Gaia's chimneys

This is is the middle section of the High Street, between Union Street and Bedford street. The canopy of the Stroud bookshop, where I worked for years, can just be seen on the left, in blue, but the reason I chose this shot is that it gives a good view of the sadly-neglected building that we knew as 20 High Street, or the Gaia building. Millet's is below, on the grounds floor, and is NOT now going to close. Hurrah!

For 10 years from 1992 to 2002, Gaia books, the once independent publishing house, had its Stroud offices here on the first and second floors, and the archive of artwork and photography in the attics. The offices were run down but enormous, and I doubt I will ever work in such a central but ramshackle office again. I was there from 1994 to 2001, but was eventually persuaded to work from home, as it was a great deal easier to get editorial work done from there. I'd have to send Zip discs of the day's work by registered post to our London office by 5pm, so it was always necessary to live near a post office, in the days when there were branch offices.

The building's upper floors have been unoccupied since Gaia's departure, and you can see what is happening to the roof and chimneys. Gaia, the earth, is a self-regulating mechanism...

I did once go out on the attic balcony to look down on the High Street on Goodwill Evening, and I saw the Stroud Samba Band dancing and drumming far, far below.

Better in LARGE.