🏏Archers thread #136: Howzat! Oliver’s bowled a googly, Kathy’s out, Grey Gables left with nightwatchman. Tracy knocked for six. Is Ambridge on a sticky wicket? Discuss The Archers 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 are entranced by new character Adil, 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/4197199--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-6-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.)

Apologies if anybody made a thread title suggestion and I missed it. I decided to mark the start of the cricket season in the hope that things will take a turn for the better for poor Tracy.

It feels like months since the last new thread, which was just after Phoebe departed for Scotland. Has she been mentioned since? I can't recall. Not greatly missed, by me, at any rate. Her fish gifts didn't last long.

I can't shake off the feeling that The Archers is going through a long dull patch. I don't feel greatly engaged by anything that's happening at the moment other than Tracy's plight. Such a good actor, which helps, of course.

What's keeping you listening? Habit? Genuinely enjoying it? Over to you!

(PS In the process of starting this thread, I've discovered that our custom-made Archers emoji has gone. You used to get it by typing . Not any more.)

Aaargh wrong thread

surely the greyhound tied to the gate will be microchipped? I don’t think dogs have to be microchipped, I was listening on the radio to someone campaigning for compulsory microchipping for dogs. Historically in the UK dogs had to be licensed, and when that requirement was dropped, dogs had to wear a collar with owner contact details on. Cats have never been licensed or had to wear collars, so microchipping cats is much more common, as a way of hoping your lost cat will be returned to you.

I’ve found my people! though it’s a fast moving thread so forgive me if I can’t keep up.

I’m here to complain about Kathy. I’ve been listening but only for about 6 years so I haven’t had much exposure to her. Thanks for the potted history @TottersBlankly. have felt confused how this person who everyone knows and loves is here yet I can’t remember who they are! Also, clunky acting I think.

Just so you all know where I stand, Kate is the best character and no one will ever convince me otherwise. I love her so much.

So… for those of you still reading. Who remembers that time when Rob found the remains of an animal in grain store - was it a dog? Did we ever find out who it was who did that? Or do we think it was just all part of Rob’s psychopathic games?

Agree about Hazel Woolley storyline lacking nuance. Would be so tedious if she were the new owner.

That quiche story line was so stupid. But presumably just to promote the Big Picnic for the jubilee celebration?

Welcome @pennysays .

Vaguely remember the grain store thing.... very vaguely though. At Bridge Farm?

Only just caught up with everything.

Thank you for the bee thread @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g Great title. I tried to think of one but couldn't think of a thing that was going on.

Oh it's all so annoying atm isn't it? I too was close to shouting at the radio over the Fallon escaped. I hadn't heard about the poor chap recently but Natasha's law came into effect last year re good labelling. You simply can't have secret ingredients and I think it's pretty off to pretend that can for some supposedly high jinx and japery. Don't even get me started on the 'I added peanut butter instead of marmite' or whatever she was up to.

Tracey's story is very badly timed isn't it? I adore her but it really misses the mark. I thought there was a recruiting crisis going on. She mentions bills but no mention of those bills soaring. Sigh.

The grain store thing... was it silage? It was at Berrow when it was a dairy unit and they had botulism or listeria or something. It was when Scruff was missing after Ye Grete Fludde, but it wasn't Scruff who was the silagey dog remains, because Scruff came home to die on Resurgam.

Just adding my dismay to the stupid quiche storyline. I assume it's so that they can judge the puddings on Friday 3rd June - isn't that when we return to 5 episodes? What a treat that will be...

I quite liked the Tracy/Chelsea interactions last night. Agree poor timing re: the "there's no jobs in hospitality" problem though. My brother runs a couple of pubs and is always looking for staff at the moment. Maybe it's because the SWs want to have Tracy working within the enclave, so her options are more limited.

@EBearhug yes that’s exactly it. We were all supposed to think it was scruff but it wasn’t. Rob tried to pin it on the one of the farm workers but there want any proof but no one ever proved otherwise. But we never found out who did it?

The law changed a while ago:

www.gov.uk/get-your-dog-microchipped

My SiL has had a few rescue greyhound/lurcher. The ones that raced also have a registration tattoo'd on them (presumably to stop a trainer substituting similar looking dogs).

I hope Stella has a big house/office. Greyhounds are massive and don't really have the stamina to be out in the fields all day. She would have been better off choosing a working spaniel and then complaining about the price of puppies!

