promises to get her one. Steve is embarrassed when the factory girls tease him about Suzie. Renee is flattered when Alf rings her from London. Ernie makes up the wages. Eddie gives Hilda a green and blue screen to put on the black and white TV. She thinks it's useless and refuses to have it. Tommo and Dave, with shotgun demand the wages from Ernie. He is in the middle of handing it over when Mike comes into the wages office. Tommo fires the gun and Ernie hits the floor. Mike calls an ambulance as he's still breathing.
Ernie is rushed to Weatherfield General. The police question Mike and force him to give accurate descriptions of the gunmen. Ernie undergoes emergency surgery. Ivy and Vera are in shock after Ernie's shooting. Emily returns from work to find the police in the Street. She realises something has happened at the factory. When Elsie breaks the news to her, she collapses. Betty takes Emily to the hospital. Mike blames himself, thinking he panicked the gunmen. A surgeon, Mr Liston, breaks the news to Emily that Ernie is dead.
The police question two men about the shooting. Mavis takes charge of Emily. Emily can't see any point in life going on. Reporters descend on the Street. Mike and Emily identify Ernie's body. Albert is surprised when his chiropodist is a woman, Sally Robson. Elsie lays on lunch for Emily and Ken. Emily can't eat anything but is grateful for their support. Emily's sister, Norah Seddon, arrives to sort Emily out but she isn't grateful.
Emily makes an effort to cope with Ernie's funeral. She is surprised by the amount of wreaths that arrive. Annie has a cold so she has to miss Ernie's funeral. As a mark of respect she doesn't open the Rovers until after the funeral. Norah Seddon, Ken, Bet, Betty, Mike, Ivy, Mavis, Ray, Elsie and Suzie help Emily bury Ernie. Suzie can't stop crying. Ernie's friend Rev Hope from the Mawdsley Street Chapel Mission conducts the service. Emily shows no emotion at the graveside. Ernie is buried in the family plot. Albert's foot keeps playing him up. Ivy breaks down at the funeral. Mike pays for the funeral and offers Emily any financial help. Bet is depressed after the funeral and tries to get the residents to get back to normal as soon as possible. Norah takes Emily home with her.
Hilda grabs Suzie's leg and tries to pull her down. She manages to keep hold of her shoe. She is horrified when a pigeon flies down from the hole into their bedroom. Stan weakly demands that Suzie pays for the damage to the ceiling. She puts on a limp and threatens to sue him for not having a safe ceiling. Ena is holidaying with the Lomaxes in Hartlepool. Fred offers to help Emily with any manual jobs now Ernie is dead. Hilda demands money for the ceiling but Elsie physically throws her out of the house. Emily sorts through Ernie's clothes to give to the Mission. She asks Mavis not to treat her like an invalid. She plans to return to work at the hospital. Hilda goes up into the loft and puts her broom through Elsie's ceiling to pay her back.
Len spends the night in a police cell. Rita regrets denying him to the police. Elsie celebrates her birthday. Ken, Mavis, Bet and Renee's mother and step-father Daisy and Joe Hibbert gather for Alf and Renee's wedding. Len tells Rita he can't believe she let the police arrest him. He has to attend court. Renee is upset that Len hasn't arrived at the Registry Office as he has the ring. Daisy offers her hers but it doesn't fit. Elsie receives a depressing letter which puts her off going to the Roberts' wedding. Len and Rita arrive just in time. Len and Bet witness the marriage of Alf and Renee by the registrar, Mr. Fearnley.
Clayton's Warehouse is gutted. Len worries about losing the penalty clause. Another supplier agrees to supply the material for cash. They wait for the insurance company to pay up. Steve, Fred and Eddie dress as babies and the race starts. The men have to drink a pint in eight pubs as fast as they can. Steve finds the drinking hard while Mavis finds it hard work pushing Eddie. They change places and go down the back alleys. Suzie and Steve win the race by a neck. Ena, as steward, reveals that Suzie drank half of Steve's last pint so they are disqualified and the Loftus' are proclaimed the winners. Mavis and Eddie's pram wheel buckles and they don't finish the course. Doug Clayton tells Len and Ray that the warehouse was insured, but not the contents.
