Hard Times come to Ambridge; will Pip or the Ambridge Fairy save the day? Discuss The Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

Enjoy!

Did anyone spot that moment the other night when Pip, in an absolutely aghast tone, exclaimed against Josh causing D&R to spend even more money by recruiting Ed for the day? Hmm, tens of pounds I guess, compared with the tens of thousands her IBR fiasco cost them.

What is it with pip. Why don't they write her with any redeeming qualities at all. There are plenty of characters that have traits that are quite unpleasant, Lillians behaviour is often fairly awful to say the least, BUT they also show her demonstrating kindness and empathy to Helen for example, or they show the sisterly affection between her and Jenny, and it makes you warm to her again. But they give nothing with regard to Pop, I suppose she is hard working but that's not a quality that immediately induces warmth in the listener.

Pop

Pip's redeeming factors...

• hair that shines like an angel's in the sun
• good with cows

But doesn't really care enough about the cows to have taken the IBR outbreak seriously

Did anyone spot that moment the other night when Pip, in an absolutely aghast tone, exclaimed against Josh causing D&R to spend even more money by recruiting Ed for the day? Hmm, tens of pounds I guess, compared with the tens of thousands her IBR fiasco cost them.

Yes almost as annoying as Deeavid expecting Josh to put his business to one side to remediate the bill.

The only bit I don't get is why Josh is not responding to make exactly that point.

The argument about Open Farm Sunday is a ridiculousness manufactured to show Pip and Josh bickering.
OFS is PR puff aimed at consumers. Josh's website is a B2B thing. There is no way that Josh would generate any income from OFS, it make no sense for him to be so in favour of it.

There is no way that Josh would generate any income from OFS, it make no sense for him to be so in favour of it.

Photo opportunities for his website of admiring visitors looking at his machinery? And doesn't he do a lot of his business within the local area?

He buys some stuff to resell rather than just acting as an agent so I can see why he would see a use for the publicity.

I can recall at least one year when they did OFS solely at GoldenPips' behest, despite nobody else wanting to do it (was it when they were potentially moving?).

I confess I haven't listened at all this week but I caught a few minutes of David/Pip/Ed and the silage drama this morning. Apologies if this has already been said/dealt with, but I haven't got a clue why David was so enraged with Josh for paying Ed to take his place? By his own utterances, David has declared Pip 'the future of Brookfield'. What's in it for Josh? He's desperately trying to get his own business off the ground, working all hours, and making opportunities for himself. Why do they automatically expect him to put his future on hold to help sort out a mess created by D/R/P? I'd feel differently if they at least acknowledged that they were asking for a favour but instead they seem to be insisting that he has responsibilities towards the farm.

Has Josh ever had a loan from D & R to get his business off the ground?

Maybe I should try to listen to the omnibus but I'm finding the hypocrisy at Brookfield hard going right now.

I tell a lie. I heard the "Auntie Elizabeth's going to let me live rent-free" episode and had to switch off.

I haven't got a clue why David was so enraged with Josh for paying Ed to take his place

Josh promised to help/do his share (depending on your POV). Either way, it was a promise.
He didn't turn up.
Ed turned up in his place.
Eventually, eventually it transpired that Josh had arranged a stand-in, at his own expense. Josh managed to tell the stand-in but not the rest of the team who he was letting down.

Later in the week, Josh reneged on another promise (when Pip and Ruth were fettling some machinery that Josh was supposed to be doing).
Josh quite often puts his business ahead of the rest of the farm.

Vango Pip had offered to pay rent to Lizzie, it's not like there's no space in LL.

Thanks R4.

If Ruth promised to make Ben a birthday cake, and work got in the way so Jill made it instead, would they all be up in arms?

I don't see why he should be expected to help out. I really don't. Not without at least an acknowledgment that he's doing everyone a favour and that they're grateful. I wish he'd thought of asking Elizabeth for rent free lodgings instead of Pip. He'd then have somewhere to work from and no obligations to his frustrating family!

Yes, I heard that ppeat but it doesn't change the fact that she's landed on her feet yet again, which makes me cross.

I don't see why he should be expected to help out.

As David pointed out: he gets bed & board free; he has a business base for free, including internet access; he has full run of all the farm's workshops including welding gear etc.
Basically, his business has no overheads.
Besides, isn't that what family do?

btw. They were supposed to silage one day but has to re-schedule to the next day because of something that Josh organised. Josh then didn't turn up (see above David-angry scene) to the re-scheduled event. An event that is very weather-sensitive. They can't run a farm according to Josh's whims.

He wouldn't be "helping out" He would be keeping the agreement he made when it was decided he would defer going to university and carry on living on the farm for free........

I reckon that they should re employ Eddie and get Josh to pay him. Or at least Jill (who offered, she doesnt throw her money about) it was disgraceful to let him go.

What do we think about Josh's current project where he is welding and tarting up some piece of machinery for sale on Friday, before the chap goes back to Germany.
Are we supposed to be thinking "well done Josh, you drove a good deal there. What an entrepreneur!"
Cos I'm thinking "why are you doing this at one of the busiest times of the year for the farm? Why are you busting a gut for a customer who is going to disappear soon - there is no repeat business in this. In fact, if he's on a tight timescale you probably could have driven a better deal. What an inexperienced puppy."
Am I really supposed to be admiring his business acumen?

As David pointed out: he gets bed & board free; he has a business base for free, including internet access; he has full run of all the farm's workshops including welding gear etc.
Basically, his business has no overheads.
Besides, isn't that what family do?

Josh is their 19 year old child! He's trying to forge a career that won't leave him dependant on Brookfield. He hasn't had any of the support that Pip's had! Sure, family help out, but not to the detriment of their own career. It's the inequality that bothers me. He sorted out the silaging by paying Ed. Why is that a problem for David?

How is Josh supposed to generate an income if his family have first dibs on his time as and when it suits them? And let's face it, they only need him now because of the mess that Pip caused.

Thank god someone agrees with me Frances! And 'Bed & Board'? From David? Another one who was given a house and business by his parents!! Surely he doesn't begrudge putting a roof over his own child's head? To think of all the cash they've invested in Pip (not least the loss of rental income from Rickyard while Pip was being an independent young woman).

Internet Access - what? The family wifi?

Josh arranged for an adult male skilled worker to be there. He wasn't "letting the team down" because the work would get done just the same

But he hadn't got the courtesy to tell anyone what he had done. The first that David knew of it was when Ed turned up, and David thought that he had to do some awkward explaining to turn Ed away. David exploded then but calmed down when the situation became clear.
Josh should have spoken to or texted David when he made the arrangement with Ed..

he has a business base for free, including internet access; he has full run of all the farm's workshops including welding gear etc.

Not exactly. Only when no-one else is using these things. Didn't David kick him off the computer in the office recently? Followed by Jill shifting him from the kitchen table?