On October 1st 1927, the Bank's architect, H Stewart Evans submitted plans to convert premises at 482 Stratford Road into a branch to be called Sparkhill. But, the Bank's Committee Minutes stated (in July 1927) that "the proposals of the City Surveyor for the adaption of these premises, the estimated cost of the proposals being £2,250, which the Sub-Committee thought too costly having regard to the condition and size of the premises".

Although the City Surveyor cannot recognise such an obstruction, the Block Plan has a line drawn across the branch's entrance, and a note on the plan states "No projections in front of existing splay corner permitted in new work as confirmed with Mr D Evans on the phone. Nov 28/27"

 

 Messrs A Pearce & Sons were awarded the reconstruction contract at the sum of £1,900.

The branch premises, at the corner of Stratford Road and Shakespeare Street, are hatched in red. The location is between the Bank's Sparkbrook branch (on Stratford Road to the left; also leading to the city centre) and Springfield branch - along Stratford Road, to the right

The Ground Floor Plan shows the architect's solution to providing the normal branch facilities in this very awkwardly  shaped building. The entrance for depositors is at the corner of Stratford Road and Shakespeare Street and gives access to a narrow space along the Stratford Road side of the building. Although the office space behind the counter is fairly spacious, the provision of staff facilities behind the small strongroom is squeezed into a gradually narrowing space. There is a rear entrance for the staff from the Yard

Architect's drawing of branch entrance

The Ground Floor Plan shows (hatched in brown) the entrance to the flat which is reached by a staircase squeezed into a small space. The main residential accommodation is on the First Floor and two additional bedrooms are located on the Second Floor

A section drawing gives details of the staircase between the flat's three levels. The Foundation Plan (right) is noted that the old cellars are to be left void, whereas most reconstructions at this period required cellars to be filled up

In this photograph taken just after the reconstruction was completed in July 1928, Shakespeare Street is on the right where the door to the flat and a gate to the yard are visible. Carving the word 'Bank' over the depositors' entrance, specified by the architect, has not been implemented