Peter Stewart

Hear us reflect on the lives and work of Harry and Emmy Bancroft, including some new information, as we stand on the road that bears their name. We bring you part four of the story of Bancroft Road, only on the Planet Reigate podcast.

Hear us reflect on the lives and work of Harry and Emmy Bancroft, including some new information, as we stand on the road that bears their name. We bring you part four of the story of Bancroft Road, only on the Planet Reigate podcast.

This is the Planet Reigate podcast with Peter Stewart.

This is the Planet Reigate podcast with Peter Stewart.

I'm just driving into the Bancroft Road multi-storey car park, which strikes me as an appropriate place to park. Because this, as you would have heard from previous podcasts, is the place that became possible when the Bancrofts decided that they would buy some land...

I'm just driving into the Bancroft Road multi-storey car park, which strikes me as an appropriate place to park. Because this, as you would have heard from previous podcasts, is the place that became possible when the Bancrofts decided that they would buy some land...

round the back of the Hippodrome cinema that they were running at the time, the one on Bell Street where Wagamama's is at the moment, so that they could create their own cinema called The Majestic. on a newly formed road which came to be known as Bancroft Road.

round the back of the Hippodrome cinema that they were running at the time, the one on Bell Street where Wagamama's is at the moment, so that they could create their own cinema called The Majestic. on a newly formed road which came to be known as Bancroft Road.

And as part of the deal, the council bought this plot of land, which became a car park, both for the Majestic and also for the swimming pool as well. And it's on this site, where it was originally just a waste piece of ground for a car park, back in the 1930s, that is now... the multi-storey car park on Bancroft Road. And why am I here?

And as part of the deal, the council bought this plot of land, which became a car park, both for the Majestic and also for the swimming pool as well. And it's on this site, where it was originally just a waste piece of ground for a car park, back in the 1930s, that is now... the multi-storey car park on Bancroft Road. And why am I here?

Well, I've been given a very special, almost unique invitation to go and see underneath Pool House on Bancroft Road. Why is Pool House called Pool House? Because it's built on the site of the old swimming pool, the outdoor swimming pool. Some say Lido. And it's very unusual to be able to go and see the footings, the foundations, what is underneath there, and the origins of...

Well, I've been given a very special, almost unique invitation to go and see underneath Pool House on Bancroft Road. Why is Pool House called Pool House? Because it's built on the site of the old swimming pool, the outdoor swimming pool. Some say Lido. And it's very unusual to be able to go and see the footings, the foundations, what is underneath there, and the origins of...

the swimming pool and Bancroft Road I'm really genuinely excited about this really looking forward to it it might be I don't know is it going to be a bit chilly underneath there it might be I've got a jacket with me first of all I've got to go and buy a ticket

the swimming pool and Bancroft Road I'm really genuinely excited about this really looking forward to it it might be I don't know is it going to be a bit chilly underneath there it might be I've got a jacket with me first of all I've got to go and buy a ticket

It's a good sound effect, isn't it? A squeaky gate. And then round the back, kind of separate from the main building, there's some white wooden doors and a kind of brick shelter, I see.

It's a good sound effect, isn't it? A squeaky gate. And then round the back, kind of separate from the main building, there's some white wooden doors and a kind of brick shelter, I see.

So it's a long kind of spiral ramp. If you imagine kind of a mini ramp, as though you're coming out of the belfry. It's a little bit like that.

So it's a long kind of spiral ramp. If you imagine kind of a mini ramp, as though you're coming out of the belfry. It's a little bit like that.

It's huge. I'm really surprised how much there is here.

It's huge. I'm really surprised how much there is here.