List of Are You Being Served? episodes

A reorganization within the store forces the staff of the Gentlemen's Ready-To-Wear Department to share their floor space with the Ladies Department. Mrs. Slocombe, head of the Ladies, and Mr. Grainger, head of the Gents, immediately come to loggerheads over control of the centre floor display. Mr. Grainger refuses to take down his trousers and put Mrs. Slocombe's underwear in its place. Undaunted, she goes over his head to Captain Peacock, and then to Mr. Rumbold. Guest starring Michael Knowles.

Filmed:May 1972

Mr. Lucas tries to salvage his bad day at work by sending a love note to Miss Brahms, whom he addresses as "Sexy Knickers," asking her to meet him after work. His attempt to deliver the note to Miss Brahms is unsuccessful, and when he tries to retrieve it, he is thwarted by Captain Peacock. Captain Peacock intercepts the note and hands it to Mrs. Slocombe unread, setting off a succession of misunderstandings.

Sales figures for the department are falling, and Mr. Rumbold insists the staff stay behind after the store closes to learn about sales technique. Mr. Rumbold suggests that Mr. Lucas "smile more" in an effort to help boost his sales figures, but the junior's half-hearted implementation seems to have the opposite effect.

Due to a transport strike, the staff are forced to stay in the store overnight. They decide to make the best of the situation by appropriating tents from the sporting department and camping in the store. After struggling to erect their tents, and debating sleeping arrangements, the staff talk and sing over an electric camp fire. Guest starring Colin Bean and Pamela Manson.

The sales staff are upset when Grace Brothers hires an attractive outside saleswoman (Joanna Lumley) to demonstrate a new unisex line of perfume, "His and Hers". Sales of the perfume cut into the staff's commissions, and when they discover that the saleswoman is giving away freebies with every purchase, the staff comes together and successfully sabotage the perfume stand. The saleswoman quits, but the staff learns that they have, in effect, bitten the hand that feeds them and must now sell the perfume themselves.

On the day they get their meager wages, the staff search frantically for a diamond lost in the store by a customer who is offering a £100 reward for its return. Though they initially all agree to split the reward between them should any one of them find the diamond, greed washes over everyone, and when each believes they have found the missing stone, plots to cheat one another out of the reward money are hatched. Guest starring Janet Davies and Elizabeth Larner.

As Mr. Grainger celebrates his 65th birthday, all the staff wonder whether he'll get the traditional cuckoo clock that means he is being retired. In the evening, the staff and Mrs. Grainger have dinner and Mr. Rumbold tells Captain Peacock that Grainger is being given the cuckoo clock. However, Young Mr. Grace makes a late appearance and gives the clock to himself and gives Mr. Grainger another five years. Guest starring John Ringham.

Due to fuel reserves being in short supply, Grace Brothers turn off the central heating, despite it being bitterly cold. While Mr. Rumbold secretly uses an electric fire, the floor staff use other methods to keep themselves warm until Captain Peacock finds out and takes all the devices to Mr. Rumbold's office. In an attempt to hide the electric fire, Mr. Rumbold's office is set on fire. It is put out by Mr. Lucas.

After being down by £600 last week, Mr. Rumbold forms a "think tank" to come up with ways to increase sales. Captain Peacock suggests a fashion show, for which Mr. Rumbold then takes the credit. When this is performed, with the staff as the models, in front of Young Mr. Grace, he doesn't like it and suggests a sale.

Shoplifting is on the increase, so Mr. Rumbold decides to get CCTV installed and recruits Mr. Clegg, formerly of CID, who searches the staff as they leave. Using the CCTV from his office, Rumbold can watch everyone, and he soon catches all the staff doing things they shouldn't. After being confronted, the staff come up with a plan to make Mr. Rumbold get rid of the cameras.

Young Mr. Grace decides to have the whole store redecorated and will close the shop for two weeks in August. The management hope the staff will take their holidays during this time and offer them £5 "inconvenience money". When the staff refuse this, Young Mr. Grace offers them a choice of destinations which he will pay for them to go to. The choices, however, leave a lot to be desired. Guest starring John Clegg.

One of the directors is retiring from the Board due to ill health, and Mr. Rumbold is being considered for the position. If he gets the position, Captain Peacock will take over from him, and Mr. Grainger and Mrs. Slocombe both want to replace Peacock. Meanwhile, Mr. Humphries reveals he can read palms and when he reads Captain Peacock's it leads the staff to believe he and Rumbold will both be promoted, while Mrs. Slocombe's palm says she will have a man at her feet.

