DS Forums

 
 

Martin Fowlers bottomless pit of money


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 03-01-2017, 20:02
exstoker84
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 528

I'm fully aware it's a soap and not real but how can a fruit and veg seller who's wife doesn't work support 2 kids and pay money for a house big enough to accommodate his whole family and at least 3 lodgers and also go into the pub every night and drink in London?
exstoker84 is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 03-01-2017, 20:13
Petrixle
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 234
I'm not sure. They seemed to have coped with losing two rent paying lodger in quick succession fairly well. But this is the Soap where Sharon went from broke and living in a B&B to having a spare 100k to get her long lost father to F off, in the space of about 3 years.
Petrixle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-01-2017, 20:42
mrs.deschanel
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,004
His rent is £500 a week. They might get a housing benefit top up, they'd get child tax credits, child benefit and not much else. Either flogging bananas pays a grand a week or they are struggling and will end up like Blanca bin dipping, living on chicken nuggets and wailing about feeding the kids.
mrs.deschanel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-01-2017, 20:44
cooler
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 11,175
I'm not sure. They seemed to have coped with losing two rent paying lodger in quick succession fairly well. But this is the Soap where Sharon went from broke and living in a B&B to having a spare 100k to get her long lost father to F off, in the space of about 3 years.
Wasn't that from Sharon selling her share of The Albert?
cooler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 10:32
Dan4
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 505
A house that size would easily cost £2,000 pcm in east London 💰💰💰
Dan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 10:43
katt
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,168
I was thinking the exact same thing whilst watching last night

they have lost rent payers Belinda and Kyle, Michelle has moved in and they have 3 children to feed

I know its a soap but come on - a bit of realism wouldn't go astray - Martin surely cant earn a fortune on the fruit and veg stall
katt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 10:44
AntoniaA
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,153
And the rest!

I've often thought the finances/jobs of soap characters are unrealistic. Apart from the odd one who lives in a cheap bedsit (like Minty used to manage), they all seem to have quite nice houses or flats and make enough money from little jobs, eg bartending or selling on market stalls, to live reasonably well. Until, suddenly, they go under and can't pay the rent! Then we have a few weeks of hardship and they're back on top again.
Makes no sense.
AntoniaA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 11:46
Ten_Ben
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,439
I'm all for realism in soaps but characters' finances is the one thing that really needs to be glossed over. The more real they make it, the more boring the characters become as they then can't afford to go to the pub and cafe etc every day, plus the stories about debt and not paying the rent tend to drag on and become monotonous and restrictive.

Given Martin and Stacey's current position with the new house, Michelle staying and losing the rent from Belinda and Kyle, the writers would have been far better off not making so much of the rent bill issues on their previous flat. That they're apparently coping okay now with a larger house, fewer earners and just the odd reference to the thermostat is both bizarre and rather jarring.
Ten_Ben is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 12:10
vald
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 30,971
It's pointless trying to follow the money. Phil was broke the other week but they're doing fine with just Ben and Jay earning now that Phil has trashed the car lot. He even gave Billy a wad of money the other day. Ian was broke and in massive debt after donating to Bobby's school....then there were his legal fees..

Then there's Mick. Owns a million pound property outright, yet doesn't think to get a bank loan or mortgage when he needs a few thousand. And don't get me started on why he didn't make Lee sell his car.

At least Martin and Stacey are earning...she's child minding and still keeping up the hairdressing.
vald is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 12:16
davidnumen
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 359
I agree we shouldn't try to make sense of the money and it's an area we shouldn't expect realism with because of the limits it places on characters but...we've had a plot point made about how skint Martin and Stacey are, how bad it was for her to lose her job, how bad it was to lose two others sharing the rent...now it's all glossed over.
davidnumen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 12:16
MR_Pitkin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 3,708
I was thinking the exact same thing whilst watching last night

they have lost rent payers Belinda and Kyle, Michelle has moved in and they have 3 children to feed

I know its a soap but come on - a bit of realism wouldn't go astray - Martin surely cant earn a fortune on the fruit and veg stall
You'd be surprised.
MR_Pitkin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 12:21
Ten_Ben
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,439
It's pointless trying to follow the money. Phil was broke the other week but they're doing fine with just Ben and Jay earning now that Phil has trashed the car lot. He even gave Billy a wad of money the other day. Ian was broke and in massive debt after donating to Bobby's school....then there were his legal fees..

