Pretty Vacant
Pretty Vacant
BBC Radio 4
International money-laundering meets the UK housing crisis in this grittily satirical fable about shady dealing and thorny moral dilemmas.
5. The Laundromat
When a major financial donor approaches a Manchester housing charity for the homeless offering them a block of new apartments for the use of those most in need, the organisers think there is a god after all. Using the charity’s fast track access to planning permissions, money is lavished on refurbishing a raft of luxury apartments – a clear statement that even the poor deserve a decent place to live. But it’s only when a local journalist raises the question as to where the benefactor’s money is coming from that alarm bells start to ring. Cast Nora: Jane Slavin Frankie: Tim McInnerny Leyla: Genevieve Gaunt Phil: John Hopkins Yolanda: Alex Constantinidi Kev: Will Howard Written by Hugh Costello Director: Eoin O’Callaghan A Big Fish Radio production for BBC Radio 4
Apr 25, 2022
20 min
4. Transparency
When a major financial donor approaches a Manchester housing charity for the homeless offering them a block of new apartments for the use of those most in need, the organisers think there is a god after all. Using the charity’s fast track access to planning permissions, money is lavished on refurbishing a raft of luxury apartments – a clear statement that even the poor deserve a decent place to live. But it’s only when a local journalist raises the question as to where the benefactor’s money is coming from that alarm bells start to ring. Cast Nora: Jane Slavin Frankie: Tim McInnerny Leyla: Genevieve Gaunt Phil: John Hopkins Yolanda: Alex Constantinidi Kev: Will Howard Written by Hugh Costello Director: Eoin O’Callaghan A Big Fish Radio production for BBC Radio 4
Apr 25, 2022
16 min
3. The Conversion
When a major financial donor approaches a Manchester housing charity for the homeless offering them a block of new apartments for the use of those most in need, the organisers think there is a god after all. Using the charity’s fast track access to planning permissions, money is lavished on refurbishing a raft of luxury apartments – a clear statement that even the poor deserve a decent place to live. But it’s only when a local journalist raises the question as to where the benefactor’s money is coming from that alarm bells start to ring. Cast Nora: Jane Slavin Frankie: Tim McInnerny Leyla: Genevieve Gaunt Phil: John Hopkins Yolanda: Alex Constantinidi Kev: Will Howard Written by Hugh Costello Director: Eoin O’Callaghan A Big Fish Radio production for BBC Radio 4
Apr 25, 2022
18 min
2. The Hold Out
When a major financial donor approaches a Manchester housing charity for the homeless offering them a block of new apartments for the use of those most in need, the organisers think there is a god after all. Using the charity’s fast track access to planning permissions, money is lavished on refurbishing a raft of luxury apartments – a clear statement that even the poor deserve a decent place to live. But it’s only when a local journalist raises the question as to where the benefactor’s money is coming from that alarm bells start to ring. Cast Nora: Jane Slavin Frankie: Tim McInnerny Leyla: Genevieve Gaunt Phil: John Hopkins Yolanda: Alex Constantinidi Kev: Will Howard Written by Hugh Costello Director: Eoin O’Callaghan A Big Fish Radio production for BBC Radio 4
Apr 25, 2022
19 min
1. Manchester - Buy To Leave
When a major financial donor approaches a Manchester housing charity for the homeless offering them a block of new apartments for the use of those most in need, the organisers think there is a god after all. Using the charity’s fast track access to planning permissions, money is lavished on refurbishing a raft of luxury apartments – a clear statement that even the poor deserve a decent place to live. But it’s only when a local journalist raises the question as to where the benefactor’s money is coming from that alarm bells start to ring. Cast Nora: Jane Slavin Frankie: Tim McInnerny Leyla: Genevieve Gaunt Phil: John Hopkins Yolanda: Alex Constantinidi Kev: Will Howard Written by Hugh Costello Director: Eoin O’Callaghan A Big Fish Radio production for BBC Radio 4
Apr 25, 2022
18 min
Welcome to Pretty Vacant
When a major financial donor approaches HEARTH a housing charity for the homeless offering them a block of new apartments for the use of those most in need, the organisers think there is a god after all. Using the charity’s fast track access to planning permissions money is lavished on refurbishing a raft of luxury apartments – a clear statement that even the poor deserve a decent place to live. But it’s only when a local journalist raises the question as to where the benefactor’s money is coming from that alarm bells start to ring. Could money launderers really be so low as to exploit the needs of the desperate and homeless?
Apr 25, 2022
2 min