The unnamed Receptionist worked at the hotel in the Cotswolds, where Ken Barlow and Alma Sedgewick checked in for New Year's Eve 1991. Over dinner, guilt-ridden Alma confessed to Ken that she had spent Christmas Day in bed with Mike Baldwin. Ken was rocked by Alma's admission and, despite her profuse apologies and pleas for forgiveness, got up from the table and went for a walk to clear his head. After waiting a long while for him to return, Alma enquired at the desk if anyone had seen Ken and was stunned when the Receptionist broke the news that he had checked out of the hotel. The sympathetic Receptionist offered to fetch Alma a drink, but Alma declined and retired to her room, humiliated.