The Repair Shop 255x18 - Episode 18

Four more cherished items arrive at the barn, each carryingdeep personal and historical significance, and all in need ofexpert restoration. First through the doors are a pair ofbattered wooden seats, with a story soaked in footballnostalgia. Londoner Michael Wise brings in the treasured familyrelics - two original seats from Arsenal's iconic Highburystadium, where his grandfather held season tickets in thefamous art deco west stand. Upholsterer Sonnaz and metalworkexpert Dom take on the challenge of restoring thesenear-century-old pieces, which have served three generationsof devoted Gunners. With a new oak base designed to allow thechairs to be proudly displayed and sat on once more, the finalresult is more than a restoration - it's brought back to life afamily's shared history. Master goldsmith Richard Talmanwelcomes Fliss from Ashton-under-Lyne, who has brought in abroken locket that once belonged to her beloved grandparents,Bert and Winifred. Carried by her grandmother throughout theSecond World War, the locket holds a photo of Bert in uniform- a symbol of their enduring love. With delicate repairs to thehinge and help from paper conservator Angelina, Richard facesthe tricky task of reuniting the couple's portraits in onebeautiful piece of jewellery, allowing Fliss to wear thememory of her grandparents close to her heart. Aidan Friesfrom County Donegal entrusts an extraordinary ledger tobookbinder Chris Shaw. This heavy volume, once used to tracktransactions in Aidan's family-run shop and post office,charts daily life from 1909 through Ireland's turbulent journeyto independence. Damp, mould and a crumbling spine have leftthe book in a sorry state - but with meticulous rebinding,leather dressing and even some custom alphabet tabs from Dom,Chris is determined to transform the ledger into a dignifiedhistorical artefact that will once again serve Aidan's familyand village. Finally, a very special miniature chapelarrives, lovingly built by hand in the 1970s by SarahGardner's grandfather, Llewellyn Pluck. Once part of a magicalmodel village nestled in a Somerset garden, the chapel hassuffered decades of neglect. While woodworker Will takes on thedamaged framework and rotting roof tiles, ceramics expertKirsten faces the biggest challenge as she tackles therestoration of the crumbling plaster walls, using the sameinnovative homespun technique that grandfather Llewellynpioneered over 50 years earlier.