The Ambridge Socialist
5th September
Yachts, Horses, Dogs: No Home But the Struggle
The class struggle for the rich is a strange place as this week’s episodes of the Archers underlined.
The Ambridge week (5 episodes) is currently by one writer often around theme. This week the theme was what the idle rich fancy doing with their wealth and vets. There was a connection and not just the vets bill.
Justin wanted to buy a yacht (who was actually going to sail it wasn’t mentioned) while Lillian had her eye on an event horse. While Jakob was investigating- at length- whether the horse was fit for purpose, Justin (with Lillian) headed to check out some yachts on the Isle of Wight with Nancy. Nancy- played brilliantly btw by Frances Barber-appeared to be in the business of selling yachts.
Anyway in due course after it was revealed that Lillian and sailing did not mix and Jakob eventually worked out the horse was only good for the knackers yards, nothing at all actually happened. One might say it was classic Archers…
Meanwhile at the vets brilliantly dysfunctional Jakob managed to get practice nurse Denise to resign. She later returned after Jakob tried to apologise. Never has there been a greater need for trade unions in Ambridge and for the BBC to mention them.
Another star of the week was Mousse who Alistair had somehow contracted to look after for an elderly client. Mousse barked occasionally and did not get on well with Alistair but very well with others. Sensible dog.
What should Justin and Lillian actually spend the money on?
Justin who only sees the world in terms of business opportunities wants to spend the money to promote Damara Capital.
This still leaves possibilities that could fit with a more paternalistic expression of the naked capitalism he usually favours and would be more in line with how the traditional Borchester ruling class goes on:
Launch a brand of Damara Capital gin
Erect a statue of himself and Lillian with seating for people to sit and admire it
Build a Damara Capital Community Centre in the village as a hub of ‘popular capitalism’
Buy Grey Gables from Oliver and ‘modernise’ it.
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