Ecotricity's HQ, with added anti-racism banner

I went to town to post six business parcels for Helena who'd had to cry off work as she was ill. It had been raining earlier, but as the sky had cleared I took a few minutes off to record this banner which Dale Vince has decided to hang over the front entrance to his business head office'. All it says is 'Stroud against racism' with the organisation's  url – 'stroudagainstracism.co.uk'.

Ecotricity is a modern utilities company which has grown and grown to be the largest employer in the district. Owned by Dale Vince it has a sustainability ethos which began when he lived in a traveller's caravan nearby and he designed a small wind turbine to bring him power. That was thirty+ years ago. 

When Extinction Rebellion began there was a small camp set up here on the grass between the main building and the canal. The whole site was formerly the Stroud Brewery and had all its ancillary buildings spread around this area called Wallbridge, on either side of the road. The buildings were all knocked down in the 'progressive' 1960/70s, and then this new building arrived as the HQ of the Stroud and Swindon Building Society.

After they left Ecotricity eventually moved in to house their rapidly expanding staff, but then needed even more buildings dotted around town. The company's success has been a lifeline for the town, bringing new employees from all over the country as Ecoticity is now a national player.

The old walls have only recently been repaired following the ongoing regeneration of the Thames and Severn Canal between Stroud town and the junction with the Sharpness to Gloucester canal about six miles west of here. These old walls were part of the cellars and the wharf where the supplies and products were shipped from. A recent replacement bridge for the A46 was built just ten yards to the left of this picture, and the old bridge ten yards to the right of here became virtually pedestrianised. Wallbridge Upper Lock lies a few yards further upstream of the old bridge, whilst Wallbridge Lower Lock lies forty yards downstream. It is a fairly steep area around here.