Fred looks forward to taking the tenancy of The Mechanics on Commercial Road but needs a wife. He asks Betty if she'd take him on. She doesn't want to get married again. Len asks Alf to lend him £3,000. Alf tells him he hasn't got it; he's paid off Renee's mortgage and can't sell his house. Fred considers Bet as a wife and starts being nice to her. Len refuses to take more money out with The Kabin as security and tells Ray it's up to him to find the money and advises him to take a second mortgage out. Deirdre refuses to take out a bigger mortgage on No.5. She tells him there's no way Len or Rita will stand by and let the business collapse. Rita is furious with the Langtons. She reveals that she knows a rich man who once offered to lend her any money if ever she needed it. Len doesn't like the idea. Betty tells Bet that Fred is going to propose to her.
Alf tries to matchmake between Bet and Fred to get rid of her. Rita wants to borrow the money from old friend Eric Summers but Len refuses to entertain the idea of getting money from one of Rita's old "fancy men". Fred proposes to Bet. She tells him she'd have to love whoever she marries and turns him down. The loan officer at the bank says he'll have to refer the matter of a further loan to his boss, which Len is certain will result in a refusal. Rita arranges for Eric to come the house without telling Len. Len agrees to see him to get Rita off his back. Eric offers Len £3,000 at almost 30% interest, twice the rate as would a bank. Len tells him that he'd rather go bust than borrow money off of a loan-shark. Eric casually insults Len several times as he leaves. The bank agrees to lend Len £3,000, putting him £6,000 in debt. Fred goes wife-hunting.
Betty worries that Fred will get hurt whilst he looks for a wife. Hilda needs a new brush to clean the factory. Steve agrees to her having one. She puts a bill in for new cleaning equipment. Mike refuses to give any to her, thinking she'll use it all at home. Renee worries that Daisy Hibbert's having trouble at home with Joe. Alf thinks she's fussing over nothing. Fred's date stands him up. Hilda refuses to clean the factory until she gets new cleaning equipment. Len and Ray work overtime on the hotel job to meet the finishing date. Fred takes an interest in Alma Walsh when he discovers she isn't married. Mike accuses Hilda of cutting up her broom. She threatens to strike so he sacks her.
Alf talks Renee into visiting Daisy Hibbert. Ivy is appalled that Mike sacked Hilda. She feels that if he gets away with sacking her he could sack them all. Fred takes Alma Walsh out in the Rover. Ivy accuses Mike of victimisation. He accuses her of stirring. The Rover has a flat tyre and whilst Fred changes it, Alma chats him up. Ivy calls a union meeting. She tells Mike that the workforce demand Hilda's reinstatement. When he refuses she threatens to bring the factory out on strike. Renee goes to see Daisy, leaving Alf alone with Bet.
Steve tries to stop Ivy from calling a strike. Annie returns from the Health farm. Elsie returns from Birmingham to find a load of unpaid bills. Ida opposes the strike as Hilda isn't a member of the union. The majority of the factory girls agree to strike. Ivy is shaken when the union refuses to back the strike as Hilda is not a union member. Hilda is thrilled that the factory is on strike because of her. Mike accuses Ivy of striking to get at him. The girls walk out. Vera organises a picket line at the factory.
Steve tries to stop Ivy from calling a strike. Annie returns from the Health farm. Elsie returns from Birmingham to find a load of unpaid bills. Ida opposes the strike as Hilda isn't a member of the union. The majority of the factory girls agree to strike. Ivy is shaken when the union refuses to back the strike as Hilda is not a union member. Hilda is thrilled that the factory is on strike because of her. Mike accuses Ivy of striking to get at him. The girls walk out. Vera organises a picket line at the factory.
