All we hear is Radio Carter - come and gossip about The Archers here

[PseudoBadger]

Hides in laundry rooms

De-lurking. I just listened to last night's episode and had a giggle that only the Archers can have an ending like 'I haven't got a place at university'
If I were Justin I would be saying to Susan because of her meddling Emma wouldn't be eligible for an ' affordable' house.

I am surprised the dower house has only two bathrooms tbh. Grange farm seems to be bigger!

The Dower House might have downstairs bathrooms. In my nannying days I worked in a house which had two downstairs bathrooms, one of which was re-christened the flower room (it's a long while ago so memory is not on my side, but I think they'd rigged up some sort of shelf over the bath for vases etc) and the other I think had a freezer in it. They had an amazing number of freezers for reasons which escaped me then and do now.

Creepy

Toms an arse

Now that was a good episode

It was. Each of Lilian's suitors is as twisty as the other!

What is Matt up to? Trying to frustrate Justin or trying to make him appear a rapacious villain in front of Lillian?

Shed a little tear for Kirsty there. Think this storyline has been done very sensitively.

For once in that episode I was rooting for Justin. I thought he handled getting rid of James really well.

It does irritate me how often in soaps they have characters opting out of university just because the SWs don't want them disappearing for several weeks at a time. I suspect poor old Josh isn't allowed to go just because the Dopeys are "first family" - which is also why Pip ended up at Felpersham rather than being allowed to spread her wings at an agricultural college anyone had actually heard of.

Tbf what is the use of being a millionaire if you can't make your life easier by getting rid of your girlfriends pesky man child son

I thought he handled getting rid of James really well.

A bit too well! I don't know who was worse: Justin for getting rid of the competition for Lillian's attention or James for allowing himself to be bought off.

Is Matt right about the price of the acreage? I can't believe that Bridge Farm didn't get their own valuation before they agreed to take Justin's money.

So much for my prediction that the wholesomeness of Ambridge would create the James/Leonie reconciliation.

I can believe bridge farm didn't bother with a valuation. They've never been particularly financially savvy

'Just add it to the overdraft'!

I can't believe that Bridge Farm didn't get their own valuation before they agreed to take Justin's money.

Nor me R4.

Jamie is my least favourite character ever, even HWMNBN and Rob. He's a vile spoiled entitled child. I hope his cock falls off before he gets it anywhere near Leonie.

James. Jamie is Kathy's son. Not that the distinction matters, as we haven't heard from Kathy or Jamie for years now. So much for Kathy being Pat's best friend.

James whining at Matt for taking his inheritance ... speechless!

I don't think I've signed in here yet. Naice new thread. Old poster, new incarnation. Being away from home this weekend has interfered wit my Archers schedule as tonight's episode wasn't available earlier. And busyday tomorrow to.

Is Matt right about the price of the acreage?

No idea, but I suspect Justin's initial offer would be less than it's worth, and also that Matt would pay more to get back at Justin. Bridge Farm shouldn't trust either of them, but at least it might trigger them into thinking about valuations and so on, rather than just going with the first offer.

Of course, Tom has already phoned Justin to say they want to go ahead, so there's not going to be any awkwardness there.

And somewhere down the line, we'll have Tom realising Kirsty was right about him and businessmen, and he'll forget his promise and ask her to marry him again, but it'll be way too late, because Kirsty will be running an organic bee empire with Patrick and be president of both the WI and Borsetshire Wildlife Trust. Kirsty and Patrick will have normal, well-adjusted children, from whom there won't be any sound until they're 21 or older.

If Tom had a brain he would say to Justin that they will sell but they want an independent valuation of the land first.

They are selling without planning permission which will suppress the price I would have thought.

I have loads of listening to catch up on....

They are selling without planning permission which will suppress the price I would have thought.

So get outline planning permission themselves. Or draw up a contract which says that they get a share of the uplift if permission is granted. Or sell the land to someone more ethical (not difficult) than Justin or Matt. Or develop the land themselves with eco-housing at affordable prices. Or ...

There are loads of possibilities and permutations. Why haven't they gone for professional advice?

I did a google and found a 2015 article which said up to £1m/acre near London or £600k/acre 'further north'. They deffo need advice.

I really can't bear another Bridge Farm is plunged into financial ruin by a stupid decision storyline.

Thanks for new thread Pseudo :)

They are selling without planning permission which will suppress the price I would have thought.

But until they get independent advice, they won't actually know. Why would you just take the first offer on something this big without doing some basic checks? Justin may say 18 houses, but do they know that once there's outline planning permission, it couldn't easily be increased to 150, or whatever the rumours are? They have no idea it's a fair price or anything. How have they stayed in business so long? I'd have thought basic checks were just... basic.

without doing some basic checks?

Yes, where is Tom's ubiquitous spreadsheet?

Tom is a bit thick when it comes to business though isn't he! And Helen doesn't seem to have engaged her brain at all.

First thing you do when someone offers to buy anything if you is think 'hmmm, we hadn't thought about selling that but there's obviously a demand for it - how do we make sure we are maximising our return'

Not 'woohoo, a million quid, think of all the kimchee I can make with that'

They'll sell and then get annoyed and whinge about the building work and amount of money Justin makes and claim they were cheated. Yawn