The staff are called to an early morning meeting to decide on ways to boost Christmas sales figures. However, Young Mr. Grace has already decided that all the floor staff will have to wear novelty costumes, something which none of them are too happy about.

Filmed:November 1975

First appearance of Doremy Vernon as The Canteen Manageress

Grace Brothers decide to open at 8.30am in order to attract customers on their way to work. The idea is a great success with takings up, but by the afternoon the floor staff decide to make sure takings are the same as the Monday before to avoid having to come to work at 8.30 every day, so they try to put people off buying things. Guest starring Reg Dixon and Gordon Peters.

Young Mr. Grace wants the Ladies' and Men's Wear department to form a ballroom dancing team to enter the national Golden Shoes Competition, and when a financial reward is offered all the staff are happy to take part. During rehearsals, Young Mr. Grace watches them to decide whether they are good enough. First appearance of Mr. Harman

When Mr. Rumbold goes to Swansea for a month-long sales seminar, Mr. Grainger is placed in charge, much to Captain Peacock's annoyance. Mr. Grainger soon makes himself very unpopular because of the way he runs the department. However, very soon Mr. Rumbold comes back as the hotel in Swansea has flooded and everyone ignores Mr. Grainger.

Young Mr. Grace warns Mr. Rumbold that there will be a fire drill but refuses to tell him at what time. Meanwhile, an Arab Emir arrives in the department wishing to buy a pair of trousers for one of his wives, but no one is allowed to touch her, so measuring her proves difficult. While they are completing the sale, the fire alarm goes off and the staff response means they all have to stay behind that evening and practice what to do if there is a fire.

Mrs. Slocombe reminds everyone that her birthday is approaching, and the rest of the staff work out that she will be 50. They then buy her a present and practise singing "Happy Birthday", and Mr. Humphries has a special cake made. However, when the cake is revealed and it says "50" Mrs. Slocombe is horrified. Mr. Harman also unveils the "If you want to get a head get a hat" promotional mannequin which only works properly when the "Flexi-Girdle Corporation" display works. Guest starring Tony Sympson and Mavis Pugh.

Both Captain Peacock and Mr. Rumbold's secretary Miss Hazelwood are late, and it is rumoured that they are having an affair. It is revealed that the staff have suspected them of having an affair since the Christmas party. Mrs. Peacock (played by Diana King) arrives at the store, as does Miss Hazelwood's father, and an inquiry has to be held after both Mrs. Slocombe and Mr. Grainger are attacked due to several misunderstandings and Captain Peacock explains what happened between him and Miss Hazelwood.

Grace Brothers decides to have electric Father Christmas models, but this is soon cancelled when they go wrong. Young Mr. Grace then decides to offer £50 to a member of the department, including Mr. Rumbold, to dress up as Father Christmas and give gifts to the children. Young Mr. Grace gets a young boy to decide which one of the staff will be Father Christmas. Meanwhile, Mr. Grainger is worried about his annual performance to entertain the residents of an old people's home.

Grace Brothers decide to make an advert, set in a cocktail bar, to increase sales. This is filmed in the department using the staff as actors and with Mr. Humphries as the director. Meanwhile, Mr. Humphries and Mrs. Slocombe have been chosen to be made into life-size models to represent the average man and woman in the street. Guest starring Ferdy Mayne.

The staff return from their holidays, and Mr. Tebbs has replaced Mr. Grainger as Head of Men's Wear. After Captain Peacock returns sounding like Donald Duck and Mr Lucas with burnt feet, the staff are soon told that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are making an official visit to the borough, and they might be coming to Grace Brothers. The staff rehearse what to do if the Royal couple visit and on the day they all dress up in their finery and then watch them in the street below from Mr. Rumbold's office window. Unfortunately, just as it appears the Queen and Prince Philip might be about to enter the store, Mrs. Slocombe accidentally knocks a plant pot off the window ledge which narrowly misses the Royal couple, who get back in their car and speed away from the scene as quickly as possible!

Filmed:29 October 1978

The staff are offered a room in the basement that they can turn into a social club. Young Mr. Grace says he will spend up to £300 on decorating it, so when the decorators give their estimate as £500 so the staff offer to do the job themselves and pocket £50 each. However, the job soon proves more difficult than they first thought. Guest starring Mavis Pugh.