Alf is annoyed as Bet refuses to give him any privacy. Elsie looks for a job. When the pickets make too much noise, Alf and Bet appear at the same bedroom window to quieten them, causing embarrassment on Alf's part. Steve crosses the picket line to get into work. Mike doesn't want to miss an order so he sends the denim to London to be made up. The van driver refuses to cross the picket line so Steve has to get the denim out. Ivy catches him trying to leave with the van and gets the girls to block his path. She steals the van keys so he can't move it. Alf gets annoyed as people talk about him living with Bet. He sleeps at his old house. Mike and Steve man the sewing machines but can't do the job properly. Elsie changes her name back to "Tanner".
Bet tells Alf he did the wrong thing sleeping at the old house; Renee will think they've been up to something. Suzie and Gail discover that if the strike affects sales at the Western Front through shortages then one of them might lose their job. Renee returns a day early. Hilda can't cope without the factory money. Suzie and Gail cross the picket line to get stock for the shop. They are mobbed on their way out and have the denim taken off them. Ken tells Renee that Alf was driven to sleeping in the old house because of Bet.
Alf tells Renee he moved out to stop people talking about him and Bet. She tells him it was the worst thing he could have done; now people will think something was going on. Hilda goes for a job cleaning the offices at the Abattoir. Mike plans to switch the important orders to another firm, Cottams. Ida tells Renee that she saw Alf and Bet in their nightclothes at the same bedroom window. Hilda gets the Abattoir job but feels guilty as the girls are still striking. Renee realises there's only one way to stop Bet's tricks. Fred takes Alma Walsh out again. Ivy tells the Union Rep at Cottams about the strike. She agrees that her girls won't touch the orders. Renee tells Bet to find somewhere else to live. Mike decides to bring in non-union labour to finish the orders.
Emily sees Ena at the hospital and worries that something is wrong. Mike brings in blacklegs to make the orders up. Steve urges him to talk to Ivy and negotiate. Ena tells Emily she's having back trouble. Fred shelves the idea of his own pub and finishes with Alma Walsh. Ray is working so hard on the hotel job that he forgets his wedding anniversary. Ivy demands Hilda takes her turn on the picket. Emily worries about Ena's back and asks Eddie to try to help her. Ena tells Eddie her bed is causing her back trouble. Hilda leaves the picket line to go to work at the Abattoir. Mike brings the black legs in. Muriel Clough tries to stop them but fails. The pickets smash the van up and break a window demanding that the black legs leave.
The blacklegs refuse to touch the machines as they didn't know anything about the strike. Mike pays them to sit around and chat to make the pickets think they are working. Annie phones the police over the riot at the factory. The blacklegs fear the pickets will get them and refuse to stay in the factory. Annie lifts the ban on Eddie drinking in the Rovers. Ena refuses to ask the Social Services for a bed. The police make a clearing in the picket to get the blacklegs out of the factory. Eddie starts a collection to buy Ena a new bed. Mike tells Ivy he'll take Hilda back but refuses to pay the girls for the time they've had off. The girls vote to return to work. Mike offers Elsie her old job at the factory. She asks for time to think it over. She feels that the job belonged to Elsie Howard and she wants a fresh start for Elsie Tanner. Hilda is horrified that the strikers have gone back to work and she's got her job back. She worries that the factory girls will beat her up if she continues at the Abattoir so gives it up.
Bet looks for a new flat. Renee feels bad about it. Joe leaves Daisy Hibbert so Renee goes to visit her in Lancaster. Eddie and Emily collect £40 for Ena's new bed. She is touched but refuses to accept their charity. Albert suggests the residents replace Ena's bed with a new one so she can't object. Bet finds a flat in Gas Street but needs a cooker. Alf says she can have his old one. Elsie lands a supervisor's job in Salford. She doesn't know if she wants it or not; she wants to reassess her life. Eddie breaks into Ena's flat and leaves the money. She returns it. Emily gets Eddie to steal Ena's bed so she has to accept the money. Renee is upset as Joe has taken all Daisy's money. She feels that she'll have to let her have the flat. Alf is horrified at the thought.
