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.

Yeah but with Alistair comes Shula with her sandwiches. ACC members would be leaving him to it.

You’re right, R4, it was a bit odd. I guess plot necessities override social stratification. He wouldn’t be drinking with Kenton now, and neither Philip nor anyone else who might be within his friendship circle would have let him get drunk enough to start gambling. So it had to be Jazzer.

I guess plot necessities override social stratification.

Plot necessities or actors' rotas?

@DadDadDad do we have stats on the speed at which these threads fill up?

Assuming it maps to engagement in the programme (to some extent) posting stats reflect the current tedious and irritating storylines?

Do we have the stats? Do we have the stats? Oh, Caffeine, I've got all the stats you could want.

The lull seems typical for the summer months, but it is continuing the low level that followed Nic's death. (I can barely believe that was back at the start of February). Graph attached. I can provide numbers if preferred.

Dad3 you are a very sad Dad

Ditto Will and Neil. Wouldn't Will have asked Eddie for help?
I think Neil wanted to escape from Susan wittering on.

What a pointless conversation between Ruth and Jennifer. Why does Jennifer have to have the emotional value of the family home explained to her? Or was it a clumsy explanation for the audience? And as for Ruth's delivery: "Yeah.....you could" like a Victorian melodrama, surely that's the whole point, they can but don't want to. Duh.

Dad3 Oh, Caffeine, I've got all the stats you could want

Oh Dad3, I have a near inexhaustible appetite for raw data

Interesting though. It could just be the Summer lull - TV is always rubbish in the Summer as well. I don't remember feeling quite so negative last Summer.

I also thought last night's Ruth/Jennifer conversation was one of those tiresome "explain the obvious to the audience" sessions.

TV rubbish?!! C8, where have you been? We've had The Bridge, The Handmaid's Tale, Hidden, Whitehouse and Mortimer Go Fishing, Unforgotten starts again this month, as does Orange is the New Black. French Open and Wimbledon for those who like tennis, (although I can't stand Claire Balding - Claire Blanding more like) and, of course, World Cup. What do you like to watch?

I also thought last night's Ruth/Jennifer conversation was one of those tiresome "explain the obvious to the audience" sessions.

Did anyone need it explaining, though? After JD hosted Ruth's party because Home Farm is much more spacious and well-equipped for entrtaining than Brookfield. After JD has hosted numerous family dinners and birthday teas over the years. After Home Farm has effortlessly housed various family members eg Phoebe, Kate, Noli, Debbie, Lilian (although magically-fluxing numbers of bedrooms does seem to be an Ambridge trait).
Considering the amount of relocating that goes on amongst the other properties in Ambridge, the Aldridges of Home Farm must be one of the longest tenures going. (can anyone beat it? Bridge Farm?)
Did we really need that spelling out? It would only benefit someone who started listening last week!

Back to the subject of liquidising assets: Brine still has a holding in BL, doesn't he? What do we think that is worth? Or does he have to continue holding it because it ensures that the Estate work stays with HF?

I don't find much TV that interests me but Whitehouse and Mortimer Go Fishing is a hoot.

TV rubbish?!!

In the Summer? Yes a lot of it is. "All" is probably too harsh but the big drama seasons and main productions and big budget shows are geared to the Autumn and Spring seasons.

I tend to watch everything on catch up or PVR. The rest of the year I generally have a backlog. In the Summer I scarcely record anything so catch up with the Winter backlog.

I'll grant you the Bridge but Hidden is a repeat. Handmaid's Tale yes but that is two shows. I'll throw in Luke Cage as season 2 was recently released.

I'm not saying there is nothing to watch, just very little compared to the rest of the year. The big 8pm/9pm slots are mostly taken up by reality stuff and game shows at this time of year - not genres I'm very interested in. I'm not a soap watcher either.

So its possible that the stuff I like veers toward the pricier content which is held for the big seasons. This isn't just a UK phenomenon - advertising rates plummet in teh Summer in NA and Europe as well as audience figures are lower.

Brian took over HF on Lady Day 1975. Pat'n'Tone took over BF on Lady Day 1977.
In case you were wondering.

Why doesn't Brian just borrow against either the house and/or the land? I suspect Brian has a very weird attitude to borrowing against assets - as the thing that stands out from when he bought Home farm is that he did it "without a mortgage" - which kind of does explain the accepting of the dumping on his land.

I don't think that Brine can borrow against the land because of the same objection to selling it: the partners/DC will lose out (sell asset or gain debt) to fund Brine's problem.
If he borrowed against the house then how would he finance the repayments? Does he still have enough income from HF after he stepped down/retired. I suppose he could do equity release.

Downsizing to free up capital might make more financial sense, though it's tough from an emotional POV.

R4 - I hope you meant "liquidating assets" - they idea of liquidising farmland makes me feel a bit queasy.

But if he borrows against the Land - the partners still own it, and with the full acreage surely can come up with a decent repayment schedule. Admittedly Kate might need to start paying rent for her bit, and they would need to make sure that the Holiday lets etc. were paying their way properly. (Maybe even Alice and Chris pay rent for their cottage.)

Oops. You're right. Can I blame it on a typo?
Farmland round here is definitely not liquidising - it's drying up!

I want a map of Home Farm and a list of Brian's assets and liabilities. #overinvested

It's not unusual for retiring farmers to sell off the main farmhouse and downsize to a smaller house or barn conversion. The Aldridges only have Ruairi to think about as the others all have their own cottages.

The only problem is it devalues the farm as a whole.

Gosh ...

Always love the raising of games when ...

Debbie. Contented sigh.

Dad3 I lufs you!