I agree with others that Ambridge must be a very special place to not have loads of vacancies in hospitality, delivery drivers, building trade.

I think Stella is going to pick up more than a stray greyhound at the surgery. Surely Alistair is going to ask her out? I probably wouldn’t mind a date with Alistair though I would need to be sure he was over the gambling before I got serious. May be the PT could sort that out for me?

I thought the assumption was that it was a miscellaneous dog that had drowned in the flood? But my memory of it is very hazy.

For goodness sake
Tracey's house is social housing so the rent will be subsidised. Gary's share will be about £150 I would have thought. She will also be entitled to universal credit, and eviction is a very long and slow process and highly unlikely if she continues to pay some of the rent at least. This is annoying me. ignoring the quiche nonsense completely

It’s a legal requirement that dogs are microchipped, I believe? Google says so. So an ex racing greyhound would definitely be chipped.

Definitely not feeling informed or entertained thanks Auntie.

Normally I really appreciate the dull and the plodding and it doesn't bother me that they can't keep up with reality, but Thursday's GG send off was too dull even for me.
Tracey's generic poverty storyline is just too far the wrong way, poverty issues now tend to more to be in work poverty where full time job employment cover basic needs, fuel hikes and inflation - or not being able to run your business effectively through staffing shortages/ brexit/ covid. It's like they put the minimum of thought and imagination into it. Surely strawberry picking will be starting soon. Are we to listen to Sausage boy bemoan the lack of farm workers whilst this goes on.

I think what annoys me most about the quiche madness is they didn't even have to change the storyline although perhaps they should have. Jill could have just replied "you can't have secret ingredients anymore because of Natasha's law, but seeing as we've no allergies you don't need to share."
I found Fallon's extreme reaction "the quiche might be disgusting" in very poor taste. I have lots of intolerances, so no where near as serious as allergies but still enough to leave me housebound for several days if I get it wrong.

Anyway disgusted from Tumbridge Wells is going to have a cup of tea and cheer up now.

Tracey's story is very badly timed isn't it? I was just thinking it was rather well timed, but I take your point. I think the fact is, Tracy wants to find work in or around Ambridge so she can stay close to the fold - caring for her dad, teenage daughter, close to her sister etc etc which is actually fair enough. I agree the rent and eviction worries while living in a council house are perhaps a step too far, but I'm happy to see the SW's exploring the precarity of life for the rural poor. For me, this is the essence of what The Archers is all about. Are you a Horrobin or a Grundy, rooted in the land, but with no stake in it or are you and Archer or an Aldridge, equally rooted in Ambridge and literally the inheritor of the earth. The Tracys and Emmurs of this world don't have family with spare cottages to pass around or guaranteed jobs in family businesses or the land to set up new businesses which other members of the family can invest in. I don't think the SWs even needed to close GG for this to happen - Tracy could have lost her job after her indiscretion with Jazzer.

I also thought dogs were required to be microchipped by law as when I got my cat chipped the vet said they're looking to make it a legal requirement, like dogs.

Much more interested in the viability of a grey hound for a farm worker's pet.

I love Alistair, I think he's fab, though I wasn't in Ambridge for his addiction storyline.
I would love for him to find a nice woman, but that is definite baggage.

Brilliant thread title @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g.

Just seen “Justin Elliot” playing Joe Biden in “The 47th” at the Old Vic. It was a shuffle on part.

We adopted a dog from a Rescue. She had a chip but it apparently had no information on it - I don't know how that can happen but it did. We were able to update it with our details so it wasn't faulty.

Before she worked at GG, did Tracey ever have a job? I'm pretty certain that Gary was unemployed too.

I have no recollection of Tracey being sacked from Lower Loxley

As @CloseYourEyesAndSee points out, Tracy is in social housing and would be entitled to Universal Credit etc. The path to eviction would be long especially given that her ? elderly dad is also living there.

Maybe time the Archers gave a disadvantaged youngster from a struggling family a role as an intern rather than relying on those who can navigate the BBC application process?

But losing your income is worrying - even in social housing. She has teenagers as well as bills. She may have payday loans she's worried about.

Of course it won't be easy but the situation should have a semblance of realism!

I wondered whether they are lining up Stella for him.

The law changed a while ago: You’re right! April 2016. Where have I been for the last 6 years?

I guess the sort of person who abandons a dog is not the sort of person who bothers getting them microchipped. Many lurchers look like greyhounds and many get abandoned when too old to work. So for once a realistic storyline.