Neither Renee nor Alf want Daisy Hibbert to live with them. Elsie decides to take the job at Spencer's sewing room. Emily is embarrassed as she, Ray and Eddie break into Ena's flat. They take Ena's old bed and replace it with a new one. Elsie tells Mike she might work for him or Spencer's. Alf and Renee decide to let Bet stay at the flat so Daisy can't move in. Elsie tells Mike she'll return to the factory but wants a £5 rise. He refuses the rise but is glad she's returning. Renee tells Bet she can stay. Bet doesn't let on she knows Daisy wants the room. Ena is thrilled with the bed but tells everyone she's contacted the police; her life savings were in the mattress. When the residents begin to panic she tells them she's only joking. Ray tells Len the hotel developers have gone bust. They've lost the £3,000 plus the profit.
With Hilda away for the day, Stan and Eddie decide to go to the races but need money. Workmen start work on the shop next to The Kabin, changing it into a tea room for Joe Dawson. Emily grows tired of working at the hospital, as she's carrying around the depression that has built up during the day. Dawson tells Rita he's a baker with a shop in Armitage Street - the new shop will be an outlet. Eddie and Stan offer to clean the windows at St. Margaret's Church. The vicar, the Rev A. Challenor, is grateful, thinking they're doing it out of charity. Rita works the grotty working men's clubs. Dawson decides not to tell Rita the shop is going to be a cafe.
Edith Tatlock arrives in Weatherfield to find out why Ken doesn't want Peter to return to Glasgow. Renee worries about the dampness in the wall. Ken tells Edith it's his responsibility to decide what is best for Peter. Ken believes it's more important for Peter to pass his exams than to be happy in Glasgow. Edith is forced to give in. Mike entertains a buyer and gets drunk. Elsie takes his car keys off him and gets Ron Mather to take him home in the taxi. Mike has no money to pay the fare but Ron trusts him. Edith tells Peter she's going back to Glasgow and it's up to him if he wants to return with her.
Mike suffers from a bad hangover. Edith Tatlock and Peter Barlow pack and plan to sneak off to the station but Peter wants to say goodbye to Albert first. Mike loses the order as the buyer goes elsewhere. Mike is furious. Ron Mather calls on Mike for his money. Mike refuses to believe he didn't pay him and accuses Ron of trying it on. Ken finds Edith and Peter with their packed bags. He tells them Peter is staying with him. Ron tells Mike he wouldn't bother fiddling him for £1.40. Mike pays up and is made to look stupid. Ken makes Peter see that for his own sake he should stay so Ken can supervise his re-sits. Alf decorates the living room, covering the damp patches. Hilda cadges the rest of the paint off Renee to use at No.13. Edith returns to Glasgow alone. Ken promises Peter it'll be alright and asks him to trust him.
Elsie and Gail both suffer from stomach complaints. Albert has a stomachache and blames it on Annie's beer. At the cafe, Janice gets fed up with Ray flirting with her. He asks her out, telling her Deirdre doesn't keep him in chains. He tells her he'll meet her that night. She isn't sure if he means it or not. Ray tells Deirdre his evening appointment is with a contractor. Annie is annoyed when all the customers who are ill say they ate pies in the Rovers. Albert accuses her of starting a food poisoning epidemic. Ray waits for Janice but she doesn't turn up.
Elsie receives tickets for the Miami Modes annual dinner and dance. Some of the factory girls are ill and Albert blames Annie's pies. Janice Stubbs tells Ray she thought he was joking about a date. They arrange another date. Annie discovers everyone is talking about her pies being off. Deirdre plans a night out with Ray but he says he's got overtime. Annie tells Joe Dawson that the pies she ordered from him are bad. Ray takes Janice to a pub, he tells her he fancies her and they enjoy each other's company. Eddie buys all the untouched pies off Annie at half price. Dawson gets to Annie first and buys them at full price. She tells him she doesn't want his pies again. Janice refuses to let Ray come into her flat but agrees to another date. Elsie invites Ron Mather to the dance. Ray feels guilty about two-timing Deirdre.
