🍾 Archers thread 123: Goodbye & good riddance to 2020 – to Philip too? The Archers is 70 on New Year’s Day – celebrate or vent about it here!

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you wish we heard more from Shula, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3853783--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-5-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

So! 2021 beckons. Big anniversary next Friday, 1.1.21 (and to mark that we have episodes Tuesday-Friday next week). What would we like to see happen? I may be in a minority of one, but I'd like a nice gentle character-driven episode. I don't think we'll get that, but I really, really hope they don't kill someone else off, just for the headlines.

[Title edited by MNHQ at OP'S request]

I also enjoyed slavery repercussions: part the first tonight. I hope Shula deals with her guilt by going on a six month silent meditation retreat though.

While Ruth and David made me want to boak, the rest of the unfolding was very satisfying. The public arrest of Kirsty has speeded up the plot lines nicely. I wonder how Boris's announcement will affect things: how is TA being recorded these days? I've been away for ages.

I think Kirsty must have quietly gone back to Willow Farm and be there not speaking to anyone, since the police can only have held her for 24 hours without charging her and I doubt they have a good enough case against her to charge her for anything. And if they have charged her she ought to be out on bail by now, four days later.

@R4

Yay for Brian! I hope that this is the start of the Resurgence of the House of Aldridge.

We haven't heard from Oliver. Will the insurers demand back their damages claim pay-out?

It depends a bit whose insurers paid out. If it was Oliver's, they are presumably already claiming what they paid from Philip's insurers. But I wonder whether Philip's insurers might disclaim liability if his insurance doesn't cover damage caused directly or indirectly by criminal activities?

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

I think Kirsty must have quietly gone back to Willow Farm and be there not speaking to anyone, since the police can only have held her for 24 hours without charging her and I doubt they have a good enough case against her to charge her for anything. And if they have charged her she ought to be out on bail by now, four days later.

The police can hold you for up to 24 hours before they have to charge you with a crime or release you. We can then apply to an inspector or above to hold you for up to 36 hours.

If we have have sufficient evidence and can show just cause , we can then apply to the magistrates for an extension to 96 hours . MSHT is the sort of crime that would be suitable for this type of application if required.
(You can be held without charge for up to 14 days If you're arrested under the Terrorism Act.)

Still impressed by the storyline. As a Modern Slavery Investigator - I would definitely of arrested the wife of the main suspect . Especially if she were living with two of the main suspects. I would want to interview her under causation and find out what her story was.
Like the story line - I would also find it difficult to believe she knew nothing. But you don't know unless you ask.

Under caution even..

I think the editorial team have done rather well - the construction projects, carried out some time ago, were rather well placed.

Indeed! Beautiful domino effect. Though I seriously considered self defenestration when Ruth started talking about ... people she's never thought about before. My face was and the words "Please. God. No. Don't. Go. There." fell, unbidden, from my lips

I'm once again astonished at how they've repurposed Justin from the expensively suited, global business leader he was introduced as, all those years ago. (Covid aside, he wouldn't have seen January in England for decades. He and Miranda would have been holed up in their chalet for half the winter, and spent the other half in the Caribbean. Bit of a shame Lilian gets the [word genteel TA posters wouldn't like] end of the stick.)

I actually see this story like e SATTC far more than the one 10 years ago. Will the Borchester Echo unearth that photo of Neil, Emma and Philip and the refurbished playground?
Ruth seemed very self centred whereas David seemed to get it. I hope they can redeem the barn by using it for a fund raiser for a related cause or similar.

Depending on what exactly Damara do and what its turnover is the panicking there may well be more than just saving their image.

If they are obliged to issue a Modern Day Slavery Statement (mandatory if annual turnover exceeds £36m ) they quite clearly failed to engage with the requirements to ensure they are taking the steps to combat slavery and human trafficking in their supply chains. The effect of this reporting requirement is that companies need to examine their supply chains to identify whether there is a risk of modern slavery occurring, before they can report on the steps they are undertaking to combat modern slavery

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

I think Kirsty must have quietly gone back to Willow Farm and be there not speaking to anyone, since the police can only have held her for 24 hours without charging her and I doubt they have a good enough case against her to charge her for anything. And if they have charged her she ought to be out on bail by now, four days later.

They let Philip out on bail so, unless they think Kirsty is the mastermind, she should be out too.

@MissBarbary

Depending on what exactly Damara do and what its turnover is the panicking there may well be more than just saving their image.