Mrs. Slocombe becomes engaged to a Greek man called Mr. Metaxas, and her wealthy American uncle Wendal P. Clark (played by Norman Mitchell) has offered to pay for the reception and will buy the couple a house as a wedding present. However, on the morning of the wedding, the best man (Gorden Kaye) brings bad news: The groom is already married, and his wife has demanded that he return home to Greece. The staff, hoping to help Mrs. Slocombe, decide to fake the wedding ceremony right in the store, with Mr. Humphries as the "groom" and Mr. Tebbs playing a Greek Orthodox priest. Guest starring Felix Bowness.

After continuing falling sales, it is decided that one of the floor staff will have to be made redundant and the management decide to let the staff decide which of them it will be. After a secret ballot, which results in everyone except Mr. Humphries getting one vote, the staff gather at the store on the weekend to battle it out. However, Young Mr. Grace announces that the cutbacks have been cancelled and that he is giving himself a three-day week instead.

A stall to sell "Bliss" perfume has arrived on the floor, but because of the thick fog, the Bliss salesgirl has not arrived. It is then decided that Mr. Humphries should sell the perfume instead so he is then made to staff the stall. This means that the Menswear Department is undermanned, so Mr. Rumbold orders a furious Captain Peacock to work the menswear counter instead of Mr Humphries. Guest starring Jan Holden and Bernice Adams.

It is Young Mr. Grace's birthday, and the staff sing the traditional birthday song for him and enjoy the traditional free lunch. They later rehearse their cabaret performance for Young Mr. Grace's birthday party, a ballet called The Ballet of the Toys. A professional cabaret troupe will also be performing at the party, and when the troupe arrives, it turns out they themselves will be performing The Ballet of the Toys, which forces the staff to go to Plan B.

When Mr. Tebbs retires, Mr. Humphries and Mr. Lucas are both promoted, so Mr. Rumbold and Young Mr. Grace advertise for candidates for the junior position. After an applicant that lives in a packing case in Covent Garden and another that Mr Humphries dislikes the staff decide to go home. Suddenly, Mr Goldberg, a gifted salesman with an endearing personality, immediately makes himself popular with all the staff, except with Captain Peacock, whom Mr. Goldberg says he used to know. First appearance of Mr. Goldberg

The staff gets the opportunity to participate in a lucrative group insurance scheme that will land them all sizable pensions upon retirement. Unfortunately, they must first pass through a physical examination. In an effort to shape up without spending too much money, Mr. Humphries enlists his former ballet instructor. After their physicals, they retreat to Young Mr. Grace's office to learn the results, and what they hear shocks them. Guest starring Amanda Barrie and Joy Allen.

Mrs. Slocombe is rendered temporarily homeless after squatters invade her new flat. After her co-workers fail to provide accommodation, Young Mr. Grace allows her to move into the store's Furniture Fitting Department on the top floor. Mrs. Slocombe turns the floor into a cosy home-from-home, but her space is soon invaded when a transport strike forces the rest of the staff to move in too. Guest starring Jeffrey Holland.

Mr. Rumbold is taken ill because of food poisoning and Young Mr. Grace appoints Mrs. Slocombe to take his place temporarily . Clearly relishing her new role, Mrs. Slocombe holes up in Mr. Rumbold's office, descending to the commoners only to flaunt her executive status. However, when sales in the Ladies' Department begin to skyrocket in her absence, Mrs. Slocombe fears that she'll be given the boot once Mr. Rumbold gets back. A homemade meringue in Mr. Rumbold's desk, however, changes everything. Guest starring Avril Angers.

Favourite episode of Mollie Sugden, repeated on 18 July 2009 as part of a tribute two weeks after her death on 1 July.

Mr. Franco of the Sports Department uncovers an embarrassing secret about Captain Peacock and spreads gossip among the entire department store. To save face, Captain Peacock's colleagues urge him to challenge Franco to a boxing match. At the last minute, however, Captain Peacock withdraws and Mr. Humphries steps in to defend Captain Peacock's honour — in a hastily improvised wrestling match. After a terrifying match, Mrs Slocombe saves the day. Guest starring Jackie Pallo.

After the staff complain once too often about the food and service in the canteen, the caterers issue an ultimatum: present them with a written apology or staff the canteen themselves. To preserve their dignity, they choose the latter option, but very quickly find the subtle art of cookery quite challenging.

Mr. Goldberg is running a lucrative side business recruiting his colleagues for higher-paid sales positions in competing department stores. When Mr. Humphries and Mrs. Slocombe receive offers for the job of their dreams, Mr. Rumbold and Captain Peacock struggle to find a way to make them stay, without actually giving them rises. Guest starring Jeffrey Segal.