Deirdre worries that Ray is wearing himself out doing too much overtime. Elsie discovers Ron is often seen with another woman. Joe Dawson has his pies cleared by an analyst. Albert investigates the cause of the illnesses. Annie goes down with the stomach bug. Ray is nervous when he finds himself between Deirdre and Janice at the Rovers bar. Elsie tries to find out who Ron's other woman is. Suzie and Gail do a survey to see what all the ill people have eaten. They realise everyone bought something from Renee.
Renee is upset that everyone thinks the shop is full of germs. Elsie goes down with the illness again. The only thing she has eaten is salad. Everyone else ate salad too. Renee reveals she buys her salad stuff from Albert. Albert is confronted by Annie and Renee. He confesses to spraying his allotment with a new mixture. He then reads on the label that the food mustn't be eaten for seven days afterwards. Elsie is too ill to go to the dance so she and Ron stop in. Ray takes Janice out again. She takes him back to her flat.
Renee is upset that everyone thinks the shop is full of germs. Elsie goes down with the illness again. The only thing she has eaten is salad. Everyone else ate salad too. Renee reveals she buys her salad stuff from Albert. Albert is confronted by Annie and Renee. He confesses to spraying his allotment with a new mixture. He then reads on the label that the food mustn't be eaten for seven days afterwards. Elsie is too ill to go to the dance so she and Ron stop in. Ray takes Janice out again. She takes him back to her flat.
Emily returns from a painting and sketching holiday in Wiltshire. Dawn Sampson turns up at No.11 demanding to see Elsie about Ron Mather. She accuses Elsie of ruining their seven-year relationship and demands to know if they've danced together. Ray spends dinnertime in Janice's bed. Elsie struggles to keep a straight face as Dawn reveals she's Ron's dancing partner and thought she was a rival dancer. Len realises Ray has another woman. He tells him he's a fool. Joe Dawson tells a shocked Emily that Janice is seeing Ray.
Emily watches Ray and Janice at the cafe, willing her suspicions to be unfounded. Ron tells Elsie he is embarrassed when people know about his dancing. Emily sees Janice and Ray together in his van. Emily urges Janice to think of the consequences about her relationship with Emily. Deirdre lays on a romantic meal for Ray. Janice calls and tells him she needs to see him so he leaves the meal. Janice tells Ray that Emily knows about them. He tells her they'll have to lie low for a bit but he's not giving her up.
Peter is called for a medical for the Navy. Stan lets Eddie's mate Tiny Hargreaves use the window-cleaning handcart for £3. Steve takes Suzie and Gail to an all-night party. Ken doesn't like the idea of Peter being in the Navy but Albert thinks it'll be the making of him. Two thugs beat Ron Mather up after refusing to pay their fare. Elsie takes him in. Tiny returns the cart late at night. He arranges to use the cart the following day for £10 in advance. Elsie makes Ron stay the night.
Ron spends the night in Suzie's bed. As his taxi is parked outside, the neighbours think he spent the night with Elsie. Ken arranges for a Chief Petty Officer from the Navy to call about a Community Centre talk but it's really for him to talk to Peter. Stan and Eddie go to the races for the day. Hilda sees Tiny Hargreaves with Stan's cart and thinks he's stolen it. She takes it when he's not looking. Hilda and the cart are stopped by a Police Constable who find the cart is full of lead. CPO Henderson tells Peter he'll have to be useful to earn a place on board and that he'll have to pass exams to get in. He tells him that if he gets 'O' Levels in Physics, Maths and English he won't have to sit an extra exam. Ken tells Peter he's going to get his 'O' Levels and join the Navy. Peter agrees. Hilda tells Stan his cart has been impounded by the police.
