What can be learned about project management – our speciality – from the world’s longest-running radio drama on BBC Radio 4, The Archers?
On air since 1950, and having clocked up over 20,000 episodes, what was once described as “an everyday story of country folk” and is now “a contemporary drama in a rural setting”, The Archers does have plot lines that relate to the issues of project management in residential property,
Recently, the rather newer ‘The Archers Podcast’, hosted by Emma Freud, had an episode featuring guests including the TV property guru Kirstie Allsopp; the well-off farmer Brian Aldridge, played by Charles Collingwood; and Miranda Elliott, played by Lucy Fleming. Miranda was about to move into Home Farm with Brian, but he pulled out at the last moment, leaving her alone in a rather large house..
As the episode write up says, “They work out how much Miranda will have to stump up for the house [that Brian let her down on moving into with her], and travel back to 2014 for a tour of Jennifer [Aldridge, Brian’s late wife]’s magnificent, and ruinously expensive, kitchen.” That is where project management come in, in a delightful piece of radio.
The extract from the podcast here, from about 40 minutes in, refers to Home Farm as a ‘big home small village’ with 5-6 bedrooms, a ‘state of the art solar heated swimming pool’ built in 1978, and rooms which by 2014 boasted a capacious kitchen whose finer details included a sparkling water tap years ahead of its time, a drinks wardrobe, an aga and steam oven, a real Umbrian limestone floor, a beer fridge, a wine fridge, an ice maker, underfloor heating, Belfast sinks, granite, a spice stand, and a magnetic induction hob. And more, involving at least one quote for works that took Brian’s breath away!
The episode mentions robot vacuum cleaners, which Home Farm doesn’t have, and we are aware of so much more Home Farm could have now, especially in smart technology and automation.
The Archers producers in this plot show that a project is best managed with vision, steadiness, and consistency, Judging by Brian’s encouraging girlfriend Miranda to buy Home Farm for them to live in and his then getting cold feet, not to mention his chopping and changing on his inheritance, he doesn’t have what it takes at the moment. If only Brian had come to us for guidance on property management (and took some relationship counselling, too).
With thanks to The Archers show and podcast teams and podcast Producer Charlotte Davey for providing years of singular and memorable entertainment that is as enjoyable in Kent as it might be in Borcetshire, the fictional county in which The Archers is set.
Would you like to know more? Though not, perhaps, about The Archers, Give our Founder Tony Cheeseman a call for a no-obligation chat on 01959 533788.
Otherwise, please get in touch via the form on our Contact page.