Archers thread #166: Choppy waters in Ambridge! Look out for the red flags and 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'd love to be married to Harrison, 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.)

Another thread started in great haste, mid-packing! Over to you.

I don't imagine LoLo produces an enormous amount in the way of income, and by the time Lizzie has skimmed off the cream, the rest will go into maintenance and staff salaries. I suspect a lot of those very minor "stately homes" are property rich but cash poor. Nigel never seemed to live the high life, did he?

As to the county gentry, they'll mostly live outside the force field and have no time for "those weird Pargetter twins". You remember them - the jailbird and the one who ran off with her married teacher?

Gonners
I don't imagine LoLo produces an enormous amount in the way of income, and by the time Lizzie has skimmed off the cream, the rest will go into maintenance and staff salaries.

Not forgetting that the Trustees have to be paid!

Grey gables being run in a bizarre way as usual. Why the hell is Oliver so involved. And what kind of guests do they have? Make it make sense!!!

poor Oliver’s horse. Predictable of course. Lillian didn’t lock down as soon as she knew so she lied to Oliver.

roy getting his happy ever after with Lexie hopefully. Will Lily be the new Roy at gg?

if Alice was drinking while working surely she would have been drink driving

I really hope they don’t drag out the Rochelle SL. I’m guessing mick did find something out when he went to the address. It sounded like it when he spoke to Elizabeth.

I don’t believe that Mick wouldn’t brush his hair before going to work. He lives in a motorhome- not on the streets.

I don’t really know why I listen any more. Purely habit I suppose but it’s all wearing a bit thin. Tomorrow night and Thursday will be Snell heavy with D-Day so I’ll keep an eye on things from here.

I don't believe that Mick has enough hair that it would be really noticeable if he'd combed it or not. I really hope he doesn't have a straggly ponytail in homage to his former roadie life. In my mind he has a standard late-middle-aged man Grade 4/5 all over.

@BruisernameGrey gables being run in a bizarre way as usual. Why the hell is Oliver so involved. And what kind of guests do they have? Make it make sense!!!

Oliver is involved because he didn't run the basic sums past Brad. He believes he sold a 25% share for 75% of its value, rather than vice-versa. This is why he had to sell the land to the Ticheners, because he was told he had to pay 75% of the renovation costs, yet he remains oblivious. I suspect Usha did the legal
work.

As to "Make it make sense!!!" - I'll pass on that!

If the first guest complaint was about Mick's cheeky weight comment, what do we reckon the second one covered?

I really felt for Joy tonight: she's experienced trauma.
I think it won't be too long (months at most) before we find out what happened re Rochelle.

I wonder if Mick will be wanting to use the hotel's facilities now he has a motorhome - rather like the showering van man in the current MN thread? He's remarkably naive if he thinks for one minute that Oliver would countenance his parking on the premises.

Or does this presage his moving in with Joy? Lots of scruffy flags flying in this episode.

GG was truly feeling the absence of Roy of the Rotas last night. I felt Oliver’s constant repeating of the word ‘rotas’ was to emphasise how truly worthy Roy is of that title. I can’t imagine what kind of sunglasses could cost £2,500 (off to google), but I imagine anyone in possession of such a pair would be expecting someone a bit more glamorous than Mick as the public face of the hotel.

I found these: https://www.dolcegabbana.com/fr-fr/mode/crystals-rain-sunglasses-argent-158054802100828.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=FR_GAds_PMax_Moda+Best+Seller_Products&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-82qqffChgMVAoJoCR0UzAdCEAQYAiABEgL8Q_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds which look like something Elton John might wear.

This is why he had to sell the land to the Ticheners, Another storyline that has completely dropped off the radar after huge drama.

Perhaps there was something g about the house - the area it was in - or the man being "Rochelle" that has made Mick reflect on the situation ?

I can't think that Joy will let Mick park the motorhome on her driveway but maybe she will let him move in ?

Why did Vince just accept Freddie's word that it was Jason?
Why didn't he put him through a proper disciplinary process, where you are warned what you're being investigated for, and are allowed to bring a union rep with you?
Presumably Freddie hasn't been through a sacking (non) process before - Why didn't Vince discuss it with him beforehand? Even if they had done it before, I'd expect them to have had a preparatory discussion about the case, which way they'd want it to go (Vince could have been clear to Freddy - theft is gross misconduct, if guilty, it has to be dismissal.)

