We never thought we’d feel sorry for Will. Although of course it should have been Pip! Discuss The Archers here (Titled edited by MNHQ)

[PseudoBadger]

Welcome all! I was really touched by the potential for Ed and Will to reconcile. But wonder if Will can accept Ed’s support.

As ever, no spoilers here (there’s a thread for that) - discussion permitted as soon as the pm episode is broadcast.

I think I first started listening about the time of the Shula / Usha incident mentioned here. I was highly confused with who was who as their voices didn't sound much different, they both ended in 'a' and they were both married to men starting with 'a' - whose voices also sounded the same to my untrained ears. I must say I think Shula is probably my least favourite character.

Stew, did I hear stew? I wan’t sure, if only stew had been mentioned more 🙄

I did like Helen’s faux pas about the jam though. Maybe if Pat had added some orange peel and slices to that too, it could have been edible.

Slices? Spices. In the stew.

Stew.

I found myself agreeing with Justin's opponents about the retail park thing. At a time when all those high end retail businesses are regularly going down the pan and people are generally mourning the death of the high street, it almost certainly makes more sense to avoid going down that path.

I'm also firmly on Lynda's side in terms of her reading. I'm definitely in the Bored of the Rings camp.

I thought they were going to say that the greedy entitled poor homeless people had asked for a bit of meat in the veg stew.

I found myself agreeing with Justin's opponents about the retail park thing. At a time when all those high end retail businesses are regularly going down the pan and people are generally mourning the death of the high street, it almost certainly makes more sense to avoid going down that path.

But, there again, Countrywide Farmers has just gone into administration so there's not much mileage in farming supplies. Ladies who lunch (like Lilian or Miranda) are often heard complaining about the lack of high-end shopping in the area.

It was the mention of the homeless shelter- surely they won’t bring back HWSNBM? I'm confident they won't - and I think Lynda's reference to "He whose name must not be spoken on earth", shortly after Pat had returned from The Elms, confirms that.

Bit behind, who is this acronym person?

Read all about him here He was adopted as a lost cause by Shula at one point. Pseudo requested his name never be mentioned on here in case it tempts fate and the SW decide to bring him back.

Some of us liked him, Doom ...

I felt for Lynda, although I am much more in Robert's camp. I like Tolkien, although Terry Pratchett* and George R. R. Martin are more my cup of tea nowadays.

*source of my username, of course - I changed as a tribute on the day his death was announced.

... but most of us loathed him.

Choccy Snap !!! I though the same thing about the stew "Please sir can we have some meat"!!! Instead fruit and nuts YEUCH . I don't eat much meat but stew and fruit . Reflux on a plate!!

I'm in Lynda's camp about forced highbrow reading (pretentious elf and gnome stories) give me strength

Thanks Lillian and Gruach, he completely passed me by! Must have been in my listening break

Me too Gnu I was interested that I found myself taking the normally annoyingly negative Martin's side against Brian who was obviously licking Justin's backside to keep the chairmanship.

I didn't like Cider with Rosie and neither did DH when he forced himself to read it as part of his recent "Read the books I was supposed to read for O'level" stint recently. The Silmarillion just sent me to sleep, and that was before my Thyroid got bad - but I love Lord of the Rings (but not fanatically). Does that make me low brow?

I think out of town retail developments are a bit dodgy at present - and in our Town the Council are pressing hard for fewer shops and more housing. We've just had a shopping centre in town refurbished and attract high end stores, but that is a pretty small area, and the stores and restaurants are packed in.
Out of Town is limited to DIY and furniture, a Next (that I can't see the point of and doesn't do great business), and Sports Direct.
Some out of town areas are moving from retail to offices.

Not at all Bek I find it difficult to get on with people who ONLY listen to radio 3 and read highbrow books, especially if they look DOWN on other people who don't My father was one of those (he was a fake).

I think out of town retail developments are a bit dodgy at present

I suppose it depends how you do it. I can think of quite a few successful enterprises which are, essentially, a department-store-in-the-countryside. They are a large, single-storey building with lots of concessions (naice middle class labels like Joules, Hotter, Cotton Traders, Mountain Warehouse, Denby, etc), maybe a garden centre, definitely a cafe and lots of parking. Some are destinations for organised coach parties!

I felt for Lynda, although I am much more in Robert's camp

My reaction was why in the name of Om would you give the Silmarillion to someone who is only tentatively trying Tolkien!

They are a large, single-storey building with lots of concessions

Like Bicester Village :-)

The garden centre one is interesting. I am amazed at the coach parties which roll up to a garden centre near my rural dwelling DM.

It has tea rooms, garden tools, a large selection of pots/ornaments/gnomes and a huge amount of utter tat for sale. The plant collection is almost an afterthought.

Talking of HWMNBN, Lynda is reading about "He whose name is not spoken on earth"

Yes R4 but IMO it's a bit of a waste of good arable farmland. Or possibly land for low cost housing. It just spreads the semi development even more. Including the infrastructure just for rich tourists and others. I admit we go to Bicester Village sometimes (because dh's garage is nearby).

Oh dear I sound like a hypocrite don't I?

Gosh, this is tough ...

(For fiction.)