Archers thread #164: AmbridgEnders! An Everyday Story of Soapy Folk. Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

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

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Thread thrown together in great haste in advance of tonight's episode. Who's in the Am? Is it George's fault? Is this the end for Alice? Over to you!

I love your dedication to the cause!

I don't and have never owned a car which locks itself like this, but would imagine you could always open doors (without child locks) from the inside. If you can't, surely that would make it a bit dangerous when you needed to get out in an emergency.

So we have a TA fan in Mumsnet Towers, @BeckyAMumsnet ? Excellent news!

I don't think it will be Joy, because she doesn't yet know about Mick's surprise job, does she?

George will hopefully be sensible and call the police, but will then be done for drink driving as they will breathalyse everyone involved.

There’s no reason to think anyone dies. Could just be a life changing injury

i mean it’s not gone over London Bridge

It will be third party and passenger, if he has a motor insurance policy with the common (but not universal) clause about other people's cars.

That cover requires Alice to have insured her car too.

I'm interested that the alcohol licence for small shops is so broad in scope. In Ireland a village Spar or such would be able to sell wine, but not either spirits or beer and cider - they need a different level of licensing.

There's no legal restriction on the hours a small shop like the village shop can be open. Closing at 6 is a management decision, not a legal requirement.

The licence itself might have set hours but off licences in England and Wales are permitted to sell alcohol after 6 p.m on a Sunday.

George is tricky. He might run away.

Or he might have drowned.

Opening the car doors in an emergency might be important depending on just how deep they've decided the Am is now. A poster on the old BBC Mustardland used to warn us of the importance of getting out asap if your car plunges into water.

He won't be insured - but when I was going away for a while (months) and leaving my car at my sister's, I phoned the insurance company to see what it would cost to cover her - and as we were both insured fully company with the same insurance company, she was already covered.

However, I would think the Grundys would have the cheapest possible insurance (did Emma replace her car after the tree fell on it?) and Alice might have cover with a few more provisions, like breakdown cover. (Mind you, I never did when I was back home, as I knew there was always likely to be a landrover or tractor around to tow me if necessary.)

This is a particularly good supposition in view of George’s crush on Fallon. However I somehow feel it’s unlikely to be Joy since she’s already involved on too many different levels and I think Rochelle failing to appear at Joy’s sickbead/deathbed would be a complication too far.

it looks like Harrison is going to have a lot of paperwork to get through…

I would think you could turn off the auto lock in most cars (you can in mine - it’s a year old). It’s not recommended as if you have an accident it’s harder for someone to get in and rescue you. We do use it driving through low income/high traffic areas in developing countries (as advised). Martha should be travelling in the back with child lock on so Alice may well have the feature turned off.

I’m sure I can hear a splash after George’s ‘Arrgh’ and before he starts the ‘No No no’s’. Suppose it may be a bit of the bridge falling in allowing the car to teeter, or possibly Alice… leaving George either in the teetering car or deciding whether or not to leap in after her and rescue her?

I very much hope it's Denise and alaistair in the other car - not for them to get hurt but so their affair is uncovered asap as it's a horrible storyline. I don't mind it as people do have affairs and it's part of life but I don't like hearing it unfold.

As for George, he's definitely copping some of the blame for this. I doubt anyone will be seriously hurt, I think the drama will be about the legal consequences to both Alice and George.

A shop in England and Wales and Scotland needs an off licence to sell alcohol. The licence doesn't distinguish between different types of alcohol.

The Sunday trading hours ( which apply in England and Wales) don't apply to off licences unless it's also a large shop which can't be open more than 6 consecutive hours on a Sunday. The Sunday trading hours don't apply to small shops.

Heard the trailer this morning. Oh dear

My chips are on Fallon with Joy. Fallon dies and the autopsy shows she was pregnant. All Harrison’s dreams crushed in one.

Not my ideal storyline though, and hopefully too much soap for the Archers. It’d be a bit too much to handle, and I’m afraid I find Harrison’s voice a bit tedious so don’t want multiple episodes involving him!

Shops need off licences for alcohol here as well, and they do distinguish. It also can't be sold before 10.30 on a normal day or 12.30 on Sundays, which is a blasted nuisance if you're normally an early shopper.

A little village shop in Ireland would never close at 6 - they do a lot of their trade with people coming home from work and going back out to training or to social things. Opening hours would normally be 7.30 or 8.00 to some time between 8.30 and 10.00.

May I ask what time?

morning an evening hours obv, they aren't only open for a magic 30 minutes, that would be even worse than Ambridge.

i couldn't find it, can you give me a link?

I have unsubbed from the non spoilery threads because i simply can't listen any more. But i would like to know what goes on without the guesswork of non-spoilery posts. And definitely without the pain of having to listen to TA

DOH! ignore me. It's there in the OP!

Pity trailers aren't listed on the schedule and so findable via BBC Sounds!

Well, call me a party pooper but I'm miffed there's yet more drama.

I was thinking the same.

I have listened again. It was Sunday - Joy said May Day was "tomorrow". Last scene: George and Alice are driving over the bridge. Alice tries to open the door. There is another car. There is a creaking noise and a big splash. There are several possibilities:

Alice's door was open which caused the other car to swerve and/or George to swerve.

Alice got out which caused the other car to swerve and/or George to swerve.

George was trying to stop Alice with the door and was in the wrong place in the road, causing the other car to swerve.

I don't think there were the right noises for the cars hitting each other or hitting Alice if she got out?

The creaking sound and the splash could have been either car teetering and then falling into the river, but not both.

So, either George went into the river by himself (if Alice got out), Alice and George went into the river, the other car went into the river with its mystery occupants.

What happened then depends on how deep and wide the Am is meant to be now!

What if you’re a non-driver? Does that get you off the hook, or do they additionally do you for being in charge of a vehicle without a licence and without insurance?

Do the latter two apply if you leave your 17 year old in your car? Or your 7 year old?