If they are obliged to issue a Modern Day Slavery Statement (mandatory if annual turnover exceeds £36m ) they quite clearly failed to engage with the requirements to ensure they are taking the steps to combat slavery and human trafficking in their supply chains. The effect of this reporting requirement is that companies need to examine their supply chains to identify whether there is a risk of modern slavery occurring, before they can report on the steps they are undertaking to combat modern slavery

The Damara man (name escapes me) did mention that supermarkets wouldn't buy from them if they were implicated.

Will they lose the Dower house, which was Lilian's but is now Justin's? Although, I would expect him to have plenty stashed away.

While Ruth and David made me want to boak

i found the hand wringing a bit unconvincing - David always goes for the cheapest price on jobs, he could have looked into the quotes more carefully.

It also seemed to be the wrong way around. Usually David is the one self justifying and looking to deflect blame and Ruth is the hand wringer.

Martin was the Damara man. Always wheeled out when a grumpy director is needed.

Cautiously pleased with the way this storyline is going so far. Thanks for your further input, @Trickyboy, I appreciate it.

Welcome, @DeusEx! I'd like to hear more from Russ. He's very much one of the characters I love to hate. Surely he's not just going to fade into the background now?

David always goes for the cheapest price on jobs, he could have looked into the quotes more carefully.
I think this is the lesson we are supposed to take from this storyline, if a quote is much cheaper why is that so. Also, that they knew to be careful regarding seasonal workers from Eastern Europe but didn't think a local builder with British workers would be a problem.

David and Ruth's totally unconvincing self-castigation and pious horror about the evils of slave labour

The clunky references to Colston’s statue and plantations were very laboured. In fact, while the guilt and self -doubt might be real, I think most people would come down on the same side as Ruth and say it’s hard to see how they possibly have known the boys were enslaved.

At last - some realistic reaction to Philip and Kirsty's arrest. There’s scarcely anyone in the village untouched by this - I think it might finish Shula off when she finds out what was going on. As a pp pointed out - the SWs have very quietly and cleverly been building up to this for a spectacular domino effect. We thought Philip was the only builder in the village (rather as Harrison is the only policeman and Usha the only solicitor until her disappearance) for the convenience of casting, but in fact this was the plan all along. It wasn’t just Ruth who saw “An old softie with his daft Christmas jumpers and flashing reindeer lights” (or whatever). I don’t think there’s a family untouched by the tentacles of this plot. BOOP

genteel TA posters

Who are these people?

In "forget about Covid land", I am hoping that Shula will be so distraught about hiring Philip twice (I remember that she was quite insistent that she didn't need to involve Alan with the church tower repairs) that she will remember her dream of going abroad for a year (was it to New Zealand?). She could take Pip and Rosie with her....and Kenton.

Alistair, I am relying on you to remind her!

David always goes for the cheapest price on jobs, he could have looked into the quotes more carefully.

Is there evidence for this? I don't recall any -- nor indeed that he generally has much say in whom Ruth or Pip causes him to employ.

After all, we never heard who did the rebuilding on either the first or the second time that "Mediaeval" Dutch Barn was burned down and written off.

Ian and Adam are very quiet these days

How old will Xander be now?

Slightly in jest, but I reckon it would be easy to identify whether or not I was hiring modern slaves.

When I had our kitchen/bathroom extension demolished and rebuilt, the builders/plumbers/electricians spent a sizeable amount of their time on their mobile phones, brought their own posh coffee and most insisted on wearing jeans below their designer pants.

Until Blake blew up Grey Gables, I had always imagined that Philip had a sizeable workforce at his beck and call? I felt sure that he always claimed to running between multiple jobs.

I wonder who Philip hires in for his electrical/plumbing/gas work? It all needs to be certified these days.

I felt certain that Joy was going to be involved in this plot, but I really can't remember the last time we heard from her (hope the actress is okay).

How old will Xander be now?

'Bout 17. Worrying over scrapped exams ...

Ian's still on paternity leave. Teaching him to drive.

Madcats
I wonder who Philip hires in for his electrical/plumbing/gas work? It all needs to be certified these days.

We do know that when Lilian was having trouble getting the work on her bathroom finished, Philip was able to get in for her at little or no notice a plumber who "owed him a favour". We don't know who it was, but presumably one who did know his job, since Lilian was well-pleased with his work.