Inn For Trouble

After twenty five years' service with Belcher's Brewery, Alf Larkins is bitterly disappointed when the directors overlook him for the traditional long-service reward of becoming landlord of one of their pubs. His no-nonsense wife Ada tells them what she thinks of them and they quickly agree to let the Larkins run "Ye Earl Osbourne", a remote, near-deserted country pub.

Meanwhile, rival brewer Harold Gaskin has been tipped off about the development of a major new road that will bring hundreds of cars a day right past the establishment so offers to buy it. When Belcher refuses, Gaskin solicits the assistance of his nephew Percy, who lives not far away, to sabotage the Larkins' new stewardship of the pub by any means necessary!

Back at Ye Earl, the Larkins - Alf, Ada, son Eddie and son-in-law Jeff - arrive to take up their new position and find Silas, the potman, and a "ready made" boarder, Yvette - a young, attractive French artist. However, they quickly discover that the pub has no clientele whatsoever: it sits on a little-used route between two busier roads, with local villagers boycotting it as they don't like Belcher's beer. Having only arrived in the area a number of days prior herself, Yvette goes out walking and meets farm worker Bill - who she doesn't realise is actually the (somewhat hard-up) current Lord Osbourne!

Percy, meanwhile, tips off the local police constable and anti-alcohol crusader by the name of Sgt Saunders, to keep an eye on the Larkins, whilst paying off the decidedly dishonest Silas to help him undermine the new landlords' efforts.

Sadly there's still no sign of business picking up. Eventually Alf and Jeff develop successful schemes to create trade from diverted motorists, but Ada is frustrated at the locals' lack of interest. Heading into the village, she soon determines that Lord Osbourne is obligated, under an ancient statute, to supply beer, brewed on his estate to a secret recipe, completely free of charge for the locals four times a year - and it's so good they cannot bear to touch anything else!

Infuriated that anyone could besmirch the name of his beloved Belcher's, Alf gets in touch with his old London bar mates - the FLUIDS - and arranges a drinking contest between these Belcher's devotees and a similar group of locals who're smitten with "Ozzie's" brew.

It is against this backdrop that Harold Gaskin, still determined to buy the pub, and John Belcher both arrive to see what the current lie of the land is. Alf is desperate that his bosses don't find out about the consumption of Ozzie's on the premises, whilst Percy and Silas continue in their attempts to bring the Larkins down. And then there's Eddie and George, whose Scoutly attempts at water-divining have lead them right into Ye Earl's cellar...