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

[PseudoBadger]

Enjoy!

Checked and yes her parents are both Sri Lankan.

I sense Rex will pick anisha because pip is just too much hard work. And I'm guessing she's only dangling a bone in front of Rex because he doesn't want him with anisha. That's the kind of person I think she is

She's Anisha Jayakody, isn't she?

Yes

I think a fire at Brookfield and pip being caught in it would be awful because everyone would harp on about it all the time. Rather she does drink driving. I don't like wishing death on people but I really wish they would kill her off (and she is fictional after all)

Rex is an idiot.
"I'm sorry Pip, I'm not ignoring you but I can't come now as I'm meeting Anisha."
It's not that hard to say, honest.

I suspect Anisha will have too much self respect to have Rex as he's clearly hung up on Pip for no discernible reason

But can you imagine the loud wailing from Ruth and David if Pip were to die? Mind you, Ben would probably heave a sigh of relief, come out of the cereal cupboard and live happily ever after. And josh would be relieved too. In fact they could be the joint futures of brokefield. Together as a team.

Oh bore off Pip.

How much longer do we have to endure this rubbish?

Oh ffs. I'm just listening to Pip's stupid phone call.

And Tony is an idiot.

Why do we have to have the ins and outs of Pip and Toby's relationship? I'm sure they've gone into more detail than they usually would. Or maybe it's just multiplied in my mind it's so cringey and terrible.

Pip should marry Tom and they can die in a vortex of self absorption.

Tonight's episode combined nauseating and tedious. Anisha should find someone who actually wants her rather than the local prima donna.

And Tony is an idiot.

I think he is right they should all take time to think about it. Just phoning back and accepting Justin's first offer makes me think they wouldn't be getting the best deal. But I don't trust Justin. I'm not sure if most of Ambridge are as cynical about him yet.

Oh yes. The land will be worth more than what Justin offered and any deal like this should have overage provisions built into it.

Bridge Farm needs to take professional advice pronto and after all their recent contact with the legal profession you'd think that might have been mentioned as a necessary step, yes.

I don't see how Pip can be killed off. That would be a repeat of the John storyline, wouldn't it? I'd happily settle for her changing her mind about South America and disappearing over there, with just occasional references.

'How's your Pip getting on, Ruth? It's Patagonia she's in, isn't it?'

'She's fine, Neil. We were talking to her last night on Skype. She's not coming home for her holiday again, which is a shame, as it's been 20 years now, but it's great to know she's got so many friends over there. Now, what's this I hear about you and Susan retiring? You're only 70!'

It does seem odd. Surely the first thing to do would be to have the land independently valued - even before considering whether they'd sell - just to be certain of Justin's trustworthiness.

I can't believe 'real Pat' would willingly part with even one square inch of land.

And Tom has had enough setbacks in business not to take anything at face value. He sounded like a naive teenager last night.

Tony has a good point. If you like living in the country, having lots of new housing with extra cars and noise and light pollution is a bit of a problem. some things mean more than money, even when the cash would make such a difference. Remember the orchids he and Pat were looking at in that field ?

Oh - I wonder if there's potential for conflict between Ed and Emma over the proposed new, affordable housing - as she inexplicably doesn't see them living at Grange Farm forever ...

Not sure how affordable these houses will be...

There is definitely potential for conflict - I was thinking about what Emma would have to say about it to Helen if they turned Justin down. On the other hand I can't believe that is the only three acres of land in Ambridge where Justin might get planning permission - what about Grundy's field? Now that would be a story - then they could buy Grange Farm back and Ed and Emmur could build their own house in the garden à la Susan and Neil.
As for Pip and Rex - it's so tediously predicable and poorly acted (by the Badger). More subtly written and with a more sympathetic Pip it could have been a good story, but most people on here have seen this coming since the Fairbrethren first came on the scene (in fact I'm sure someone more dedicated than me could find the earliest post to this effect).

As for Justin cashing in - well he will be won't he? That's surely the whole point of property development. A house in my mum's road recently sold for a couple of million - a developer has just built nine houses on the site, the showhouse was finished a couple weeks ago and that one alone is now on the market for £1.9 million!!

If you like living in the country, having lots of new housing with extra cars and noise and light pollution is a bit of a problem.

Being homeless is more of a problem in many rural areas- I'd be interested to know just how affordable the affordable units will be.

Justin was talking about 12/13 units i thought on 3.5 acres? That is very low density, even in a rural area. Either the LSWs haven't been checking new build acreage in rural areas or the next tortuous big storyline will be NIMBY v The Evil Developer as Tom races to grab the money and doesn't get the proper covenants on the land.

18 houses

There are few affordable ones round here. The problem is that without local jobs, bus routes and shops and primary school capacity, it is hard for lower income families to live here. We have plenty of unsold larger houses. Fields and hedges sacrificed for the benefit of developers.

There was a sad post on our local FB, where a young mother said that she had been waiting for the bus to take her toddler to the doctor. The bus route ended six months ago. She and her husband have one car, which the husband needs to get to his work, there being no jobs locally.

Apart from the chicken farm, where are jobs locally to Bridge Farm? Round here the new planning requirements might say the development would be unsustainable.

There's a bit of a pattern with Pip of behaving shittily, and then going all "poor me" when the victims of her behaviour understandably react badly. First with the IBR, then with Toby. I really hope that next time she comes sniffing round Rex he tells her to push off.