Sometimes when changes take place they can have a dramatic differences to a view, this is a view in such a case, this is at the bottom of Rowcroft in Stroud and the old picture shows the famous Stroud Brewery, a very large company at the time.
As youngsters I can remember come to Stroud on a Saturday morning in a double-decker bus, it was time for Saturday morning pictures for us children held at the Gaumont. As we came by this building there was a wonderful smell of hops and beer, it was a smell that has stuck in our memories for years.
It closed in 1967 and the building lay derelict for main years, in fact it wasn't pulled down and this new building was took over the land for The Stroud and Swindon Building Society in 1991. The main offices then moved to Swindon and these building were taken over by Ecotricity in 2011.
Ecotricity have become one of the biggest employers in the area with their supply of power using eco methods, wind turbines, solar panels and other methods. Their owner Dale Vince is also the owner and Chairman of my football club, Forest Green Rovers, the greenest football club in the world.
You may think this is two different places, until you notice the wall on the right. In fact it's a place where pints have turned into power.
An interesting history & as you say it looks completely different although a similar feel to the original building. All power to the owner if he’s your football club owner! You must get priority treatment if you ever have cause to visit that place!
