Archers thread #176: In which Ian puts the I in PTA. Discuss The Archers here.

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

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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 @DeanElderberry for the pithy phrase in the thread title and @CaptainMyCaptain for suggesting it should go in there. At least we've got the spooky disco out of the way for now. Plenty of wooden dialogue in the last few episodes that could go on the village bonfire next week. It's all been too dispiriting to discuss in greater depth. I'll just say that I don't hold out any great hopes that the production team will make a good job of reflecting concern in the farming community about the changes announced in the Budget to inheritance tax for farms. So often they get an expert to talk them through stuff like this but instead of ending up with a realistic storyline they pick out the bits they like the sound of and cobble them together in a totally unrealistic way. Maybe I'll be proved wrong this time. I hope so.

Over to you!

I don’t understand why neither Tom nor Helen already own a house. They are in their 40s, from a well-off family and have run their own businesses for years. Pat and Tony would have helped out with a deposit at any point if needed.

I don’t think Helen is a snob. It’s perfectly ok to not love the Beechwood house, it’s a question of personal taste. A friend of mine lives in a new build house outside London. It’s nice, 4 bedrooms with lovely mod cons etc. I prefer my 1930s house because it has features I really love even though it needs quite a bit of work (which we can’t afford to carry out at the moment) and I wouldn’t want to live in a new build village. Horses for courses.

Neither deserves it more than the other, but clearly they can't live there together so a solution has to be found. Tom did talk about building a house for himself (and Kirsty) once didn't he? It's a classic farm dilemma - even Elizabeth in her Jacobean mansion kicked up a fuss when David and Ruth got Brookfield. Moike Tucker got round it by dividing Willow Farm in two. The SWs have neatly side-stepped this with Home Farm by erasing the farmhouse entirely. It is a much better story than a lot of the nonsense we have been forced to listen to of late.

Yes it is a very safe sl

i think there will be a natural desire for Helen to move in to protect her fatherless children (although one of them does have an inheritance coming his way at least)

have Pat and Tony done any inheritance thinking?

like John and Fanny Dashwood talking themselves out of financially helping his mother and sisters

But Mrs Dashwood isn’t his mother, just his father’s second wife, and the girls only half-sisters.
I’ll just bugger off over to Pedants Corner now.

The epic scrap won’t so much be Helen v Tom as Helen v Natasha.

Oooh can't wait for the sausage king vs the cheese magnate scrapping for the parental home...

What size is the Bridge Farm house? Is there a chance both Helen &Tom and their families could live there? I've come to accept that Johnny is apparently not coming back.

It will be a great chance for the SW to mention the change to inheritance tax on farms.
I've found it interesting that all the discussions around the budget seem to assume that the farm land and business will be left in whole to the ONE child; the need to pay inheritance tax might force them to sell up and share with non-farming children.

Some of the Ambridge farms are run as businesses with family owning shares, but I assume there will still be inheritance and/or capital gains tax on the parents share, and still plenty of room for family falling out as to who their share is left to.

Summer Orchard - a business that has always seemed rather intangible with its fruit trees in Wales that Natasha never visits, but which now seems set to provide the pair of them with the money they need for whatever happens next

A few years ago Tom and Natasha seemingly pruned the whole lot by hand in one afternoon! I suspect most of the juice arrives concentrated from Turkey or Bulgaria.

I don't recall Bridge Farm doing anything fancy with the ownership of the farm (but didn't listen on a regular basis for big chunks of time). They definitely had big rows about Home Farm (most recently when Adam ceased to be a working partner).

What will be more interesting is what will happen to rewilding if the scripties admit that "Peggy" has died. A quick google suggests that Pip, Phoebe and Rex 'won' Rewilding Ambridge in Sept 2019 and presumably she drip-fed the money into the trust over the years?

I've still not heard anybody in Ambridge mention her birthday on Wednesday?

Are Kenton and Jolene old enough to retire? If so, is this the time for Fallon and Harrison to take over at The Bull?

Sounds like that’s where it’s heading

What will be more interesting is what will happen to rewilding if the scripties admit that "Peggy" has died. A quick google suggests that Pip, Phoebe and Rex 'won' Rewilding Ambridge in Sept 2019 and presumably she drip-fed the money into the trust over the years?

It's not going to be that interesting, now the Justin has saved the day (or at least the next 5 years.)

Oh I remember Harriet Walters as Mrs Dashwood she was fantastic, so nasty.
She is in Wolf Hall #2 at the moment.

Let the sibling scrapping commence

#TeamNatasha

Sad to hear Lee hasn't gone to join his girls in California and become Physio the stars.

Indeed … It’s awful sad to think he might still be living in a friend’s spare room - and dedicating his spare time to Helen’s offspring. Hope he’s at least found a nice flat, and a new girlfriend.

I’ve taken a total dislike to Fallon after her witness statement so don’t really care about her cafe and her stupid husband. Although glad she has been sensible about the charging station. It does feel like this is being set up for her to work in the pub

makes sense for Tony and Pat to build a retirement home

I quite like Natasha - yes she can be pushy and a bit of a bulldozer but she can be quite sensible. Although she has a big mouth!!!

why did Fallon have such a short notice period? She’s such an idiot though quitting her job before having a clue about the charging station

i don't understand how they can’t live off a policeman’s salary? Short term at least

In Natasha's favour, she is awful but in an entertaining way. Whereas Fallon (who seems to have her father's brains and her mother's taste in men) is very bland and strangely pointless. Also, she is "Alice's Friend" ... and I heartily agree about the witness/"victim" statement. What on earth possessed her to talk such carp?

Is Fallon physically unable to travel anywhere outside of Ambridge for work? I appreciate I am looking at this through London centric eyes where job vacancies are plentiful (and I’ve never lived in a village) but it doesn’t seem to have occurred to her to look elsewhere for a job. It’s TeRum or bust. Why isn’t she looking online as most people would if they had to find a job quickly instead of wailing and panicking?!

I think Natasha might be the cleverest character there tbh

i think she wants Fallon back because it would be easier all round - so wind Emma up and set her off

and on the houses - she knows there’s going to be a big fight so put Tony at ease and then put a game plan together with Tom

A police sergeant's salary is around £52,000. They have no children.

Did he get demoted in the end?

how can they not live off that? I don’t get it!!!

I don't think so. He's still a sergeant and he went back full time. It's ludicrous that they can't manage on his salary alone.

don't understand how they can’t live off a policeman’s salary? Short term at least
My thoughts exactly.

And you’re right - why can’t she get a job in felpersham or borchester

the increase in nic and nmw will also need to be written in as that is surely going to impact a lot of the businesses

I wondered this - there are a growing number of non-nuclear family setups these days and it would be an interesting theme to explore. Although there is probably a limit to how much I could take of Helen and Natasha butting heads, but the opportunities for conflict are endless!