On the death of their father Joshua, siblings Eli and Nellie Pledge inherit the family business, Pledge's Purer Pickles, at Colne, Lancashire, in the north of England. Their faithful workers include the myopic Stan Hardman, Bert and Grenville. Never far away are cousin Lily and her husband Walter. While Nellie works hard to keep the business going, Eli prefers to indulge in the delights of beer, cigarettes, gambling and young women. Granada Television's most popular comedy series, 'Nearest and Dearest' produced a feature film in 1972. Most of the regular cast are no longer with us, but their comic legacy remains.