Deborah loses her baby and, in addition to keeping an eye on her kids over the festive season, has to endure Arthur's childish pranks on Tom. Len and Wilf dress in drag to catch burglars disguised as Santa and an elf whilst Brewer raises eyebrows by announcing that he will be refereeing a female wrestling bout at the village Christmas extravaganza.

Phyllis' husband Harry returns to Ormston and she agrees to give him another chance. The pub is still in Harry's name, and he bets it in a poker game with Arthur. Deborah's cousin comes to town to give birth to a child that she wants to give up.

Helen becomes a trainee nurse just as the hospital welcomes its most demanding patient, Elizabeth Grimshaw. Tensions run high when a famous radio show arrives in Ormston, and Phyllis is upset as she heard that Harry has sold the pub to the brewery.

When Dennis Tyldesley arrives, Hubert Gough thinks that his much younger wife will run off with the mysterious man. However, Dennis reveals that he is in charge of building a new road that will run through the middle of the village.

Len and Linda's first foster child arrives and doesn't meet their expectations. Rita, a new barmaid, arrives with ideas to expand the pub, which the locals dislike. She leaves when Tom diagnoses her with a rare heart condition.

Tom discovers that Arthur plans to move to New Zealand and send old friend Donald Newman as his replacement. Eddie has a suspicious lump examined, and the villagers receive their eviction notices in advance of the new road building.

Donald Newman, Gilder's replacement, arrives and saves the life of a beautiful young woman. Deborah and Phyllis discover that the man behind the evictions and road scheme is London civil servant Mr. Ffotherington.

Mr. Ffotherington comes to Ormston, and Brewer and Mr. Boynton are suspicious of him. Wilf robs Jean's wedding dress fund to buy alcohol to drown his sorrows after Ivy's departure.

Ormston is united in its determination to win the annual inter-village Pub Olympics against Thursvale so they can use the hefty cash prize to buy Phyllis' pub back from the brewery.

Jean and Eddie finally get married. Wilf's ex-wife Violet turns up and he insists that he will not attend the wedding if she is present. Whilst Donald looks out for young orphan Niamh, Tom decides to visit his father.