Ep 1. An Errand Boy by the Ear

Open All Hours season 3 episode 1 titled "An Errand Boy by the Ear" follows the life of Arkwright (Ronnie Barker) as he runs his corner store in Yorkshire, England. In this episode, Arkwright has found a new way to save money on staff. Instead of hiring a delivery boy, he comes up with the idea of using Granville (David Jason), his nephew and apprentice, as an errand boy. On Granville's first day as an errand boy, Arkwright sends him out to deliver a parcel to a customer.

Granville, who is not familiar with the area, struggles to find the customer's house. He runs into many obstacles along the way, including getting lost and being chased by a dog. Meanwhile, back at the shop, Arkwright is keeping a close eye on the day's sales. He thinks he has a customer, but it turns out to be someone who has come to the shop to inform him that his window display is blocking the view of the street.

As Granville continues his errand, he meets several quirky characters along the way. He meets an old man who is convinced that he is being followed, a woman who wants him to come back to her house to fix a leaky pipe, and a group of children who are more interested in playing pranks on him than helping him find his way.

At the same time, Nurse Gladys Emmanuel (Lynda Baron), Arkwright's love interest, is out on rounds visiting patients. Arkwright thinks he has found the perfect opportunity to declare his love for Nurse Gladys, but things don't go according to plan. Nurse Gladys is busy visiting patients, and every time Arkwright thinks he has found the perfect moment to speak to her, something always comes up.

Eventually, Granville finds the customer's house and delivers the parcel. The customer, however, then sends him on another errand to pick up some milk. Granville soon discovers that Arkwright has sent him on a wild goose chase, as the customer could have easily purchased the milk from the shop. Feeling tired and frustrated, Granville heads back to the shop.

Meanwhile, back at the shop, Arkwright has found himself in a predicament. His shop has been visited by a pipe smoking, rather intimidating man who he believes is from the Inland Revenue. The episode ends with Arkwright attempting to get rid of him before he has a chance to inspect his accounts.

Overall, "An Errand Boy by the Ear" is a hilarious episode that gives us an insight into the daily life of a small corner shop in Yorkshire. It is full of quirky characters and witty commentary from both Arkwright and Nurse Gladys. The episode is a testament to the brilliant writing and comedic talent of Ronnie Barker and David Jason, who both give excellent performances as Arkwright and Granville, respectively. Fans of the show will not want to miss this episode.