Then there's Mick. Owns a million pound property outright, yet doesn't think to get a bank loan or mortgage when he needs a few thousand. And don't get me started on why he didn't make Lee sell his car.

At least Martin and Stacey are earning...she's child minding and still keeping up the hairdressing.
Plus Steven's (or are they Peter's?) debts and the embezzlement he was undertaking at the restaurant.

And Donna's line about not being after to afford her rent. Not mentioned since.
Ten_Ben is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 12:58
Dr K Noisewater
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,727
The biggest turn around in finances has to be Phil Mitchell in Autumn 2010. In the space of just a few weeks he went from being a homeless, penniless crack addict to a millionaire. He stole £15K of Roxy's money in November 2010, along with Shirley, and with that measly £15K he somehow managed to buy back the Arches, buy the R&R nightclub and buy the house in which he still lives now. Peggy also gifted him the Vic when she departed which he rented to Kat and Alfie. In September 2010 he was living on the streets addicted to crack yet by the end of the year was on the Forbes rich list.
Dr K Noisewater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 17:35
AntoniaA
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,153
Good points and I agree it doesn't hurt to gloss over the finances too much, especially with a lovely little family like Martin and Stacey. We have the Lee and Witney financial disaster to concentrate on, one at a time is sufficient. Still you can't help wondering sometimes.
AntoniaA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 18:07
Zarla
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,878
EE isn't realistic regarding the demographic of a square like that in East London full stop
Working class ppl can't afford to rent and buy those Victorian terraces and they are occupied by professionals earning £60k min per household.
Zarla is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2017, 18:10
sw2963
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 7,236
The biggest turn around in finances has to be Phil Mitchell in Autumn 2010. In the space of just a few weeks he went from being a homeless, penniless crack addict to a millionaire. He stole £15K of Roxy's money in November 2010, along with Shirley, and with that measly £15K he somehow managed to buy back the Arches, buy the R&R nightclub and buy the house in which he still lives now. Peggy also gifted him the Vic when she departed which he rented to Kat and Alfie. In September 2010 he was living on the streets addicted to crack yet by the end of the year was on the Forbes rich list.
LIKE..
sw2963 is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 02:29
Keyser_Soze1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: The Sixth Circle of Hell
Posts: 20,166
The biggest turn around in finances has to be Phil Mitchell in Autumn 2010. In the space of just a few weeks he went from being a homeless, penniless crack addict to a millionaire. He stole £15K of Roxy's money in November 2010, along with Shirley, and with that measly £15K he somehow managed to buy back the Arches, buy the R&R nightclub and buy the house in which he still lives now. Peggy also gifted him the Vic when she departed which he rented to Kat and Alfie. In September 2010 he was living on the streets addicted to crack yet by the end of the year was on the Forbes rich list.
Yes - but that is the Philth.

Any resemblance of reality when it comes to his character simply disappeared in the late '90's when TPTB began to worship him as an untouchable living God.
Keyser_Soze1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 13:18
Adam_Burke1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 585
Also, those terraced houses must have been built in about the 1950s, probably earlier although that area would have been hit badly during the war. So houses must be in poor structural condition, have poor insulation and need routine maintenance. That would need quite a bit of work and there's only so much that Shrimpy can do.

Everyone seems to be able to get casual work just by asking, can have a drink at lunchtime, put a pony in for a Christmas do and then some for stag dos, go to Spain at the drop of the hat, take an afternoon off on the run up to Christmas and then complain as Billy did about state funded special schools for his daughter. I bet they all complain too about the EU and immigrants coming here and taking our jobs!
Adam_Burke1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 13:28
cooler
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 11,175
The biggest turn around in finances has to be Phil Mitchell in Autumn 2010. In the space of just a few weeks he went from being a homeless, penniless crack addict to a millionaire. He stole £15K of Roxy's money in November 2010, along with Shirley, and with that measly £15K he somehow managed to buy back the Arches, buy the R&R nightclub and buy the house in which he still lives now. Peggy also gifted him the Vic when she departed which he rented to Kat and Alfie. In September 2010 he was living on the streets addicted to crack yet by the end of the year was on the Forbes rich list.
Peggy left on 10th September 2010 and she gave Phil the Vic before she left, according to wikipedia. So didn't Phil have the Vic before he bought the Archers, R&R and the house?
cooler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 13:32
nicluc
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 174