I know it would probably be tedious as anything, but I would really like a soap to do a proper employment storyline so people could learn there are proper procedures and that employees have rights as well as employers. Hardly anyone works their notice on TV - hand their notice in, gone by the end of shift. I'm 2 days into a new job, and I'd still get a week's notice if they decided it wasn't going to work (presumably PILON - I've not done any actual work yet, just password setting, HR forms; training presentations and meeting people.) It'll be three months once I'm through probation. I think a lot of people have soaps and other dramas as the only way they really see how workplaces work when things go wrong, and it's really not everyone walking off at the end of shift on the same day. But who'd ever know?

I thought he confessed after Freddy suggested he might be able to keep his job if he told the truth? So while correct procedures weren't followed, if he confessed to it the outcome was pretty inevitable.

I thought Oliver was a bit rude about Mick he made it sound like Mick was just some old Tramp they had pulled off the street. Mick saying to Joy that Lily would end up running GG, she is only on a management student training thing, so she dosnt really work there, even if she walks around like she owns the place.
I would say to Joy if I was Mick that they should have no secrets and that he would never tell anyone about Rochelle. My thinking is that Joy should tell him, for all we know Rochelle could be an homicidal maniac locked up somewhere,a bit like HBC as Bellamatrix in Harry Potter. So really he should know incase she escapes and comes looking for Joy. oh and there is no grandchildren either.

Sorry I meant Bellatrix Lestrange.

Has the theory that Rochelle is dead been proposed yet? I'm wondering if there was a tragic accident (car crash) and Joy's coping mechanism is to be around people who treat her as if this isn't the case.

Has the theory that Rochelle is dead been proposed yet?

Here? Possibly at least once in each of the last 45 / 50 threads.

(Joy arrived in August 2019, almost 5 years ago, and apparently we get through about one thread per month, (?), though it was slower during Covid - maybe an average of ten threads a year? Others will know much better than I do.)

But yes, @Brainworm - that does seem to be the majority view.

I would say to Joy if I was Mick that they should have no secrets and that he would never tell anyone about Rochelle.

She's entitled to her privacy about her past. Much as I, personally, would like to know in RL I would see this demand as a lack of boundaries and tell him to get in his Motorhome (where did he get the money for this?) and go.

I hope that when the truth eventually comes out about Rochelle, it will explain why Joy moved to Ambridge of all places because that's something that has never been at clear - even before the Rochelle mystery raised its head. Mick living in the van is reminding me of the book/film Nomadland. I still can't believe that the new all singing all dancing Grey Gables would have put him on reception - even in the absence of Roy of the Rotas. I'm finding it hard to imagine the new, souped up hotel - who is actually in charge? What happened to Adil (more unfinished business)? Thinking back wistfully to the days of Jack Woolley, Caroline Bone and Jean-Paul when I could picture every nook cranny.

Yes but I would like to know the story behind Rochelle and the mystery behind it just because the story line is going on a bit. I didnt mean Mick should ask in R L, but if they set up home and become a proper couple maybe even marriage I think Mick would had a right to ask.

If gg is supposed to be as high end as they claim I doubt very much they only have one receptionist on duty at a time and have so few staff that they have to call in the security guard. And they certainly wouldn’t have one person responsible for all rotas and if they did that person would have sorted it all before going on holiday and the person taking over would have an idea

its truly bizarre that one of the owners keeps having to step in

I was thinking of Caroline yesterday, @LillianGish! It does seem that Lily is being shaped into the new Caroline.

In a sense I’ll be disappointed because I’d like Lily out in the world - but I can see it’s a convenient option for the writers to set her up as the new ’social secretary’ manager of GG, ensuring decades of friendly rivalry with her brother at LL.

Right now GG needs Richie, from ‘The Bear’, to whip them into shape!

Obviously as a TA listener I want to know. But, like Joy, I met my husband in later life and I'm damned if I think he has a right to know everything that's happened to me in 50 years.