"Did you know that the Coleford Brick and Tile Co., has won a contract to supply 100,000 plus bricks to the RSC to update the Theatre at Stratford on Avon ?
These have to be hand-made to the 1931 specification and weathered to match the original ones.
Also the Bluebells are giving the best display for years. This is all over the Country, not just in the Forest"

from the BBC online...

"Bricks hand-made for Shakespeare

Up to 160,000 bricks are being specially-made for the theatre
Hand-made bricks, produced by a Forest of Dean firm, will be used to build a new tower and buildings at the Royal Shakespeare theatre in Stratford.

Coleford Brick and Tile won the order to make bricks matching those used on the original 1932 buildings.

Of the 162,000 bricks produced so far, 8,000 are special shapes.

"The tower will be octagonal so we had to make special bricks to create the shape," said Tim Walton, works manager for the company.

The company, which employs 22 staff, can make about 35,000 bricks a week compared with a large commercial brick-maker which can produce 2m a week.

"The order is great news for our staff especially at this time and it's a prestigious order to be proud of," said Mr Walton.

(David, I'll delete the msg. if I'm breaking any rules, sorry)