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Far from being Open All Hours, this particular corner shop has been closed for 28 years.

But today G-G-G-Granville, played by Sir David Jason, was back outside Arkwright’s – and he’s been promoted.

His uncle Albert, played by Ronnie Barker, is no longer with us. But the stammering shop-owner always promised that the store would one day be his nephew’s, and he was true to his word.

Granville is no longer the shop’s grocery “lad” - which is rather lucky for 73-year-old Sir David, who was over 30 when he first took the role.

Filming started today on the one-off BBC special, called Still Open All Hours and also featuring Lynda Baron, 74, as unlikely sex symbol nurse Gladys Emmanuel.

The cast are also rejoined by Stephanie Cole as the Black Widow and Maggie Ollerenshaw as Mavis, Granville’s never-quite-declared old flame.

In the plot the beloved but miserly Albert Awkwright, who was always chasing Gladys, has passed the shop in his will to nephew Granville. He may be gone but he’s not forgotten, thanks to a picture of him which takes pride of place on the wall.

Granville now runs the shop with the help of his son Leroy, a good-looking lad with far more female admirers than Granville ever had. (Granville sees him as the shop assistant but he sees himself as the head of IT.)

Granville has brought up Leroy himself, with the help of a lot of the local women, after he arrived on the doorstep as the surprise result of a one night stand in Blackpool.

Filmed in Doncaster, Open All Hours ran for 26 episodes between 1976 and 1985 and drew highs of 17 million viewers.

The one-off episode has been written by Roy Clarke, who penned the original series.

When filming was announced Sir David said: “I am sure there is an audience out there who would like to see what Granville has been getting up to in the corner shop.

"It will be a great family show for Christmas and a fitting tribute to the legacy of Arkwright.”

Legendary comedian Barker passed away in 2005. Sir David - who was once threatened during the show's original run - will be paying tribute as he wears his predecessor and former co-star's iconic beige coat.