Archers thread #144: Window pains again! Light relief or dark times ahead for Ambridge in 2023? 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, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you’d love to volunteer in the shop with Susan, 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/4636789-the-archers-spoilers-thread-7-cant-wait-for-702pm-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.)

New year, new thread. Many thanks to @LillianGish for the window pains pun! Hoping to hear a lot less from the Caseys this year and a good deal more about farming and how Ambridge is coping with Brexit, cost of living crisis, ageing population and all sorts of credible character-based storylines. Yes, I know, but one can only hope.

Over to you!

Felicia from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert?

Poor Alicia Johns. I said her name wrong all those years. I'll probably find out that Darrell Rivers was really said as Dar-elle. Now about Darr.... aaargh!

Why were Ruairi and Julieanne on the Toady programme recently?
Is Kursedy pregnant?
Where in Ambridge has enough bedrooms for Helen, Lee and four children? Will Tony and Prat move to Beechview and Helen & co move to Fridge Barm? if so, will it put Tomtasha's noses out of joint? Where's Johnny?

I don't particularly like Helen. I don't think you are supposed to like her, but she is an interesting, consistent and believable character. The background of her recurring anorexia, the death of John and Greg's suicide have had family permanently pussyfooting around her which is arguably why they weren't quick to intervene in the Knob situation. "Doggedly independent", Helen has never really left home, she works in the family business and lives in a house built on Bridge Farm land so in theory she should be well supported and to an extent she is, but she is very much someone who likes to have everything on her own terms. This new storyline is brilliantly believable - as she explained to Tony last night: she's finally found a man she can trust, he's great with the boys, but she doesn't want the boat to be rocked by two teenage girls - a part of the equation she won't be able to control.

1. Presumably because they’re about to play a significant part in a major story.
2. Who knows? But it’s a soap, so one pregnancy story must immediately follow the last. It’s the law.
3. I’ve been surprised that Bridge Farm hasn’t followed the Brookfield model of each succeeding generation pushing out the incumbent one in the big house. (Home Farm took a more novel approach!) Really, it’s time; I’ve been looking forward to the carnage for so long now.

"This new storyline is brilliantly believable - as she explained to Tony last night: she's finally found a man she can trust, he's great with the boys, but she doesn't want the boat to be rocked by two teenage girls - a part of the equation she won't be able to control."

That's spot on, @LillianGish.

I’ve been surprised that Bridge Farm hasn’t followed the Brookfield model of each succeeding generation pushing out the incumbent one in the big house. (Home Farm took a more novel approach!) Really, it’s time; I’ve been looking forward to the carnage for so long now. Absolutely this @TottersBlankly

But if Pat and Tony moved out, Tom and Natasha would stake their claim on Bridge Farm as well as Helen.

Yes, with Brookfield there was one farming child (David) and the other 3. Similarly next generation it looks as if there will be Pip and John has his mechanics, and Ben hopefully his nursing.

With Bridge Farm both Tom and Helen are equally involved currently.

I want Jonny to get Bridge Farm.

I love inheritance squabbles on TA.

Bridge Farm could possibly be split into two units, which was what Mike did at Willow Farm to enable Roy, Hayley, Phoebe and Abby to have their own home.

Another dwelling could be built on a piece of land which magically appears and would get planning permission. Was Tom thinking of doing this years ago when he and Kirsty were going to marry, or was that just what we thought he should do, rather than looking for newbuild executive homes all over Borsetshire?

The packing house or some other farm building could be converted into a dwelling. Again, there need be no planning unpleasantness. The SWs will see to that.

I wonder how big the Beechwood house is. If Mabel and Evie are visiting regularly, there must be a bedroom which they share. Very unlikely there would be enough bedrooms for them to have one each. Jack and Henry might share or might have a room each. So three or four bedrooms. I can't see it being bigger. Given how small the rooms often are in modern houses, it would indeed be a tight squeeze for two adults and four children.

There would be bloodshed!

I'd like him to get a third of it.

I assume Kate is going to inherit The Lodge, given she's been living there for ages now with Peggy. Peggy's fortune seems to be enormous, which, as we have discussed before, is not very plausible, but has been useful to the SWs in various ways. I wonder if we can assume that all her children and grandchildren are going to get large lump sums.

Much was made of Lee decorating the boys' individual bedrooms when they moved in, so they must have a room each. I noted at the time that no mention was made of decorating a room for Lee's girls and wondered if they were going to be quietly forgotten about by the writers. If they have a room with Helen and Lee, why would they spend Christmas week at Bridge Farm?

Gasp, it was with Brenda that Tom was thinking of building a house, but she wasn't keen. IIRC, Tom suggested the same idea to Kursedy, and she wasn't keen because it had been a plan he'd made for Brenda, then they looked at a house in a different village, that wasn't altogether practical as not convenient to the farm.
Asking isn't around to correct confirm.

Thank you both for updates on the spoiler thread.

Doesn't Kate already own one of the Home Farm cottages?

Where is Alice living at the moment?

If they have a room with Helen and Lee, why would they spend Christmas week at Bridge Farm? Because Helen is excellent at delegating childcare.

@HellynaHandcart , Kate's cottage was given back to HF in exchange for Spiritual Home. Chris owns it now. Alice lives in her cottage, The Nest.

I'd really like it if someone started a thread listing all the known properties and inhabitants of Ambridge and its environs.

Could be updated as required and handy for ready reference.

Like I said, and as we see - carnage.

@BoreOfWhabylon , would that include the various Ambridge fairies, like the Ambridge Bedroom Fairy?

Was Tom thinking of doing this years ago when he and Kirsty were going to marry, or was that just what we thought he should do, rather than looking for newbuild executive homes all over Borsetshire?

Yes, as @ILoveShula recounts it. I distinctly remember Tom taking Brenda to look at a specific bit of Bridge Farm land, which he intended for their future home. Can’t recall exactly how Tom and Kirsty came to throw vast sums of Peggy’s money at an executive new build in a different universe to Ambridge.

Good idea, Bore

If they have a room with Helen and Lee, why would they spend Christmas week at Bridge Farm?

If there is a fourth bedroom at that house, it will be full of Lee's toys.

@TottersBlankly , the Tom & Kursedy wedding sort of got out of control. It was the big new house and the big wedding, then Tom cracked up on the wedding day. I can't remember why the wedding became such a big deal, and think it might have been because Helen's had been so low key, and John, of course, didn't have one.

I can’t remember where Tom and Gnasher and the twins live now. I enjoyed them living at Bridge Farmhouse but they must have moved out at some point because Gnasher’s Mum stayed with them when the twins were born and then moved out to stay with P and T. So where are they now?

In Cathy Perks house I think