BBC pulls down the shutters on Arkwright’s corner store

Still Open All Hours is to close after six series, the BBC has confirmed.

With 41 episodes, the spin-off surpassed its original, Open All Hours, which starred Ronnie Barker and ran for 26 episodes over four series from 1973 to 1985.

A seventh series had been planned for 2020, but Covid lockdown scuppered filming, and now the Corporation has decided the shutters must come down on Arkwright’s corner store.

A BBC spokesperson told British Comedy Guide, which broke the news: ‘There are currently no plans for new episodes of Still Open All Hours. We'd like to thank the cast and crew for six wonderful series, which are all available to view on BBC iPlayer.’

The revival, which saw David Jason reprise his role of Granville, the former delivery boy turned store owner, began as a Christmas special in 2013, which attracted 12million viewers. The last series peaked at 3.8million overnight viewers.

Jason is now 83 while its writer Roy Clarke, who also created the original as well as fellow long-running comedy Last Of The Summer Wine, is 93.

Published: 17 Feb 2023