Archers thread #183: The Scorekeeper's Apprentice. 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 like to share a hot tub with Mucky Mick, 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 https://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.)

Credit for the title goes to @TottersBlankly who suggested it and @BeatriceBatchelor who coined this lovely phrase. (It's led me to take a look at the Wikipedia page for The Sorcerer's Apprentice. I had not known before that the animation in Fantasia that goes with the Dukas symphonic tone poem is more or less unadulterated Goethe, and the story goes back to ancient times. You learn something every day.)

At the end of the last thread, there was an apocalyptic tone as we were all bemoaning the lack of continuity and farming storylines (especially lambing, which used to be a big theme at this time of year). Are there any reasons to be cheerful? (Not just Part 3 - another reference for the older listeners here. ) Over to you!

Welcome back Reg. (Or have I misremembered?)

Thank you for the back story in-filling, Asking. Imagine parenting both Helen and Tom. I can understand why Tony is miserable most of the time.

did Helen get advice re redundancy? because the longer standing employee would be entitled to more redundancy money, no?

No - redundancy can be capped

so at my work it’s a months salary for every year you work capped at 12

or something like that

(unlike say the Maliks who have moved in because Azra is the village doctor)

There's no reason for the Maliks to be there either. Why did Azra uproot her (obnoxious) offspring to drag them to the middle of nowhere and Pa Malik is, so far, completely pointless.

Cheers for the new thread Gaspode - excellent work!
So…they offer it to Carrie who decides she wants to retire and can afford to. And then offer it to Susan who is mightily offended.

Thanks, @TottersBlankly . I was being ArmySurplusHamster for a bit, so still around. Finding it very easy not to take much notice of TA a lot of the time.

Well, Helen, you've proved that thing about how you react to the outcome shows you what you really want. Shame you didn't realise it earlier and plan better.

NC - my sister who works for the BBC rang me about this one. She said that whole process is exactly how they do it when there are redundancies and she’s been the Susan in that situation and it would def be Clarrie who’d be offered the job despite everyone knowing Susan was better, a crap interview is all that matters. Production team doing a bit of wishful thinking maybe - perhaps they’ll get Clarrie and Susan to split the job up and both reduce hours.

My personal hope is they club together to tell Helen to shove off and stick her cheese.

Given how much longer Clarrie has worked there, why were they saying Susan is more skilled? Did she go on a course and gain qualifications I’ve forgotten all about?

Susan got really interested when they made kefir, and has always been happier with the viewing window. She also has no record of nearly killing a child customer from E Coli because of poor hygiene.

All three of the Pat and Tony spawn are frightful. John slightly less so than Tom or Helen, but only by virtue of being dead.

Helen showed her true colours when she bullied Hayley from Bridge Farm and then the village.

I miss Hayley.

It won’t be particularly cheap to make either redundant and, if they are on minimum wage, that rate is increasing in April.

After the age of 40, each year worked has a multiplier of 1.5 applied to the weekly pay (so current weekly wage x 1.5 x qualifying years up to a max of 20) plus holiday pay and notice period.

A sensible Helen would keep them
both on on reduced hours for several months in the hope that business improves.

Why does any doctor live in a village then? Maybe she felt it was a good opportunity, maybe she fancied living a more peaceful life in the countryside. I like the Maliks and find them an interesting family.

Ah but when has Helen ever been sensible.

Helen wasn't responsible for Hayley leaving the village. That was Roy and Elizabeth's doing.

I'm surprised a job share hasn't been mooted.

Aargh it's driving me mad so I had to come on to vent.
WHY CAN'T THEY JUST DO A JOB SHARE OR REDUCED HOURS UNTIL BUSINESS PICKS UP?
I'm sure it's been discussed on here already. But they haven't said why this has been ruled out and no-one seems to have even considered it. And surely they would be more efficient working as a team and could cover each other for holidays / illness etc. It just makes this whole storyline ridiculous.
Or I am missing something?

Sorry I didn't see you had also posted this just now. 🤗

Saker we definitely aren’t missing anything. If Helen wants to grow the trade she could approach Vince and suggest a combined offering for the schools’ contract.

The best option for the dairy would be for Helen to find a job for herself!

I’m really not seeing where they want this storyline to go.

I know, I can't even see how they will run with one member of staff. Helen and Pat are hardly ever there for the day to day running and there are a lot of two person tasks. Lone working is VERY problematic. Is Helen going to be in the dairy full time?

What will they do when the only member of staff is unwell or on annual leave?

It wasn't so long ago that they were struggling because Clarrie took leave to look after her sister!

What does Helen do all day?

From the previous thread:

Nettleteaser101
Did Carrie and Susan have to interview when they first worked for the Dairy?

I don't think so. In Susan's case, she was offered work by Pat to shut her up about the village shop having been turned into a community shop, which meant she no longer had full-time employment there. She was being very unpleasant about this to Peggy (who to give the old trout her due had point-blank refused to close the shop altogether when the accountant said she ought to because it was running at a loss), even to the extent of doorstepping her to have a rant at her at lunchtime on a Sunday. I never really understood why Pat felt it was up to her to compensate Susan for no longer being given her wages out of Peggy's pocket each week.

Nettleteaser101
I really dislike Helen and her attitude to two people who have been there for her for years.

Clarrie was working for the dairy before Helen was. When Clarrie started there, Helen was still at school. Not Reaseheath College; school.

Be fiercely independent.