Eddie and Stan don't tell Hilda that they lent the cart to Tiny Hargreaves but let her think he stole it. Stan tells the police he was at the races when they want an alibi as the lead is stolen. They keep the cart for fingerprints. Eddie realises his prints will be all over the cart. Deirdre refuses to let Ray sleep in her bed. Ken realises Peter wants to go back to Glasgow. Tiny tells Stan the cart was stolen and gives him £25 compensation. Eddie tells Stan that Tiny will kill them both if he finds out the truth.
Ray has enough of sleeping on the sofa. Stan and Eddie are forced to carry the ladders as they don't have the cart. Peter tells Ken he realises how difficult it must have been for him after Val died. Deirdre feels that everyone knows about Ray's affair and are talking about her. The police tell Stan they've checked his alibi and he's clear - he can also have the cart back. The police find Eddie's fingerprints on the cart. Stan says he hasn't seen Eddie for years. The police tell Hilda that Stan was at the races when the cart was stolen. She goes for Stan. Peter returns to Glasgow. Eddie is horrified that the police are after him and that Stan has ruined his alibi by saying he hasn't seen him. Ray accuses Deirdre of punishing him. She doesn't know what she wants from the marriage anymore.
The police search for Eddie - he sleeps rough. Hilda overhears him talking with Stan and worries that they're harbouring a criminal. The police find Eddie at No.13. Stan says that Eddie was with him at the races. Ray forgets to submit a tender for a Corporation job for £3,000. Len is furious as they've missed the submission date. Ron gives Elsie a brochure for winter holidays in Majorca and tells her he's got the tickets. She is furious that he takes her for granted. The police clear Eddie when his alibi checks out. The police stir things up by telling Hilda that Stan won £50 at the races. Len gets Mavis to help out at the Yard as Deirdre refuses to work; however Mavis can't cope with the system. Len realises the business is going downhill because of Deirdre's absence. He urges Ray to sort her out. Hilda gives Stan £10 so he can pay Tiny Hargreaves back the £25. Deirdre tells Ray she wants them to get away from the area. Elsie agrees to go to Majorca. The police demand an alibi from Eddie from when the lead was nicked from Farraday Street. Unfortunately his alibi is that he and Stan were window cleaning - in Farraday Street.
Deirdre feels that she will only be able to forget the affair if they move away. She says she's going with or without Ray. Elsie's passport is out of date so she has to get a temporary one. The police superintendent wants Stan and Eddie arrested for stealing the lead. Mavis can't cope with working for Len at the Yard. Ray tells Len he's ending the partnership. Len calls him an idiot. Elsie is nervous about being with Ron as she feels she doesn't really know him. They set off for Majorca. Hilda tells Eddie she won't have Stan arrested and that he'll have to tell the police who really stole the lead. Deirdre can't decide whether she wants to live in Canada or Australia.
Emily is upset to hear that the Langtons are emigrating; however they are looking forward to their fresh start. Mike tells Steve to entertain a buyer from Bradleys. They are both surprised when attractive Carole Gordon turns out to be the buyer. Steve takes her for lunch and falls for her, Mike tries to steal her from him but Steve insists on showing her the boutique. Blanche arrives to find out why the Langtons are emigrating. She accuses Ray of taking her grandchild away. Carole gives Steve a big order. Mike fancies Carole and hints that he would employ her. Deirdre lets Ray back into her bed as Blanche is staying.
Carole Gordon ups the order by 50%. Mike thinks she'd make a good sales rep. Blanche quizzes Emily and Len about the emigrating but no one will tell her the true reason. Jim Douglas, an old friend of Ray's, returns from working in Amsterdam. He tells Ray his firm have a plumbing contract going. Deirdre is forced to tell Blanche about Ray's affair. Blanche tells Ray she's going to do everything she can to stop Deirdre and Tracy leaving the country. She hits him across the face. Mike offers Carole a 10% rise if she'll work for him as sales rep. She agrees. Blanche urges Deirdre to leave Ray. Ray tells Deirdre they're going to Holland, not New Zealand, as he can get a job. Deirdre agrees to go to Holland.
