From potholes swallowing tyres to the unravelling of developers’ planning promises – by way of a hanged Cornish forger – March’s podcast has a few unexpected turns along the way.
Who’s holding developers’ to account for their promises?
It was meant to be something really special… and people are heartbroken.’
Chair of Shaftesbury Town Council, Virginia Edwyn-Jones, speaks candidly about a local development where the promised beautifully-finished housing estate has failed to materialise, leaving residents dismayed.
From stripped topsoil to failed planting and unusable play areas, the conversation exposes a far greater concern than just some missing footpaths: once planning permission is granted, who ensures developers deliver what they promised?
Discovering a hanged family forger
‘It was just like touching time.’
Dorset writer Rachel Rowe uncovered an extraordinary story buried in her own family history – a press-ganged schoolmaster turned forger, executed in Bodmin in the early 1800s.
What begins as a tale of crime becomes something more complex – a story of inequality, bad luck and a system stacked against those with the least power.
(featured image is that of the Rowe family in 1900)
Are we wasting our time?
‘As a parish councillor, I’m left having to explain to people why our opinions count for nothing.’
Our anonymous parish councillor lets their frustration boil over this month, asking whether any parish or town council truly have a voice any more?
Potholes and the Price of Keeping Dorset Moving
After one of the wettest winters on record, Dorset’s roads are showing the strain – with pothole reports up 92% and thousands of defects logged.
“Nearly 10,000 highways inquiries were logged in three months.”
Despite increased funding and rapid repairs, the bigger question remains: is the system built to cope with a changing climate – or simply patching over the problem?
The Grumbler: Building Homes That Don’t Add Up
This month’s Grumbler lays bare the financial reality facing small developers – where rising costs, new regulations and stagnant house prices leave projects unviable before they’re even finished.
“We will be lucky to make any profit at all.”
From soaring build costs to punitive council tax on unsold homes, it’s a stark account of an industry under pressure – despite government promises to build more.
Coffee and Craft: Getting the Perfect Brew
And finally, Jenny is back with Giles Dick-Read in his Dorset farmhouse kitchen to learn how to make a proper cup of coffee – from grind size to brew ratios.
“You can buy the best coffee in the world and still make a horrible cup of coffee from it.”
A reminder that even the simplest things – done well – are worth the effort.
