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Ambridge Population

• Message 1. 

  Posted by flameofthewest (U14483084) on Saturday, 10th July 2010

  I'm sure this has been asked lots of times before, but is there an official figure for the population of Ambridge? It's the sort of info I'd expect to be on the main website, but I can't find it.
  
  Also, what is the unnamed row of houses behind the Post Office? Is it Grange Spinney?
  
  And finally, is there some way of seaching the archives of this MB to avoid asking questions that have been answered dozens of times before?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by LJG (U14261274) on Saturday, 10th July 2010

  I think it's supposed to be about 600 but can't remember how recent that information is.
  
  On the interactive map Grange Spinney is south of St. Stephen's, just opposite Ambridge Farm. At least it is on my map, I think different people have different maps and places move around and change size occasionally.
  
  Yes, the absence of a search-the-archive function is very annoying. I wonder if it will ever be done or if it'd be too difficult now given the quantity of material that would need to be searched?
  
  

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Leaping Badger (U3587940) on Sunday, 11th July 2010

  I had the figure of 600 in my mind as well, but was reminded recently that Keri told us the village population is about 200. There are 60 named characters (speaking parts and silents).
  
  Searching the message board: no.
  'Ö'

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by taddydogman (U13374770) on Monday, 12th July 2010

  The population of Ambridge was I think put at around 200 when the programme began in 1951. By 1987 it had risen to 360 according to the Archers Companion published in that year. But in more recent times Keri has stated that the population is "about 600". I don't think there has been any update on this.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by mike (U14258103) on Tuesday, 13th July 2010

  Tue, 13 Jul 2010 09:01 GMT, in reply to taddydogman
  
  
  
  He first said this about 9 years ago. We can probably add a few more now because Badgers' Leap has been constructed since then.

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by Leaping Badger (U3587940) on Tuesday, 13th July 2010

  Oh, so it /was/ 600? I stand corrected. That recent quote of Keri's post I read was obviously wrong. Thanks for the correction. 600 plus the Thwaiteses and Mrs Noakes et famille.
  'Ö'

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by mrsrat (U14498372) on Tuesday, 13th July 2010

  Don't forget the Buttons!

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by flameofthewest (U14483084) on Tuesday, 3rd August 2010

  Sorry to bump an old thread, but I've just remembered I'd asked the question! I am still hoping for an official answer. Matt, maybe you could ask about it while you're finding out about Alice's degree? Thanks. You are a nice man.
  
  We can probably add a few more now because Badgers' Leap has been constructed since then. 
  
  Where is Badger's Leap please? I can't see it on the map. But then, I couldn't see Grange Spinney until it was pointed out to me either...

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• Message 9

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by petal jam (U1466691) on Tuesday, 3rd August 2010

  Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:26 GMT, in reply to flameofthewest in message 8
  
  Hya flame - Badger's Leap is a message board in-joke which has stuck. When they first began discussing the new houses and Lillian's ransom strip on the programme a waggish poster dubbed the development "Badgers' Leap". Our very own Leaping Badger took the name in tribute - a kind of heraldic device.
  
  So popular was the name, and the mythic concept, that some of us secretly hoped that the production office would use the term for the "real" housing development. Long after they were built, the name Grange Spinney came out as an aside in conversation. I for one felt cheated.
  
  Grange Spinney and Badgers' Leap are, in fact or fiction, one and the same to this message board.

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• Message 10

  , in reply to message 9.

  Posted by Leaping Badger (U3587940) on Wednesday, 4th August 2010

  Although I visualise Badger's Leap (it's singular, I believe, as these estate names tend to be) as even more horrid than Grange Spinney.
  'Ö'

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• Message 11

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by Matt Soper - Host (U14569651) on Wednesday, 4th August 2010

  Hopefully we'll get a clearer idea once the residents of Ambridge complete the 2011 Census. In the meantime I'll see if the SWs can provide us with an update.
  
  Matt

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• Message 12

  , in reply to message 11.

  Posted by Matt Soper - Host (U14569651) on Thursday, 5th August 2010

  Latest estimates put the population of Ambridge at 600 people, as has already been mentioned by a few MLers above.
  
  Though the village gained around 50 residents with the development of Grange Spinney in 2003, there is a trend towards smaller households so there's been no change to the overall total.
  
  Matt

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• Message 13

  , in reply to message 12.

  Posted by flameofthewest (U14483084) on Thursday, 5th August 2010

  Thank you Matt, this is very interesting, and rather puzzling.
  
  In an effort to try to avoid doing any proper work, I have tried to count all the dwellings in Ambridge, using a combination of "The Ambridge Panorama" and "Ambridge & Borchester District" (which don't agree with each other despite both being published by Magnetic North in 1999 (not 1998 as I said on another thread, sorry)) and the interactive map. Even erring on the side of generosity, I cannot count more than 170 dwellings in the area covered by the maps.
  
  A survey last year of the (much larger) village l live in gave an occupancy rate of around 2.25. According to you Grange Spinney has an occupancy rate of around 2.75 (50/18). To accommodate 600 people even at that higher rate would require about 220 dwellings. Where are the other 50? Otherwise you're looking at an occupancy rate of about 3.5, which seems rather high.
  
  Oh, and while you're busy, could you find out the name of the residential road that appeared mysteriously behind the village shop between 1994 and 1999?
  
  Thanks

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• Message 14

  , in reply to message 13.

  Posted by Reggie Trentham (U2746099) on Thursday, 5th August 2010

  Have you included Hollowtree flats? They seem to have disappeared into a black hole years ago. Never a mention of a resident buying a pint in the Bull, a loaf of bread in the shop or saying a prayer in St Stephen's.
  
  It's just occurred to me that the thing that's going to shake Ambridge to its foundations is a Brigadoon like reappearance for said dwellings.

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• Message 15

  , in reply to message 14.

  Posted by flameofthewest (U14483084) on Thursday, 5th August 2010

  Have you included Hollowtree flats? 
  
  I did try Reggie, as the building is shown on the maps, but I don't know how many flats the house was converted into - I guessed 3. Even if it's more it's not going to make that much difference.

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• Message 16

  , in reply to message 15.

  Posted by mike (U14258103) on Friday, 6th August 2010

  Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:09 GMT, in reply to flameofthewest in message 15
  
  All maps of Ambridge should be taken with a pinch of salt. They are full of inaccuracies/ mistakes etc (compare some of the older maps which can be found on the web). Some locations are famous for moving around the village, e.g. the site of the Cat and Fiddle (now converted to flats too). I did the counting exercise myself a few years ago and came to the same conclusion as you. I once calculated the distance between two village locations using the Magnetic North map (to settle some argument about how long it would take a character to walk from A to B and was told by a poster on here that they had changed the scalea on the map when they reprinted it (actually they enlarged the map, but left the scale the same, if you see what I mean). Ambridge maps and basic geography is one area that does not bear detailed examination! The geology is even worse, but that is another story ...

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