 A 2003 survey by Radio Times found that Last of the Summer Wine was the programme readers most wanted to see cancelled . With nearly 12 @,@ 000 votes in the survey , the show received one @-@ third of the total vote , and twice as many votes as the runner up in the poll , Heartbeat . Alan J. W. Bell responded that Radio Times has always been anti @-@ Last of the Summer Wine , and Roy Clarke remarked that people who dislike the show " shouldn 't switch it on " unless they are " too idle to turn it off " . A 2008 survey by County Life magazine , which named the show the worst thing about Yorkshire , was disputed by members of the Holme Valley Business Association , who said the show was good for business . However , many members of the Holme Valley Business Association are proprietors of tea rooms that cater primarily to coach parties of elderly fans of the show . The BBC wanted to cancel Last of the Summer Wine for years in favour of a new programme aimed at a younger audience , but the show remained too popular for cancellation ; even repeats received ratings of as much as five million viewers per episode . The show came 14th in a high @-@ profile 2004 BBC poll to find Britain 's Best Sitcom , and was praised for portraying older people in a non @-@ stereotypical , positive , and active manner . It was also praised for its clever and at times philosophical writing , and for being a family @-@ friendly show . 
