Open All Hours its owner, Len Riddiford. This shop is referenced in numerous "Open All Hours" episodes by Arkwright. Ronnie Barker proposed that Arkwright should have a stammer, and this was written into the character. Barker also co-created the premise of the dangerous till. In the series, the shop's antiquated till has a drawer that tends to snap shut suddenly. Even though this terrifies Granville and Arkwright, Arkwright leaves it to avoid the cost of buying a replacement, and because he believes it discourages burglars. The exterior shots were recorded on Lister Avenue in Balby, a suburb of Doncaster; the shop itself was
Ronnie Barker gave him his break, casting him as the Chantyman and Joe Silva in his production of "Mourning Becomes Electra" at the Arts Theatre in London's West End in 1955. By the time he had made it to the West End, Barker had appeared in an estimated 350 plays. Barker remained a West End actor for several years, appearing in numerous plays between 1955 and 1968. These included, in 1955, two performances each night as he played a gypsy in "Listen to the Wind" at the Arts Theatre and then a peasant in "Summertime" later in the evening. Other roles included