Archers thread #161: Kenton seems to be getting better, but the storylines aren’t. Discuss The Archers here.

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Well, here we are. I was strongly tempted to go for the dog's dinner, dog/human bullies etc suggestions for the title, but Mere asked if we could not have anything graphic in the thread title, so I've held back. In a couple of weeks when this thead is nearing its end the attack may all be a distant memory, anyway.

Goodness knows what's in store for us now. Kenton seems likely to have PTSD, not surprisingly. Surely we must soon find out why HARRY talks so. Unconvincingly. Alice! Hello. CHRIS. CHRIS. etc, and also whether he is (as many of us suspect) addicted to opiates and/or up to no good. Too much to hope why nobody in Ambridge horsey circles had ever heard of him until recent weeks.

Over to you!

It’s surely always been inevitable that Fallon would take over the pub? (Save for any intervention from Lucy or Jamie.)

Almost the whole point of Ambridge is familial inheritance - of land, property, business, knowledge, goodwill, money …

To me it’s felt for decades that she’s just treading water until she comes into that inheritance and takes up her natural role. (That’s obviously assuming the SWs don’t shuffle her, leaving Harrison & Daughter as the new hosts of The Bull. I could live with that, too. It’s cunningly entertaining that just at the point where Jolene’s retirement becomes more and more likely, they’ve sown the tiniest seed of doubt over Fallon’s survival …)

Mark Hebden was killed off just at the point when Shula was about to discover she was pregnant through IVF. That was very soapy so I hope they don't do similar to Fallon. I don't mind Harrison as a character, but it doesn't take the 🔮to foresee Harry making an official complaint about Harrison. Given he's been making noises about moving to a different role, going part-time, I wonder if he might be on the verge of quitting altogether. He and Fallon could run the pub together. I'd like that, I think. An ex-police officer would be well placed to deal with drunks and troublemakers. Fallon could run the catering and drinks side standing on her head. Kenton and Jolene can retire to the Costa Brava. Sorted!

What did the CA say? I always miss that by not listening live.

The walls are closing in for harrison

words to that effect. I thought it was an odd choice of words

I think Harry might make a complaint but Alice will then say "he didn't tell me he'd arrested Harry" and Harry will be forced to concede that - hence the bit at the end where Harry dropped himself in it. So there'll be a lot of broohaha but no outcome. I'd REALLY like Harrison and Fallon as Bull LL though...

Yes … I can’t be bothered to listen again but did Harrison reveal anything that wasn’t in the public domain (for anyone who cared to go looking for the info)?

Mark Hebden was killed off just at the point when Shula was about to discover she was pregnant through IVF. That was very soapy so I hope they don't do similar to Fallon. Could be a way of ensuring Fallon being so stressed that it doesn’t occur to her to do a pregnancy test. Her lack of periods she thinks is down to grief and not eating.

Dash it, that's horribly plausible.

Why are we learning so much about Harrison’s boss? Taken the wind out of Harry’s sails though.

I'm with Tracey on the relentless positivity!!

definitely moving towards Harrison and Fallon taking over the running of the bull!!

’not Chris, but close enough’ - Alice is definitely getting back with Chris!!

I think Harrison would make a good pub LL. Now I think of it, he did a good job talking Ron down and, the same sort of action was referred to lately but escapes me now. Even dealing with odious Harry. He's plainly good at this.

And the openings for hostage negotiators are probably thin on the ground.

Too many goods there.

Can Kenton and Jolene afford to retire? Aren't they always worrying about money.

I wonder whether we’ll have a whole hoo-haa about who will take over the pub, with much hand wringing from Ian and Adam, etc. I suppose it would make sense now why we have the random tea room story and the complete blinkers about being able to open up near the recharging station.

Is the Bull profitable?

Surely David can run The Bull in his spare time from farming?

Ian could run a pop up supper club, if that's the right terminology! Genius idea, @OverArmour. Or schedule his pizza van to be in the car park over the summer (paying some sort of fee to TB). I wonder if the pub has a parcel collection point? I passed a pub near us which has a great bank of lockers for parcels. Inner London, admittedly, but there must be lots of commuters in Ambridge who can't guarantee being in for a parcel and don't want to rely on neighbours.

All ideas which Fallon and Harrison may come up with (well more Harrison as he’s the only one that seems to spend time out of the village).

How many bedrooms does the Bull have? Could they Move in and run the pub with Jolene and Kenton helping. Sure it would lead to some unemployment but it would open up a home in the village. And Emma may not mind being made redundant if she gets the cafe manager job (or if the tree surgery takes off).

We can certainly see the gears grinding on this story- now Jolene has revealed she’s sick of running the pub. Was the whole point of the dog attack and the invention of the Wolverhampton incident to cue Jolene and Kenton up for retirement? Harrison’s boss describing him as a good policeman doesn’t chime with his earlier desire to go part-time. It’s like turning an ocean liner - I think Fallon and Harrison would be brilliant running the pub, but it’s taking a lot of crunching and grinding to get there.

Is there any reason why Fallon could not run the pub with staff while Harrison lives there with her and continues to be a policeman (part time or otherwise?). Does the business model only work if there are two people not drawing a salary?

I think the assumption is that Harrison will be unemployed soon

Yes, but why is that necessary for plot purposes?

Does Harrison work part time? What does he do with his free time ?

Bothers a) God and b) wildlife, when not being revoltingly overinvested in other people’s relationships.

🤣🤣🤣 @RegimentalSturgeon

Perhaps he hangs around Loxley Barratt primary school gates wishing he had kids of his own.

I'm a bit out of the loop and not listened to the Archers for a bit but did last night - I heard about Kenton and the dog attack - but why might Harrison lose his job?