The Gentlemen's and Ladies' departments become pariahs when they choose not to take part in a company-wide strike. In an attempt to regain favour, the departments stage a life-sized Punch and Judy show to entertain everyone. Mr. Humphries directs, Mr. Lucas and Miss Brahms play the title roles, Captain Peacock plays The Devil, Mr Goldberg plays the red cheeked butcher and Mrs. Slocombe brings convincing masculinity to the role of policewoman.

Mr. Goldberg and Mr. Lucas are replaced by Mr. Grossman and Mr. Spooner, and Young Mr. Grace steps down, handing over the reins to his older brother, Old Mr. Grace. Meanwhile, Mr. Humphries contracts a rare tropical malady known as "Marine's Disease", and the entire staff are quarantined in the basement to prevent the infection from spreading. Guest starring John D. Collins.

Filmed:3 April 1981

Captain Peacock's marriage is on the rocks again, but this time, it is Mrs. Peacock who is guilty of philandering. After Mrs Peacock starts work as Mr Rumbold's new secretary, the cuckolded Captain Peacock suspects his wife's mysterious lover is none other than Mr. Rumbold, he goes to great lengths to make sure he catches them in the act. Guest starring Jack Haig.

Old Mr. Grace decides to publish an in-store magazine and appoints Mr. Humphries as its editor. Mr. Humphries finds himself up to his neck with the gossip column, but his greatest challenge proves to be ensuring the staff bonuses by orchestrating a beauty contest with Miss Brahms as the ringer. When Miss Brahms refuses, Mrs. Slocombe "sacrifices herself for the sake of the department" and fills in, but ironically it's Mr. Humphries (as Miss Do-It-Yourself) who takes first place: he wins a weeks holiday on Old Mr. Grace's yacht, much to his displeasure.

Sales at Grace Brothers are getting incredibly low, so Old Mr Grace decides to either cut the staff's wages by 10%, or move them into the bargain basement. The staff are so annoyed, they come into work late and hold a roof top protest. After failing to write a slogan on the wall of the store, their protest is quickly cut short as a fire breaks out in the store.

Filmed:24 April 1981

Mr Klein takes over from Mr Grossman as head of the menswear department. After seeing an old photograph of Mr. Humphries's mother, Old Mr. Grace thinks that Mr. Humphries may be his long lost son and heir to the store,so Mr. Humphries' mother (played by John Inman) is called in to settle the matter once and for all.

Filmed:1 May 1981

Grace Brothers decides to advertise on television and while Miss Brahms is the face of the advert, Old Mr. Grace's nurse is the voice. When the wealthy Lord Hirly, sees the advert, he falls in love with the voice, which means that when he invites Miss Brahms out to dinner, she and the staff have to attempt to make him believe that Miss Brahms has the nurse's voice. Their plan is short lived after Old Mr Grace and his nurse arrive at the restaurant. Guest starring Gorden Kaye and John D. Collins.

Mrs. Slocombe is repeatedly having erotic dreams about Mr Humphries and becomes increasingly fond of him, and showers him with presents. The obsession soon drives her to alcoholism, and it is decided that to cure her Mr. Humphries must show her attention when they attend a ballet concert that night. Guest starring Jack Haig and Rusty Goffe.

It is Old Mr. Grace's birthday, and the department want to bring a musical tribute to the Grace family. Mr. Rumbold's brother Mycroft (also played by Nicholas Smith in a double role) then sets out to trace the Grace family tree, which leads to Wales, Scotland, Somerset and, ultimately (apparently), deepest Africa.

Mrs. Slocombe decides to sell her home-made perfume to increase sales. It has to happen under the counter since Mr. Rumbold would never approve of this, and what is more, the perfume seems to have some quite extraordinary qualities. Unfortunately, one of them involves threatening the Peacocks' already fragile marriage. First appearance of Miss. Belfridge

Mr. Humphries is becoming frequently late for work, and it is soon revealed that an argument with his mother has forced him to move out. When money then goes missing from the till, Mr. Humphries is accused of theft and Grace Brothers put him on trial. With Captain Peacock acting as the prosecutor, Mrs. Slocombe as Mr. Humphries' defender, and Miss Belfridge being removed from the jury for being "biased", it's a trial to remember. Mr. Humphries is found guilty and forced to resign, much to everyone's dismay. However, the missing money turns up at the back of the till, exonerating Mr. Humphries. To add to his sudden fortune, he makes up with his mother.

