Nick Bates first arrived in Beckindale in 1985, to visit his mother. He hadn't seen her for a couple of years as they had become estranged, due to Nick's constant fighting with his alcoholic father, Malcolm. Nick decided to stay in Beckindale and moved in with fellow resident, Archie Brooks. In 1987, Malcolm came to Beckindale, looking for Caroline. After discovering Nick was in the village, Malcolm was enraged. However, Nick stood up to him, ordering Malcolm to leave Beckindale and never return. Nick became an annoyance in the village and was often accused of stirring things up in the Woolpack, subsequently winding landlord Amos Brearly up. Eventually, Nick matured after being cautioned by Amos, who had eventually become tired of Nick's constant troublemaking. In September 1989, Nick and Archie set fire to Seth's Hide after their friend Jackie Merrick was killed whilst hunting a fox with gamekeeperSeth Armstrong. Archie was later arrested and confessed to committing arson but Nick wasn't charged and felt guilty. He eventually admitted his part in the crime to his sister and Jackie's widow Kathy Merrick, who suggested that he apologise to Seth and Archie. Nick did and was forgiven by both. This made Nick decide to change his ways and he got a job as a gardener at Home Farm. In 1990, Nick began a relationship with Elsa Feldmann and after lying to her family they spend the night together. Unfortunately Nick’s coat was swapped with someone else and the condoms Nick had were left behind. Elsa soon discovered she was pregnant and began avoiding Nick. Nick found out after Elsa’s brother punched him in the Woolpack, he tried to speak to Elsa, but she continued to avoid him. Nick got drunk at Rachel Hughes end of exam party and ruined Elsa’s family’s garden. Elsa’s mother, Elizabeth Pollard decided the pregnancy was a family matter and they turned Nick away when he tried to see Elsa. Elsa was sent to stay with relatives, where Nick was worried she would have an abortion. Nick decided to marry Elsa, but took some time to convince her to marry him. They squatted together for a time at Demdyke with Archie. Nick and Elsa were due to marry on Valentine's Day 1991, but shortly after arriving at the registry office, Elsa realized she was in labour and gave birth to a daughter, Alice Rose Bates. However, Nick and Elsa's relationship was rocky and Nick witnessed Elsa verbally abuse Alice repeatedly and they argued too. Elsa struggled with motherhood and she left Alice with Nick and moved away. However, Nick coped with fatherhood by employing his best friend Archie to look after Alice while he was at work. However, in December 1993, Archie was killed in the Emmerdale plane crash and Nick was blinded temporarily. On his discharge from hospital, he learned that Elsa was back and wanted custody. This time, she claimed that Nick and Archie were lovers and neglected Alice. However, the court did not believe Elsa and Nick was awarded full custody of Alice, while Elsa again left Beckindale. In 1996, Nick accidentally killed poacher Jed O'Connell, after catching him poaching on Home Farm land. Nick went to the police and admitted what had happened. Consequently, he was charged with manslaughter and sentenced to ten years imprisonment. Nick asked his sister Kathy Glover, and her husband Dave, to look after Alice whilst he was away. Kathy and Dave agreed and Nick was sent to prison. Nick is seen again in September 1999, when Kathy visited him in prison after learning that the family of the poacher Nick killed had been sending death threats to her and Alice. Nick agreed that Kathy should let Alice go and live with her mother in Australia. Nick was last mentioned in 2001, when Kathy planned to emigrate to Australia to be closer to Alice. She mentioned that Nick was still serving his prison sentence.
