Archers thread #158: Te Rum? You numpty, numpty, Tom! Empty tearoom follows. Christmas coming, farmers’ stand up, will it make us LOL? No! 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, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. 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 think Tom Archer is a great businessman, 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.)

Thanks to @LillianGish for the title idea, which may plant an earworm if my scansion just about holds up. @BeatriceBatchelor wanted 'plebby coffee' inserted in reference to my Bolivian coffee anecdote on the last thread, so I'll mention it here instead. Here's hoping Fallon and Emma decamp to the charging station or Grey Gables, or both, to run the type of coffee shop/tearoom people actually enjoy spending time in. Tom's cauliflower eclairs and kale criossants approach sounds more likely to drive the casual trade away from the farm shop and cheese window as well as the Google Translate-named Te Rum.

Feeling very uninspired by TA at the moment, so I have nothing more to say for now. Over to you!

Hang on - did jazzer and Tracey still not marry?

No mention so far of Shula’s thoughts on Lilian’s land grab. Wouldn’t she have to be involved somehow?

Very much enjoyed learning of T and G’s secret tab. It’s really going to rack up…

And the thought of petulant Kate vowing to become Gran’s carer was pretty glorious. She has no idea…Peggy is bound to die over Christmas in her own home. 🔮 eat your heart out- I called it first…

Jazzer and Tracey are married

Brian is competing with BL for the land. He had to step out of a BL meeting about it because of the conflict of interest. All of the farm owners have capital tied up in land so provided they can make a business case for the new land purchase they will get bank loans to finance it, as would Justin (I can’t remember what he wants to do with the land but I assume he plans to turn a profit). Brian said he will use the income from the holiday lets to pay back the loan.

They did. They went off secretly with Chelsea, Brad and Susan and did it. It was all hush hush so nobody found out they didn't get married the first time.

I thought so! Thanks for confirming. I started by I lose interest so wasn’t listening properly but thought Chelsea had ridiculously convinced the registrar

Justin is the ludicrous multi millionaire who doesn’t actually live like any of the VC millionaires I know of

Had forgotten all about Chelsea. We haven’t heard from her for a while. I quite like the idea of her but am not, in any way, missing her nasal/slightly affected delivery.

Well last night’s episode was a distinct improvement. Lo and behold, it was written by Keri.

that must have happened when i stopped listening then, sick to the back teeth of the Ron SL.

It wasn't long after they were back from honeymoon. It almost didn't happen because of a sick registrat or something, but Brad or Chelsea saved the day by calling in a registrar from the next door council or something not entirely plausible.

Wasn’t it a stupid thing that Brad proved mathematically that the registrar could still make all the bookings and then Chelsea used her persuading skills

gosh, kind of glad i missed it. (and sorry, thanks pp, i misheard what Brian was saying)

Very much enjoyed learning of T and G’s secret tab. It’s really going to rack up…

I completely agree with the PP that Tom's going to complain that the tearoom isn't making enough money, only to be told it's him and his wife who are draining the profits out of it. And Tony has already been a witness to this, so will be able to back Fallon up. Maybe it will be the accusation of financial mismanagement/falling trade, and not Tom's Willy Wonka creations, that will push Fallon over the edge into leaving?

Just to get back on my planning permission soap box...when was little Grange installed?

Sounds like anyone buying Olivers land wants to convert the barn, (requiring pp) so hopefully the local authority planners will see emmas caravan that doesn't have permission!

If T and N are taking out £10-£15 a day's worth of drinks and food five or six days a week, that's at least £200 a month, £2400 a year.

Also did Emma say that a flapjack was £3.75? 😮

Yes - pricing was crazy!!

hate to be a spoilsport Tony but taking anything from the business should be recorded. Maybe a visit from the tax man is due

Brefugee
-Peggy was rich but now needs to sell The Lodge (which may or may not have been promised to Helen?)

Peggy made a will in which she left everything to Tom except The Lodge, which she left to Helen. Then Tony was almost killed by the bull, and Peggy had a change of heart and made a change of will, now leaving her estate to be evenly divided between her three children. I do hope it was sensibly drawn up so that Jennifer having died doesn't invalidate it or something stupid like that.

IIRC from my days of running a business and doing the accounts (retired now), you are supposed to note everything you take from the business for personal use and declare it in the accounts. I can't remember if you declare the net or gross value (ours wasn't the sort of business that we took from, like T&N's food business), but you certainly can't take goods Willy nilly and not pay for them. I used a Simplex D accounts book, and IIRC there is actually a box to note stuff you take for your own use. So looking forward to them getting the tab, that'll be worth a listen.

I don’t think they’ll dare to kill off Peggoi until June Spencer dies.

Bruisername
Yes - pricing was crazy!!

I agree. £3.75 is excessive. A flapjack in a farm shop café shouldn't cost more than £3.50.

I'm quite surprised Tony hasn't told Tom and Natasha to pack it in and start acting like businesspeople. Still, I suppose if he did it would spoil the fun when Fallon presents the bill.

Alice is sounding more and more like Kate

clarrie is sounding more and more like a turkey. What is with that delivery? “Why is everything so hard?” - er, look at your husband Clarrie. Don’t envy her life at all. Let’s see if Eddie will actually help her.

What did we do to deserve 5 mins of Shula

“Why is everything so hard?” - er, look at your husband Clarrie. Don’t envy her life at all.

I do genuinely feel sorry for Clarrie, she's a decent sort. And Eddie clearly loves her. But neither she nor Eddie or any of the other Grundys seem to be able to see that they bring a lot of this on themselves with the DelBoy-style ducking and diving and endless "schemes" that come back to bite them on the arse. If Eddie played by the rules rather than trying to cheat his way ahead, things would almost certainly be better. It drives me mad to listen to!

Nice to hear Shula again, I do like her.