Archers thread #186: Eavesdropping on a home for the terminally confused. 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 swipe right on Dane, the new Grey Gables manager, 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/radioaddicts/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/radioaddicts/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 @WitcheryDivine for the title inspiration. Over to you!

I would have thought that it won't be long before Dane finds out about Helen's past, if he doesn't know already. People love to gossip.

Ambridge can be a bit of a gossip free zone though because the sw want them all to be virtuous or something

wheres in reality I reckon Lily will have spilled the beans to Dane about Helen

There was Lewis's in Liverpool too (as distinct from John Lewis). Famous for the Jacob Epstein bronze of the large unclothed gentleman high above the front entrance, which inspired the line 'meet under a statue exceedingly bare' in the song 'In My Liverpool Home'.

A simple light google would surely have revealed Helen’s past to the Great Dane prior to their GG first date. It would be quite normal to assume he must already know, however, this is TA, so there will be some terrible/excrutiating scene planned for us whereby H tries to tell the GD about her brush with the law and he keeps interrupting her and not allowing her to finish her sentences. It might even happen after the second date as things seem to be moving on apace…

Kitchen supplies? Knives and turkey basters? 😉

Here’s Helen’s new beau, Stavros Demetraki:

https://www.rsc.org.uk/edward-ii/cast-and-creatives

Had a look at his instagram … That’s enough tiny swimming trunks for this year.

Interestingly - or not - IMDB describes The Archers as a ‘Podcast series’.

I fear that they would probably mess it up, but it would be absolutely glorious if we were to have a scene where Dane meets a slightly squiffy Tom at Harrison's party (or Peggy's wake). To continue with GaspOde's and Beatrice's musings on the "Helen, tell me some more about yourself"......

Sausage King: "Oh yes, that's right, I'm Tom. I'm Helen's brother; the younger one..... Yes we did have an older brother, John, but he died after rowing with my dad......We'd rather not talk about that, TBH. Oh, you thought we had a younger brother, too? No, that would be Johnny, John's son. He came to live with us about 15 years ago and, despite having grown up in some of the most landlocked counties in the country, he disappeared off to crew a round the world yacht voyage in 2022. We've not really heard from him since. I think he might be in touch with my cousin, Freddie, the one who got done for drug dealing.......have you met him? He works at the slaughterhouse even though he owns Lower Loxley...".

NB: I noticed that even Great Dane had heard about the Lower Loxley vineyard; I wonder whether it will ever be mentioned again.

LL wine was mentioned relatively recently, though I forget by whom.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g ! Are you from Leeds? Me too! I was just coming on to say Lewis and Schofields. Loved Schofields. Would go to the cafe every week with my Mum for a cheese vol au vent. Im in Harrogate now. We have Hoopers which I cannot fathom how that stays open!

@Madcats Leeds has a Harvey Nichols , John Lewis . The arcade JL is in is nice but a lot of empty units sadly. Thoroughly recommend a wander through all the arcades ( avoid the Merrion Centre - naff) and the Corn Exchange.

@TottersBlithely Here’s Helen’s new beau, Stavros Demetraki ...

Goodness, no wonder Helen is keen!

Had a look at his instagram … That’s enough tiny swimming trunks for this year

Oh heavens - those trunks 🤣

And the proposal on the beach!

I wonder if he’s playing Dane with, or without, the moustache? 🥸

Or with, or without, the swimming trunks?

Not exactly from Leeds - we are a Scottish family but we moved to Leeds for my Dad's job. I spent most of the 70s there and went back fairly often until Dad retired and Mum and Dad moved back to Scotland. I miss Leeds! My brother still goes back as often as he can to see Leeds play. I gather they've done well recently!

Well I can’t say Stavros does it for me tbh but the proposal photo is hilarious!!

he doesn’t look how he sounds - which is a good thing.

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g Indeed ! My user name is one of their mottos. That and the very imaginative “ Leeds! Leeds! Leeds!”

@madcats central Newcastle is a bit sad at the moment (like a lot of city centres post-covid) but we still have Fenwick department store as they’re a Newcastle business and that’s worth a look. Also a John Lewis which is hanging on by its fingertips. The Victorian Grainger Market is worth a potter round, great mix of stalls which have been there for years and newer foodie businesses. It’s undercover so works if the weather’s bad. If you’re using trains you can get out to Whitley Bay and Tynemouth on the metro - Whitley has a great range of independent shops along Park View but a lot don’t open early in the week so pick your day if you fancy a look there!

He's very handsome in some photos, not in others. There's one of him, younger, with longer hair where he's rather beautiful.

A bit of an overreaction from Alice. 4 year old sometimes loses concentration - shock horror! Not that she couldn't have FAS but what Imani said didn't indicate it.

Well the nursery chat was bizarre. I’m not going to be happy if it’s ADHD and not FAS (although most likely nothing)

I'm not sure I can bear Alice’s self pity. I kind of think a FAS SL would be quite valuable but if she doesn’t have it then I’m not sure what message they’re sending

as for Lillian’s quick turnaround on staying in ambridge - at least they haven’t dragged it out

i still don’t get the shop. Surely it’s only there because no commercial concern wanted to set up (I assume the shop closed for a reason and that’s why they had to do a community shop - isn’t the point to support the community/community support it rather than it mimicking a commercial venture). Now underwoods is nearby does it matter? particularly as no one seems to have anything nice to say!!

Jim sounds old. How can you mix up -10 and 3?

I thought that @Bruisername - the shop can’t even do enough business to pay its staff but hey presto it’s such a bustly neighbourhood it can support a Gloucester Services. Is there a Big Road nearby we don’t know about?

I love GS, stopped there once on a work trip and could hardly bear to leave 😂

Bruisername
I assume the shop closed for a reason and that’s why they had to do a community shop - isn’t the point to support the community/community support it rather than it mimicking a commercial venture

The shop was never closed except when it was flooded out in 2015; Peggy was told by her new accountant in 2009 that it was running at a loss and she ought to close it, but refused to. Pat took a rumour spread by Vicky (based on an inaccurate report by Annette of a telephone conversation she didn't really hear) as a reason to confront Peggy and ask her what was going on, was told, and decided to turn it into a community shop to prevent it ever being closed. (Susan was not in the least grateful and was vile to both Pat and Peggy about Peggy no longer paying her wages – out of Peggy's own pocket as she had been for several months; Susan has her job in the dairy because Pat gave it to her to shut her up.)

At least Jazzer mentioned the opening hours problem.

Thanks @AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

odd sl