 The premise of the show was inspired, in part, by the series  _"Fawlty Towers" (1975)_ (qv). "Fawlty Towers", in turn, was  inspired by a real hotel in Torquay called the Gleneagles which was  owned and managed by a Mr. Sinclair (who was the inspiration for the  character of Basil Fawlty). On one occasion, Mr. Sinclair flung  Eric Idle (qv)s briefcase over a wall claiming that he feared it  contained a bomb. In this episode, Mavis finds a strange briefcase  in the lobby and fears that it contains a bomb. The briefcase later  turns out to belong to her brother.