Ambridge is in the doldrums. When will Pip pop? Does anybody even care? And Anisha’s off, leaving Rex in the (pig) trough? Discuss the Archers here.

[PseudoBadger]

Sorry about the title, nothing particularly inspiring in the storylines currently

No spoilers please, there’s a thread for that.

That’s all interesting. But. If Jenny has a holiday cottage ...?

It might be a one-bedroom bungalow with a minuscule kitchenette. They must have been farm workers' cottages or a barn conversion originally. I can't see Jennifer downsizing to anything too small or humble.

Well ... Yeah, but no, but ... The holiday cottages were for families coming on holiday. And as far as I remember (...) their holiday guests were always parents with children. So surely big enough for Brian and Jenny.

(Seriously - why do I care?)

I know, I thought that while I was ploughing through Lowfield! Interesting though, to see what was happening ten years ago. Abigail was born in February 2008 and Will/Nic/Ed/Emma were all at each other's throats over George. Also, I think it may have been the time of Ruth's cancer treatment or possibly a reconstruction operation.

Remembers current personal and career catastrophe leading to weekend of wine, crisps, biscuits and over infestment in Home Farm business.

for Gruach for your catastrophe. Well a holiday cottage would at least provide a stop gap after Home Farm is sold if they don’t find something immediately (or decide to have something built). It’s comical to think of Brian and Jenny properly downsizing, but I can’t see that happening somehow. How much money do they need to raise? How much do we think Home Farm is worth? And how much would it cost to move and buy/build somewhere else? Who might possibly buy it? A new silent character? Justin was thinking of buying Brookfield during the Northumberland debacle, but I think we can probably rule him out this time. So much for me not getting over infested...

Gosh, sorry about delurking and disappearing as quickly-login issues.

I'm actually really angry with the whole lot of them. Money. They don't realise just how fortunate they are. When mere mortals are feeling the pinch having "two sorts of meat" for LUNCH, not even tea, would seem an extravagance. Yet they've got a big house and lots of little houses and a kid at boarding school and everyone has an income and no one is looking at sleeping on the street or not eating today. B*stards-come the revolution I'll move Emma into Home Farm.

Does Kate contribute to the financial cost of bringing up her kids?

Breath.

Well my prediction is when Jenny and Brian start to view houses. Kate will suddenly realise they are serious. Then will arrange to move Spiritual home (I still suggest Lower Loxley), and the land will be sold instead.

What I don't understand about the last episode was how JD knew how much money she had to play with to look at new properties. I'm not even aware of them having had valuations done on the existing house (although I have been on holiday so might have missed that) and there's always the possibility that the amount they need to raise will change, so how on earth can she be eyeing up potential houses?! This is getting less realistic with each passing episode.

@Fink I expect they have a ballpark for the house (if not a full valuation) and are just looking at what else is around (at probably half the price, just judging by size alone).

It would surprise me if they even had a ballpark valuation, for the reason that it's a unique house & situation in the area, it's not as though they can check on rightmove how much other terraces in their street have sold for. Otoh, Brian fires seem to keep quite extensive paperwork, maybe they have a regular valuation for insurance purposes or something.

More to the point,they don’t know what the final bill for the cleanup is.

I have always known roughly how much my house is worth, and it isn't a standard house. I also know how much various local houses go for. It doesn't take long to get an estate agent out (and would be boring radio).
They also know how much they would make by selling the land near Spiritual home.
That should give them a rough idea.

@ADarkandStormyKnight I did think that too, but then they do seem to know how much they want to raise from the land/house/whatever sale because they're talking about exact parcels of land that add up to a set amount, so I let that go.

But the clean-up hasn't finished yet?

I would also be surprised if they could sell Home Farm at a decent price without some guarantee that the work at Lowmead had been concluded.

Another one who's wondering how they can be so confident before the final bill is in on the clean-up, and amazed this hasn't featured in any of the discussions.

Whatever they call the Pip sprog can we please call it Pipette? (My thanks to whoever used this upthread)

My vote's for Pipette too.

How much land does Lower Loxley have? Room for Spiritual Home?

Might get mixed up with Peppa Pig.... with hilarious consequences!

Spiritual Home sounds like a magazine for surrendered wives to me. A very odd choice of name.....

Piplet would be a good name. I'm not keen on Gideonella.
I was a bit peed off at the Today programme telling me something I thought was a spoiler. I would have missed it in the newspaper as the person's full name didn't register with me.

Am I allowed to say how extremely irritating Pip is?!

You're not only allowed to, it's compulsory. Because it's true.

I dislike the Pip character. I dislike the way she is acted.
I liked the old Pip - she was ghastly.
If only Pip's parents and gran would treat the 3 children the same.
She is so self-centred and 'entitled'.

Maybe Justin will offer Brine and JD an affordable house, Then we'll have the satisfaction of hearing them and Emma exploding.