The Langtons pack and sell No.5. Ken asks Mavis to help cater for thirty OAPs at the Community Centre. Deirdre can't face the farewell party Annie has laid on at the Rovers. Carole Gordon tells Mike she's staying at Bradleys as they've given her a better offer. Mike is glad as he wouldn't have been able to afford her and now has a promising relationship with her. Len presents Deirdre with a carriage clock at the party. Deirdre tells Blanche she's waking up again, like she did when she broke her engagement with Billy. She tells Ray she's not going to Holland.
The taxi arrives to take the Langtons to the airport but Deirdre is adamant she's not going. She feels a new start would make no difference; the marriage is finished as she can no longer trust Ray. Blanche urges Deirdre to try afresh in Holland. Deirdre feels a husband and a home aren't enough without love. Mike is pleased with having spent a romantic evening with Carole Gordon. Deirdre worries that Ray will take Tracy away from her but he realises Tracy needs her more than him. He tells Deirdre he's going to go to Holland. He leaves without saying goodbye to Tracy. Carole knows Mike is using her to be his inside person at Bradleys. She tells him she won't be giving him orders in that way. He tells her he'll see her around. She tells him Bradleys are opening a boutique which will be bigger than the Western Front. Len drives Ray to the bus station and promises to keep an eye on Deirdre and Tracy for him.
Elsie returns from Majorca. She enjoyed herself but refuses to tell the girls what the sleeping arrangements were. Ron is annoyed that they were followed everywhere by a man who fancied Elsie. Elsie is pleased that he was jealous. Deirdre misses Ray. Emily offers her financial help. Deirdre decides she won't return to the Yard but will have to find another job. Mike discovers the boutique doesn't make much money. He is annoyed at the girls' attitude to work. Steve warns Suzie that Mike is watching her movements. She isn't bothered. Mavis agrees to do the food for the OAP supper. Mike catches Suzie and Gail in the Rovers half an hour before they're meant to close the shop. He tells Steve he's going to close down the boutique.
To avoid paying redundancy, Mike plans to sack Suzie and Gail for unsatisfactory work before he closes the shop. Steve wants to warn the girls but Mike threatens to sack him if he does. Elsie tells Suzie to watch herself at work. Suzie tells her she'll never lose her job - she goes with the shop. Len asks Deirdre to return to the Yard. Mike finds the girls have closed early again. He tells them that they're fired.
Steve tells Mike he wouldn't have had to pay the girls' redundancy and could now be done for wrongful dismissal as he didn't give the girls any verbal or written warnings. Mavis decides to cook the OAPs coq-au-vin for the supper. Ena tells her the OAPs won't like it. Gail looks for a job but Suzie isn't that bothered. Steve tells them Mike should have given them a written warning and they've got grounds for claiming unfair dismissal. Harry Payne arrives to Elsie's surprise - he was her admirer in Majorca. Ron is annoyed. Harry invites them out for a Spanish meal. Ron refuses but Elsie accepts. Suzie and Gail accuse Mike of unfair dismissal and demand compensation, threatening him with a tribunal. Gail wants her job back but Suzie wants to take him to the cleaners. Mike tells them to sort out what they want. Mike is furious that Steve told the girls about the unfair dismissal. Ron tells Elsie he doesn't like her going out with Harry. He tells her to make up her mind between Harry or him.
