Gypsies camp on a slum clearance site near to Coronation Street. Irma returns from holiday in Torquay and is horrified to discover the shop is almost empty with no stock on order. Ken is given a grant to visit New York and study technical education, leaving next week. Not knowing previously of his application, Val hides her upset. Irma tells Hilda she's made a loss of £7, 2/9. Gypsies Reuben Ward and John Smith collect junk in the street. Tommy Deakin rows with them for operating on his patch. When Reuben goes to hit Tommy, Ray scares him off. Hilda is tearful at Irma's lack of gratitude. The shop's replacement stock arrives from the wholesalers. Irma discovers from Ray that Hilda sold Stan cigarettes at cut price. She orders her father to pay the difference. When Tommy provokes Reuben and John in the Rovers, Billy shocks Annie by threatening to bar him and not the gypsies.