Commissionaire (Episode 1979)

The Commissionaire was on duty at the Assembly Room where the Weatherfield lodge of the Masons held a Ladies’ Evening Ball in March 1980

Annie Walker had obtained tickets for herself and her licensee friend Olive Taylor-Brown and Fred Gee was instructed to chauffeur them to the Rooms but he accidentally left Annie’s handbag behind on the roof of the car with the invitations in it as he drove them away from the Rovers. Annie was sure they would get in as she was so well known in the area but when the Commissionaire refused them entry saying it was more than his job’s worth. When Annie asked if they looked like gatecrashers, he commented that that was one of those questions like how long is a piece of string.

Annie accused him of flippancy and insisted he fetched Arthur Bromley who had issued the tickets to her but the Commissionaire couldn’t move from his spot as he had to check the other people’s invitations. Olive accused Annie over over-stating her position in local society as no one seemed to know who they were. Hilda Ogden saved the day as Stan had found the handbag in the Street and rushed round by taxi to hand it over to her. The evening was saved and Olive made Annie give Hilda £5 as a reward. Fred was made to chauffer Olive home as a penance for his stupidity.