Mike puts the Western Front on the market. Suzie and Gail decide they want compensation. They realise Mike sacked them to avoid redundancy payments but agree not to tell anyone if he gives compensation. Eddie helps Mavis out with the OAP supper when she cuts her hand. He leaves the pan on too long and the meal is burnt. Mavis decides she can prepare spaghetti in time. Elsie tells Ron it's up to her who she does or doesn't see. Eddie and Mavis beg ingredients from the residents to make the supper. Harry Payne gives Elsie flowers and asks her out again. Ron accuses Elsie of fancying Harry. The OAPs struggle with the spaghetti but they really enjoy it - they give Mavis three cheers. Mike and the girls settle on £100 each. Elsie tells Ron she likes him but she doesn't want him running her life.
The Ogdens celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary. Suzie and Gail take their redundancy money. Steve is hurt when Suzie accuses him of liking the power he wields. The Social Security cut Eddie's benefits from £13.50 to £8.45 because he keeps turning jobs down. Eddie stores a one armed bandit at No.13 overnight for a friend. Stan feeds it with money hoping to win the jackpot, not realising it was empty to begin with. Suzie and Gail decide to go to London to find their fortunes.
Hilda is horrified that Stan has put £1 of change into the fruit machine. She refuses to let it leave the house whilst it has their money. Stan feeds the machine with the gas and electricity money but still doesn't win the jackpot. The residents try to put the girls off London. Gail begins to worry that they're making a wrong move. Bet uses the fruit machine when she calls into No.13 for a catalogue and wins the jackpot. Hilda demands her £6 back but Bet says the money's hers as she won it. Eddie takes the machine away. The Ogdens can't watch television as Stan took the plug off and put it on the fruit machine so he could use it. The electric goes off and they haven't any money left for the meter - they have to sit in darkness. Gail gets cold feet about London so Suzie goes on her own.
Gail worries about Suzie's fate in London. Karen Barnes tells Ken she's illiterate and wants to be taught. Ron tries to make up with Elsie. Karen doesn't want to go to classes and asks Ken to teach her. He agrees when he sees she's desperate. Renee offers Gail a job at the shop over Christmas. Elsie is pleased when Ron calls. They go for a drink together. Emily and Betty plan to spend Christmas together. Eddie recognises Karen as having a husband in Risley.
Gail gets a letter from Suzie. Ken starts giving Karen Barnes lessons. Hilda thinks it's disgusting that Elsie has two men after her. Ken and Karen keep getting interrupted at the Community Centre so he takes her to No.1. Hilda tells Ron that Elsie is seeing Harry Payne behind his back. Harry calls when Elsie is out and Ron lets him think he lives at No.11. Harry gets the message that he is being warned off. Gail starts work at the Corner Shop. Ron lets Elsie believe he bought Harry's champagne. Eddie tells Ken that Karen's husband is on remand.
Deirdre feels lonely with only Tracy to talk to. The factory girls look forward to their Christmas Club money payout. Karen Barnes confirms to Ken that her husband Dave is in Risley. Albert accuses her of taking Ken for a ride. She wants to learn to write so she can send letters to Dave. Deirdre is upset when Ray rings to speak to Tracy. Club treasurer Eileen Tibson doesn't return from getting the £300 out of the bank. Ida, Ivy and Vera worry. Deirdre asks Len for more time to decide whether or not to return to work. Ivy calls on Eileen's house and finds she's disappeared with her kids and the Club money. The girls can't believe it.
Deirdre does some of the Yard work at home. Albert warns Ken that Karen Barnes fancies him. Ivy suggests the police are informed about Eileen Tibson's disappearance - the girls agree. Elsie talks them out of it as her kids will be affected. Hilda refuses to listen, planning to go to the police herself. Eileen turns up at the factory having spent all but £60 of the money. Ivy is shocked at her depressed state, Eileen tells her she's on valium. Mike tells Ivy it's up to her what happens to Eileen. Eileen offers to pay the money back weekly but Mike refuses. He replaces the missing money himself. He takes the money out of the bonuses without the girls' knowledge. Ray writes to Deirdre saying he needs money. He tells her either to join him or sell the house. She decides to sell the house. Ken reads a letter to Karen from Dave. In it Dave tells her that if Ken changes her, he'll "sort him out".
