Peter Stewart

Emmy running the Hippodrome on Bell Street on the site of Wagamama's restaurant today with Harry running a chain of cinemas in East Anglia. At the end of the last episode, Emmy had just heard of a new cinema that was due to open in Redhill, and she was worried again about their livelihood. And so she and Harry hatched a plan. If you can't beat them, join them, and then go on better.

Emmy running the Hippodrome on Bell Street on the site of Wagamama's restaurant today with Harry running a chain of cinemas in East Anglia. At the end of the last episode, Emmy had just heard of a new cinema that was due to open in Redhill, and she was worried again about their livelihood. And so she and Harry hatched a plan. If you can't beat them, join them, and then go on better.

And this week, the story continues of Harry and Emmy Bancroft of Bancroft Road fame. Emmy Bancroft was clearly an astute businesswoman, rightly concerned by the potentially damaging competition of a new Art Deco picture house opening in the other half of the borough, in Redhill, and diverting trade from her in Reigate.

And this week, the story continues of Harry and Emmy Bancroft of Bancroft Road fame. Emmy Bancroft was clearly an astute businesswoman, rightly concerned by the potentially damaging competition of a new Art Deco picture house opening in the other half of the borough, in Redhill, and diverting trade from her in Reigate.

She had an idea, and she got her husband Harry to look both at some back land behind the hippodrome that had formed the gardens belonging to the recently demolished White Hart Hotel in Bell Street, and two shops located immediately to the south of the hippodrome that were due to become empty in 1934.

She had an idea, and she got her husband Harry to look both at some back land behind the hippodrome that had formed the gardens belonging to the recently demolished White Hart Hotel in Bell Street, and two shops located immediately to the south of the hippodrome that were due to become empty in 1934.

After lengthy discussions with the local and county council, an outline planning agreement was granted to Harry Bancroft to allow him to demolish the shops in Bell Street and build a cinema with his own cafe along with a swimming pool and put in a brand new approach road from Church Street and Bell Street on this dog-leg site. Music Work moved along apace.

After lengthy discussions with the local and county council, an outline planning agreement was granted to Harry Bancroft to allow him to demolish the shops in Bell Street and build a cinema with his own cafe along with a swimming pool and put in a brand new approach road from Church Street and Bell Street on this dog-leg site. Music Work moved along apace.

It was agreed that the council would buy a portion of the White Hart Garden, not needed for the cinema development, which could be used as a public car park. It's the site today of the multi-storey. The cinema and swimming pool cost over £60,000 to build. That's over £3 million today, and that's without the cost of the land. We don't know how much that cost at the time.

It was agreed that the council would buy a portion of the White Hart Garden, not needed for the cinema development, which could be used as a public car park. It's the site today of the multi-storey. The cinema and swimming pool cost over £60,000 to build. That's over £3 million today, and that's without the cost of the land. We don't know how much that cost at the time.

Too much, of course, for the Bancrofts alone to fund. They went into partnership with a company that ran a large circuit of cinemas, Shipman and King, to cover the development costs, a partnership that survived for the next 30-odd years. And the pool opened on the 10th of August 1935, more than two months before the majestic cinema's doors opened on the 14th of October.

Too much, of course, for the Bancrofts alone to fund. They went into partnership with a company that ran a large circuit of cinemas, Shipman and King, to cover the development costs, a partnership that survived for the next 30-odd years. And the pool opened on the 10th of August 1935, more than two months before the majestic cinema's doors opened on the 14th of October.

The advertisements for the event indicated the incompleteness of the development at that time, quote, "...the pool will be open before the new road is finished, so we trust our patrons will overlook this pending completion." So picture the scene, the open-air pool, on the site of which is now, appropriately, Pool House, just near the library.

The advertisements for the event indicated the incompleteness of the development at that time, quote, "...the pool will be open before the new road is finished, so we trust our patrons will overlook this pending completion." So picture the scene, the open-air pool, on the site of which is now, appropriately, Pool House, just near the library.

The Majestic Cinema was opposite, and the Hippodrome Cinema was just around the corner in Bell Street. Taken together, you could say they provided Reigate with its first and only leisure centre. The ceremony at the oval-shaped pool on that sunny afternoon nearly 90 years ago was well attended.

The Majestic Cinema was opposite, and the Hippodrome Cinema was just around the corner in Bell Street. Taken together, you could say they provided Reigate with its first and only leisure centre. The ceremony at the oval-shaped pool on that sunny afternoon nearly 90 years ago was well attended.

The audience was entertained in the opening programme by Olive Bartle, winner of a bronze swimming medal in the British Empire Games at Wembley in 1934, and fellow members of the Kingston Ladies Swimming Club, who entered the pool in Victorian-style costumes. Rather unusually, this display was followed by a lecture on the history of swimming, given by a Mr Percy Eames from Kingston,

The audience was entertained in the opening programme by Olive Bartle, winner of a bronze swimming medal in the British Empire Games at Wembley in 1934, and fellow members of the Kingston Ladies Swimming Club, who entered the pool in Victorian-style costumes. Rather unusually, this display was followed by a lecture on the history of swimming, given by a Mr Percy Eames from Kingston,

Delivered from within the water of the pool, he demonstrated the development of strokes and style and entertained onlookers with a verse of a popular song performed underwater with the novelty of an iron bucket on his head. Refreshments for spectators were provided at the poolside.

Delivered from within the water of the pool, he demonstrated the development of strokes and style and entertained onlookers with a verse of a popular song performed underwater with the novelty of an iron bucket on his head. Refreshments for spectators were provided at the poolside.