Ashfordly Hall opens its doors to the public as Vernon takes charge of a touring business, but all hell breaks loose when an 80-year-old art thief takes the opportunity to bow out on one last job. However, he's not the only one seeking Lord Ashfordly's Constable sketches, which lands both him and one of the Ashfordly officers in danger. Meanwhile, Ventress tries to salvage his reputation when a photo of him sleeping on the job is printed in the Ashfordly Gazette.

A group of hippies colonise a row of derelict cottages, and the short-tempered landlord takes the law into his own hands, leaving a pregnant girl injured and her boyfriend hospitalised. As they attempt to resolve issues, the officers come under fire from Tricia after Tom's intervention causes trouble, and an undercover journalist desperate to hit the headlines seizes the opportunity to take advantage of the chaotic events. Meanwhile, Vernon's pottery enterprise takes a turn for the worst, leaving a reluctant David with the task of getting to grips with a potter's wheel.