SPECTATOR’S colleague missed the TV documentary about Milners of Leyburn when it was shown on one of the remoter channels towards the end of last year, but was happily switched on when The Department Store arrived as a new series to BBC 2 on Tuesday evening.

What larks! How comical, touching and ultimately uplifting was this tale of everyday Dales folk and understated, Yorkshire-style family affection.

The series sets out to record the importance of small, independent department stores such as Milners, before they all succumb to the competition presented by uniform out-of-town shopping malls.

It achieved this, not through dull analysis of retail needs, socio-economic viability, community sustainability or any other form of management focus, but entirely through the cheering individuality of the characters who crossed the screen – and frequently got across one another.

It began rather like an unpolished draft version of an Alan Bennett script, camera accompanying women ploughing through rails of garments in lower floor fashions; two female friends sinking, rather sensuously, into cushions in upper floor furnishing before collapsing in giggles, presumably at the thought of being thus presented to the nation – sans make-up, sans style; but no side, either, just true substance, the genuine article.

Things then became more serious, with arguments over seemingly petty matters revealing deeper friction within the family as the younger generation prepared to take over the running of the store.

The owner’s will-he, won’t-he approach to retirement at 65 was sympathetically explored and explained, and though there were redeeming hugs, his farewell wink to camera left the question hanging in the air.

As real-life drama, it bettered the soaps.

For those still wondering about Mr Milner’s departure, Spectator can confirm that Mr Milner is now happily retired (helping out now and again) and Milners is trading well with daughter Leonie and son-in-law Keith Garrard at the helm.