Singers busking on Stroud High Street

We went to town later this morning than perhaps intended, with one of several objectives being to see the Site'13 events being staged at the Brunel Goods Shed close to the station. To get there entailed walking down through the centre of town which was refreshingly busy showing that trading for the shops and the market traders in the Shambles and also the Farmers' Market as likely to be brisk.

As we joined the top of the High Street which is pedestrianised I immediately noticed the sound of loud singing and then saw a gathering of people at the junction with Kendrick Street, the usual place for street events to be staged. As we approached it became obvious that Woodpeckers and I had to get our cameras out and we then mingled amongst those already standing to watch and listen.

I didn't know why they were all dressed in pink and red colours, although it was suggested that they were originally followers of a particular young 'guru' figure from many years ago. But also because our friend Pip from Bristol sings in a local choir there who are usually similarly attired, i wondered whether it was them appearing here as part of a festival season. I know this might be possible because we hope to hear them sing tomorrow evening in the nearby town of Nailsworth's Festival season. I did notice that they were raising money for the Citizens Advice Bureau, which is a vital organisation throughout Britain and which does extremely good work here in Stroud.

I enjoyed hearing the songs in particular a version of 'Wild Mountain Thyme'. As we left to walk on to the other festival offerings, via the bank, we noticed a large group of Japanese tourists standing and listening, cameras also at the ready. Woodpeckers commented to me that it was the first time we had seen such an organised tour group in Stroud which has never been on the 'normal' tourist trail around the Cotswold sights for Asian coach parties. We normally see them in little villages like Bibury, so it must be good for our tourist trade if they are being brought to Stroud on a Saturday, probably because of the fame of the Saturday Farmers' Market. I have previously thought of offering the 'Alternative Tour' of the Cotswolds, looking at the unseen tucked away landscape vista, perhaps calling it 'Beyond the chocolate box'. I don't think I would get many takers though.

We did go to the Goods Shed, but I was rather disappointed with the Fayre which had been organised. But I am very glad to see that building, whose restoration I have been so involved with, as a trustee of Stroud Preservation Trust, now being a centre of attention, activity and being open to so m,any people at last!

We returned to the centre of town and went to the old headquarters of Stroud Valley Arts who organise this artists' festival, where we watched a short film and saw the printed poems of a friend of Helena who is one of the resident artists there. I must try to go and visit more Open Studios which are dotted all over the Five Valleys for this month.