Set in Maplin's, a fictional holiday camp, during 1959 and 1960, the series revolves around the lives of the camp's management and entertainers, most of them struggling actors or has-beens. Jeffrey Fairbrother, a Cambridge University professor, is a fish out of water as Entertainments Manager, but attracts the amorous attentions of chief Yellowcoat Gladys Pugh. Ted Bovis, camp host, is really running the show and pulls every scam he can, but is also mentor to new camp comic Spike Dixon, whilst Peggy Ollerenshaw, a chalet maid, aspires to become a Yellowcoat.