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Documentary following Mark Jenkins two years after he was forced to sell his own hotel, the Grosvenor. Back in Torquay and alongside ex-colleague Alison, the former hotelier takes on the new role of entertainments manager at the 90-bed Cavendish Hotel. With its leaking roof and struggling finances, owners Vicky and Andy have agreed to take on Mark in the hope that he can save the family business. However, for a man who has been his own boss since the age of 19, keeping him in line could prove challenging
Mark secretly announces to the press that in 48 hours' time the Cavendish will make a record-breaking attempt to bake Britain's biggest scone. However, the news is out before the entertainments manager has asked for permission or told head chef Gerry that he will be responsible for preparing the giant cake. And hotel owner Vicky is convinced it's all a recipe for disaster, because baking - on any scale - is not Gerry's forte. Meanwhile, love is in the air among the guests, as reformed rock `n' roller Damien plans a romantic proposal and 15-year-old Wes practises his chat-up lines
Mark plans a Scottish-themed evening for a coachload of Scottish guests. But can he get bar manager Mike and the Cavendish's bosses onside? And do the guests really want battered Mars bars?
Halfway through his mission to bring holiday sparkle to Torquay's struggling Cavendish Hotel, Mark focuses on improving customer service, starting in the dining room, but acerbic head waiter Paul presents a challenge. Meanwhile, Matt Ryan has brought his eight-year-old daughter to spend time with his girlfriend Amanda and her two kids, as a dry run to test out life as a blended family. And when Mark finds out the guest is a three-time Olympic gold medallist, he goes all out to impress him
Mark decides to bring Torquay's Gay Pride to the Cavendish, hoping the event will be highly profitable, but to guarantee a big crowd he needs to book a headlining celebrity. With just a few hours to go, the entertainments manager's old friend Alison finally manages to sign up cagefighter Alex Reid - the problem is, the star is five hours away in Doncaster. Guests at the hotel include busy working parents Russ and Kath, looking to let their hair down, and the Bailey family from Cheshire, who arrive off the motorway with tempers already frayed
It's high season at the hotel, but Mark has hit a low, fearing he isn't making enough money and worried that he's running out of time. To get his mission back on track, he comes up with `Carnage at the Cavendish', a wrestling spectacular he hopes could turn the hotel into a centre for the sport. And the entertainments expert also wants bar manager Mike to start running events of his own, so Mike quietly gets on with plans for a 1970s night
Mark wants to make the Cavendish more child-friendly and thinks a family fun day will help him achieve his goal. He asks general manager James to take charge of the event, hoping the task will make him more decisive in his role, but with Hurricane Bertha on the horizon, boss Vicky suggests they cancel. Will James find the courage to overrule her? Meanwhile, Mark receives shocking news about his mum Stella
The summer season is over and it is time for entertainment manager Mark Jenkins to say goodbye to the Cavendish Hotel. However, he has more than hotel business on his mind as his mum Stella recovers from a stroke in hospital. Determined to 'go out with a bang', Mark plans to secure his legacy at the hotel and restore his reputation in Torquay with a lavish black-tie gala celebrating local family businesses like the Cavendish. Will he sell enough tickets before the gala commences? And has he achieved enough in the summer to ensure the struggling hotel has a future?
