Theme Day - Doorways

Its the first day of the month (where is the year going?!) and here in the CDPB community its Theme Day. This months theme is 'Doorways' and Cheltenham has a host of ornate doorways to choose from. I went for this blue door, surrounded by a porch of wrought iron. Quite typical of Cheltenham and it Georgian architecture.

Can you see the padlocks securing the door? The building is for sale and the agents don't want anyone untoward paying a visit!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Repetition

Lets have some form and repetition today. These artificial topiary balls (yes, they're plastic!) are lined up outside one of the jewellery shops on the Prom. I had to be quick taking this photo as the store has a security guard stood inside, behind the glass door. I think its locked and you have to be let in, that's how posh it is. Anyway...he was giving me a strange look, especially when I looked up for the security camera and stood underneath it to take the photo (I know how to avoid detection!) He probably though I was casing the joint!

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Twinkle Twinkle

Some of you may say that this photo is blurred, but I say its soft focus! Everything looks so bright, colourful and festive at the moment - shops, houses, windows, trees - its lovely. These are the lights in the Beechwood Arcade. Yes, I took the risk of being told off by that security guard again. Luckily he was nowhere to be seen. Probably stuffing his face with mince pies. Anyway, the photo looked clear on the camera screen but on the computer it was a different story. I still thought it was worth posting though.

Enjoy your weekend.

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Sweet Injustice

I hope you all appreciate this photo. Its the photo that got me a warning! I could have been banned from the Beechwood Shopping Arcade!

On my trip to take photos on Monday I went for a wander round the Beechwood Arcade. I came across this newly installed sweet and toy vending station, and I thought to myself 'that'll make an interesting post...' so I started snapping. The next thing I know a security guard is heading my way. He asks me to stop taking photos. I reply 'Oh...' He says 'the Centre management don't like it.' I say 'Oh.' And, like a good boy, I put my camera back in its case and walk away.

Then I began thinking...I don't remember seeing a 'No Photography' sign...if I was a parent taking a snap of my children would the same of happened?...if I was a teenager with my mates, messing about with my camera phone, would I have been told off?...doesn't the half empty Beechwood Shopping Centre want a bit of free global publicity? Obviously not.

This is the first time anything like this has happened to me while taking a photo. I know this issue has been discussed before on other CDPB's, but what do you think?

One final thing - The best photo would have been when I left the Arcade and I saw the security guard enjoying an ice cream. But I thought I'd better not push my luck!

I Spy With My Little Eye...

...something beginning with G.C.H.Q.

This photo is taken from Crickley Hill looking towards the West side of Cheltenham. The big round building, to the right of the middle of the picture, is the Government Communications Headquarters (click on the picture for a larger image). GCHQ carry out intelligence and security work answering to the Foreign Office and working in tandem with MI5 and MI6. The building is known by Cheltonians as 'The Doughnut', as its round and has a hole in the middle! And that hole is large enough to fit the Royal Albert Hall inside.
GCHQ came to Cheltenham in 1952 and occupied two sites, the one shown at Benhall, and one at Oakley, on the other side of town. Many local people say that there was an underground tunnel that linked these two sites, but as GCHQ's work is secret we'll never know. In 1999 it was decided by the government to merge the two sites into one and Benhall was chosen for the new building. The doughnut cost about £330 million with the actual cost, including a 30 year service contract, being £1.2 billion. At the time of construction it was the largest single development in Europe, taking 3 years to complete, with the 6,000 strong workforce moving in September 2003 and completing the move by the summer of 2004.

On the security fence that surrounds the perimeter of GCHQ it clearly says 'No Photography', so this could be as close as you get to photograph the building without being taken in as a threat to national security!