The sales staff of the defunct Grace Brothers move to the hotel they inherited.

The staff's first full day at the lodge proves more complicated than they expected.

At breakfast, Mr. Moulterd show the gang that they are front page news in the paper, which they find somewhat disgraceful. When it's time to go into town to attend Mrs. Slocombe's trial for speeding and stealing a horse cart, Miss Lovelock offers Captain Peacock to drive him on her motorbike. After he has been reminiscing of yesteryear about racing with the bike, they both try it once around the yard - which makes Peacock decide to ride with the others, on the pig cart, instead. However, Mr. Rumbold rides with her on the bike, all dressed in leather with boots and rivets. When they arrive in court, the magistrate mistakes him for someone belonging to Hell's Angels and orders him out of the room. Various persons are called to the stand as witnesses, but their different attempts to help Mrs. Slocombe rather seem to work in her disadvantage. In the end, it's the rough Mr. Moulterd who saves the day, when presenting the magistrate (who also happens to be a lord), with a pheasant, shot on his lands by the cart owner. The case is dismissed. When they have all returned to the manor and intend to go to bed, Mrs. Slocombe and Miss Brahms are disturbed by Captain Peacock doing yoga and Mr. Humphries tries to bolt his door, in order for Miss Moulterd not to come and sleep in his bed. However, she simply enters the room through the other door and soon crawls into bed beside him.

On the morning after Mrs. Slocombe's trial, there are complaints that Captain Peacock has been using too much hot water for his bath. Secondly, Miss Brahms makes several sarcastic remarks about his interest in Miss Lovelock. However, other matters soon arise. As Mr. Rumbold announces that some Americans are coming to stay for the weekend, different chores are divided between the gang and they carry them out to various success. Mr. Humphries helps Mavis with clearing out the drains, Mrs. Slocombe and Miss Brahms hang the bed sheets out to dry (only to have them run over by Mr. Moulterd on his tractor) and Captain Peacock utterly fails to control the ride-on lawn mower, making a big hole in the hedge. As a result, none of them are very cheerful at lunch and the other chores (vacuum cleaning and "teasling" the laundry) do not help improve their temper. The good news is, there are two staff applicants to be interviewed, one chamber maid and one cook. However, after the gang have interviewed them and found out they cannot employ them, their temper sinks again. As a result of their bickering, Mavis decides they won't have any supper - except for Mr. Humphries, whom she has come to like more and more.

In the afternoon after the gang's ordeals with their different chores, Mr. Rumbold announces that some Americans are coming to stay at the hotel the next day. Secondly, there is a photographer coming in the evening to have the staff's picture taken. The problem with both these situations is, that they have no staff, since Mr. Rumbold "accidentally" fired them earlier during the week. As they look at the picture of the staff on an old brochure, they find out that they themselves resemble the old staff and eventually, after some discussion, decide to play the staff when the picture is taken and possibly also when the Americans arrive. After some initial trouble, the photographer can finally take the picture. However, at the next moment Miss Lovelock walks in and points out that she has stayed in many hotels and is capable of telling whether they'll meet the standard of hotel staff or not. She makes quite a few rearrangements as to who will play which part. In the evening, there's a thunderstorm raging and all electricity goes. When Mrs. Slocombe's cat goes missing, they all wander around in the dark, trying to find it, while it seems that the legend of the ghost, who is said to wander about during such stormy nights, is more than a legend, when several of them are frightened by it.

The Americans have arrived and the gang really have to put their backs into it in order to provide for their every need. Mr. Humphries even has to milk the cow in order to get milk for Miss Brahms's baking. At lunch, Mr. Frobisher arrives with a check for half of the sum the Americans will pay for their visit. The other half will be paid when they, and particularly their "tour leader", are completely satisfied, which will be when they have experienced the service in the local country church and the "harvest thanksgiving dance". The service goes very well, but before they can perform the dance, they must salvage on of the guest's false teeth, which are nearly eaten by a goat. As in the afternoon, the rain starts pouring down, the episode ends with whole gang performing the dance indoors.