Banstead Village

I remember swimming through leaves and crabapples in the early mornings because it was free at that time of the day. I wonder if they cleared them later for the upmarket customers? The water of course was freezing.

My sister had her wedding reception here in 1949 and I remember thinking how good the food was at the time. This despite rationing.

Like Jackie I remember swimming at The Sugar Bowl. In the late 1950s Merland Rise Junior School was allowed the use of the pool for one morning a week (winter only of course!). We were marched over Burgh Heath, often with frost crunching underfoot. We changed into our swimming costumes in the little wooden huts, complete with spiders and other wildlife. The freezing cold water meant you learnt to swim very swiftly - it was either swim or die of frostbite! Happy days.

I rember it well, not far from Roberts Store. I went carol singing there. it was for the posh. I swam there once; it was heated?

Not very happy memory as when I was 10 in 1951, a friend I was with pushed me in. I was unable to swim, luckily I was quickly pulled out. It has left me with a fear of water, and I never did learn to swim.

In 1958 I learnt to swim here in the school holidays as my dad did a part time job as a gardener at the Sugar Bowl.

I have many happy memories of it including that the chef promised me ten shillings when I could swim a width which I soon mastered. The ten shilling note I spent at Woodmansterne's fete the same afternoon; I had never felt so rich before.

Shawley Way Primary also visited the pool. It was torture and put me off swimming. I guess it would be classed as cruelty today. Having said that, I have reached a happy 71 years old

I recently stayed here at the Premier Inn which is built where the swimming pool and gardens were. On investigating my old haunt I am pleased to say that the Beech tree far right is still growing at the back of the building and there is still some evidence of the non-slip concrete flooring where the changing rooms were which is now the overflow car park and coach parking area.

My auntie Doris and uncle Doug owned the Sugar Bowl around the late forties, my mum and dad had their wedding reception here in 1946.

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