Follow the subtle trail towards the Christmas storyline climaxes in Ambridge - discuss The Archers here

[PseudoBadger]

So many possibilities.... A visit from the Titcheners Snr? Baby of the wrong gender? A ruined wedding? Re-housed Grundys? RuthRex?

Justin Elliott - least convincing businessman ever written

Did anyone else notice Rob saying that he would love to come shooting more often but couldn't afford it?

What is he using for money??????????

In RL there are plenty of short sighted, semi senile bosses why would we expect Justin to be any different?

It'd be great (esp. to get him out of Hells' hair) if stupid Justin rehires and 'promotes' 'Young Titchener" Then the staff walk out and and the whole Berrow farm edifice comes crashing down!

Knob was self-evidently trying to guilt trip Justin. The subtext was "I can't afford it because evil Charlie hounded me out of a job, what are you going to do about it"

^What is he using for money??????????^

If he doesn't have a secret stash, he'll be plundering the joint account. And even if he does have a secret stash I believe he'll be plundering the joint account. Helen must get an income from the farm? Someone like him will always have enough funds etc to do a runner.

I was thinking exactly the same MrsC. There will be the big reveal episode where everyone (but Tony) discovers the truth about the 'oh so charming KnobT'
But although eventually Tony will probably be the one to reveal Knob to be the cad that he is. I so want it to be the 'village girls' to run his sneery face out of town. BUT this SL will run and run...

Surely by now the Bridge Farm management must have discussed the question of whether Rob would be "compensated" for the time and effort spent on the shop.

But even that is different to paying him a full time salary.

Although I guess Rob thinks he now has a right to a huge share of profits from the entire farm enterprise.

The whole of the TA is driving me mad. My expectations are not that high but it really is awful ATM

'Following the general pattern of Guardianista-Ambridge audience overlap, let's hope it's LMH and we get cameos from Alan Rushbridger.'

non-credible tosh about pod people

They should definitely make that the new strapline

Jennifer FFS. Justin FFS. Brian FFS.

All of them.

I'm very confused about the ownership of the caff - does it belong to BF and Fallon is managing it for them or have they sublet it to her? I thought the latter and then Rob was getting involved in the kitchen

YY me too. I thought Fallon was renting it from Bridge Farm in which case I'm pretty sure it's F all to do with Rob how she fits it out. Maybe we have misunderstood the arrangement or the SW haven't a clue.

Also, did we ever get to the bottom of why the Grundies are homeless now? The 2 months notice Hazel is obliged to give would have taken them till after xmas so why don't they move to the refurbished cottage for now?

I don't know - would they have been paying rent? Or would the rent have been covered by Hazel's insurance? Maybe there is someone who knows about these things who can shed light.

But on the whole, thoroughly wince-making episode.

I think, sadly, that we will not get our little Knobella. SOC will do the same as he did with the Jess and paternity issue.

No trevor it was just brushed under the carpet. Their legal right to a tenancy of the cottage for 2 months aside, Caroline and Oliver would not make them homeless at Christmas without at least talking it through with them on the phone. There's no way they are leaning on Kathy to evict them and no way Kathy would do it without being forced to do so.

It's all bollocks at the moment and, like others, I am losing patience.

toomuchtea yes, they'd continue to pay rent to Hazel and her insurers would cover the cost of alternative accommodation for them until the tenancy came to an end.

Ugh. So just another load of bollocks then.

Peat - problem is that they haven't portrayed him anywhere near that so far

As for the grundys homelessness while hazel is still responsible. Just very poor research

They are really starting to get the basics wrong now

I really object to the way soap writers invariably make out that, once a tenant has received a notice to quit, that's it, they have to move out immediately. It causes totally unnecessary confusion about the law amongst both tenants and landlords, and it's hardly necessary just for the sake of a dramatic storyline - they could inject the same drama whilst having everyone actually abide by the law.

Yes why aren't the grundys going back to the posh cottage till their notice is up?

Someone, Pat? Hellin? has to bring up the subject of money now surely.... and do we know what kind of settlement Knob and Jess got? It all seemed to be a very straightforward and quick divorce
All these dangling thread story lines that don't get followed up are seriously infuriating.
Like the Knobils....they HAVE to get mentioned again soon.

and do we know what kind of settlement Knob and Jess got

Well, she didn't get the melon baller - or the broken salmon in the freezer, come to think about it

We don't know what settlement knob got from Berrow

I can't imagine Charlie had the authority to give him much but it would surely make Justin's spider senses tingle that someone would resign in a fit of pique and then not go after them

Didn't Knob resign? In which event he wouldn't be entitled to anything; he couldn't claim constructive dismissal as he hasn't gone through a grievance procedure. And Charlie couldn't pay him off out of Berrow Farm funds to keep him quiet without Justin and others asking questions.

I am confused as to how Knob got invited to the shoot at all. He is not an employer of Justin's, not a business contact, and other family members of Brian do not get invited.

That's what I mean - he hasn't raised a grievance and has slunk off - despite being short of cash! Justin would be an idiot not to find that in itself odd. If rob left due to dodgy reasons at Berrow you would expect him to kick off about it

So rob is a crack shot? Better hope hellin doesn't try to escape by running across a large flat field

yep, Knob resigns suddenly, leaving Berrow in the lurch and then bad mouths its management around town. Now he turns up at a private shoot organised by the head of the organisation he deserted?

SOC STOP WRITING INCONSISTENT NONSENSE RIDDLED WITH TRANSPARENT PLOT DEVICES - WE ARE NOT IDIOTS.

It's become a horror story without end....