Mr. Grainger

Mr. Ernest Grainger
Are You Being Served?
Portrayed by	Arthur Brough
Duration	1972–1977
First appearance	Are You Being Served? (1972)
Last appearance	It Pays to Advertise (1977)
Cause/reason	retirement
Created by	Jeremy Lloyd David Croft
Profile
Gender	Male
Occupation	Head of Menswear
Relationships Spouse(s) Mrs Grainger Romances Mrs Grainger

Mr. Ernest Grainger

Ernest Grainger (Arthur Brough) was the original head of the menswear department; he had been with Grace Brothers for over four decades. He resented being forced to share the floor with the Ladies Department. Mostly a very sweet man, he also is older and begins falling asleep at work, only to be awakened by the younger, helpful staff who say loudly "Mr Granger, are you free?" which rouses him.

Mr. Humphries would often come to his aid and call for water for him: "Glass of water for Mr. Grainger" in a strange military or professional, antiquated style. It is indicated that his menswear department had been on the floor for many years before the arrival of the ladies department, which is adjacent to him. He seems to resent their presence on several occasions, but tolerates them.

Although he generally got on well with the others, Mr Grainger would protest and become resentful whenever a situation occurred that forced the menswear department to share valuable space with the ladies, or when Captain Peacock would nonchalantly drop a reference to a perk he had earned despite having less time at the store than Mr Grainger (such as a visit to the company boardroom). When given a chance to fill in for Mr. Rumbold, who was leaving for a one-month conference (in a nice gesture, as it would entitle Mr Grainger to collect a bit more money on his pension), the position went to his head; while taking full advantage of all Mr Rumbold's perks (in particular the liquor cabinet and cigars), he became a strict disciplinarian to the rest of the staff, threatening to put an adverse entry in Peacock's record and actually sacking Mrs. Slocombe (however, he did repent his ways by the end of the episode). His character left when Arthur Brough retired from acting in 1977 following the death of his wife Elizabeth Addyman, to whom he had been married for fifty years. Arthur Brough himself died several weeks later. he was soon replaced by Mr Tebbs