Everyone seems to be able to get casual work just by asking, can have a drink at lunchtime, put a pony in for a Christmas do and then some for stag dos, go to Spain at the drop of the hat, take an afternoon off on the run up to Christmas and then complain as Billy did about state funded special schools for his daughter. I bet they all complain too about the EU and immigrants coming here and taking our jobs!
Which leads to the other incredibly unrealistic thing in soaps - how people get jobs. They never look beyond the square, they never actually APPLY for jobs or go to an interview (Lee is the exception recently), they casually go around asking/begging for one. Then they'll usually be given a trial period somewhere ("I promise I won't let you down") and within a month be running the place.
nicluc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 13:37
vald
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 30,971
Peggy left on 10th September 2010 and she gave Phil the Vic before she left, according to wikipedia. So didn't Phil have the Vic before he bought the Archers, R&R and the house?
It was all very strange. He was renting the house so that he could impress the SW and keep Louise. I always thought Roxy owned it, so how he ended up owning it heaven knows. He got the Arches cheap because it was failing..I think Pat had bought it for dozy Ricky. Can't remember when he bought into the R&R, and Kat paid for all the repairs to the burnt out Vic and then got booted out a couple of years later.

I hope someone can clarify all this because it was a right old muddle.
vald is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 13:44
John Dough
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 98,141
The biggest turn around in finances has to be Phil Mitchell in Autumn 2010. In the space of just a few weeks he went from being a homeless, penniless crack addict to a millionaire. He stole £15K of Roxy's money in November 2010, along with Shirley, and with that measly £15K he somehow managed to buy back the Arches, buy the R&R nightclub and buy the house in which he still lives now. Peggy also gifted him the Vic when she departed which he rented to Kat and Alfie. In September 2010 he was living on the streets addicted to crack yet by the end of the year was on the Forbes rich list.
Wasn't The Vic burning to the ground as Peggy left at that time though?
John Dough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 14:04
Peg ODwyer
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: California
Posts: 1,359
Vincent also has a stash of cash, he bought that big home on the square, paid for some remodeling & is always handing over money to the waster of a wife, Kim. I know he has the Albert, but it looks like a tiny place.
Peg ODwyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 14:32
Dr K Noisewater
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,727
It was all very strange. He was renting the house so that he could impress the SW and keep Louise. I always thought Roxy owned it, so how he ended up owning it heaven knows. He got the Arches cheap because it was failing..I think Pat had bought it for dozy Ricky. Can't remember when he bought into the R&R, and Kat paid for all the repairs to the burnt out Vic and then got booted out a couple of years later.

I hope someone can clarify all this because it was a right old muddle.
That was 27 Albert Square - where Ronnie lived until her death now occupied by Jack and the kids- Archie bought it and left it to Roxy in his will with Billy living in it as a tenant as Roxy was at the Vic. Phil and Shirley kicked Billy out to have the house for themselves, they lived there as tenants with Roxy owning the house. Phil lived there until his crack addiction took hold when he was then kicked out after turning it into a crack den. He then bought his current home 55 Victoria Road after that in December 2010 after his sudden inexplicable windfall. He then bought Jack's 60% share of R&R in January 2011. Jack didn't want to own a nightclub anymore because of the unsocial working hours and having a newborn baby to look after. The baby was in fact Tommy though as Ronnie had swapped them by his point and his son was dead unknown to him.
Dr K Noisewater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Yesterday, 15:26
vald
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 30,971
That was 27 Albert Square - where Ronnie lived until her death now occupied by Jack and the kids- Archie bought it and left it to Roxy in his will with Billy living in it as a tenant as Roxy was at the Vic. Phil and Shirley kicked Billy out to have the house for themselves, they lived there as tenants with Roxy owning the house. Phil lived there until his crack addiction took hold when he was then kicked out after turning it into a crack den. He then bought his current home 55 Victoria Road after that in December 2010 after his sudden inexplicable windfall. He then bought Jack's 60% share of R&R in January 2011. Jack didn't want to own a nightclub anymore because of the unsocial working hours and having a newborn baby to look after. The baby was in fact Tommy though as Ronnie had swapped them by his point and his son was dead unknown to him.
Ah thanks doc. Was Louise before or after his crack addiction ?

That place is like musical chairs.
vald is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
 
Reply



Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 09:45.