After all of his department are ill, Mr Walpole of the sports department is temporarily working on Mr Rumbold's floor. Mrs. Slocombe loses her memory after being hit on the head with a golf ball. She thinks that she is a little girl and it is indeed hard for the rest of staff, who want to hide her behaviour from Mr. Rumbold at all costs. By day's end, Mrs. Slocombe regains her memory and gets one of the in-stock fur coats as a peace offering. It turns out that she only lost her memory for a moment, but had faked the rest so that she could get her coat. Guest starring Ballard Berkeley and Jess Conrad.

For Grace Brothers, there may be a market in advertising on CB radio. The staff are asked to perform a radio show but they cannot agree on the plot. Mr. Harman's countryside tale is chosen instead, and the staff get to work on rehearsals. To their horror, the rehearsals accidentally get broadcast across London, prompting censorship threats and the wrong type of people coming to Grace Brothers. Guest starring Nosher Powell and Ron Tarr, with voices of Vicki Michelle and Robbie Coltrane.

The staff had been promised a large pay-rise, but when they hear that they are not going to get it, they decide to go to 10 Downing Street to protest to the Prime Minister. Meanwhile, a monkey has escaped from the Pet Department and is hiding in the lift shaft. Guest starring John D. Collins and Jan Ravens.

Mrs. Slocombe's pet cat, Tiddles, has gone missing. Knowing how much she cared for the cat and fearing the worst, the staff decide to buy Mrs. Slocombe a kitten. Mr. Humphries is set to make the presentation, but Mrs. Slocombe misinterprets it as a marriage proposal and accepts, to the shock of everyone. Guest starring Norman Mitchell.

Staff above a certain age are to be made redundant, and this applies to Mrs. Slocombe. She refuses to leave Grace Brothers and becomes a cleaner. The staff want to get her back on the floor at all costs, especially when they discover she is to be replaced with the more-than-annoying Miss Featherstone. Fortunately, Mr. Humphries comes to the rescue as only he can, dressing up as an annoying female customer, prompting Miss Featherstone to leave. Mrs. Slocombe is reinstated but new regulations force Captain Peacock and Mr. Rumbold into lower positions.

Captain Peacock has serious marital trouble. A Miss Bagnold is completely infatuated with him and when she joins the Grace Brothers Accounts Department and Captain Peacock soon finds his position unbearable. He must choose whether he will stay with Mrs. Peacock or not, and is prepared to go to extreme measures to solve his problems.

The staff stay in late for stocktaking, but two robbers infiltrate the building and take Miss Brahms hostage. Captain Peacock and Mr. Spooner pretend to be police officers, but the robbers do not believe them. The only thing the robbers are afraid of is the vicious Gumby Gang, so Mr. Harman, Mrs. Slocombe and Mr. Humphries pretend to be Pa Gumby, Mad Ma Gumby and their son, Italian Tony.

The staff are finally paid their long-expected bonuses. When Mr. Harman tells them he knows of a horse that absolutely cannot lose that afternoon's race, they all bet their £100 bonuses on the horse. They want to watch the race on the television in Mr. Rumbold's office, but he catches them and throws them out. Mr. Harman tells them that they have lost their bonuses, but they can win them back by betting on another horse.

Mr. Grace gives the staff permission to use the department floor after hours to make more money for the store. It is soon decided to set up a night club with food and music. Mr. Humphries has a friend in the local cinema who will broadcast a promotional commercial for the "Club Rendezvous". But when the staff are all at the cinema (which shows films of questionable taste) and the film is about to be broadcast, there are some technical problems and the promotion is reduced to sound-only.

In response to the staff's complaints about rising transportation costs, Mr. Grace offers the overnight use of some penthouse apartments above the store. However, the staff's patience with each other is pushed to its limit when they have to live together as well as work together, especially when Captain Peacock tries to bring Miss Belfridge along. Crying babies, a hideaway bed, plastic flowers and a beanbag all add to the misery.

Just when it looks like his career at Grace Brothers is finished, the perennially tardy Mr. Spooner finds the rest of the staff competing for his favour after a record company offers him a contract after a brilliant performance at the Department Store Annual Concert. They are all jockeying for parts as backing singers, but are worried that Mr. Spooner's voice will not hold out. On the local television show, their fears are confirmed, resulting in a finale filled with lip-synching and faulty sound equipment.