Chichester's BBC Antique Road Trip star remembered as beloved ‘family man’

Peter Hancock, 93, died on Thursday, October 7 after a short illness. He leaves behind his wife Maureen, five children and two grandchildren.

His son, Simon, said he will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, work in the community and being a ‘great family man'.

"Dad always had time to help people, often going the extra mile to get something repaired or fixed because it had an emotional attachment for them," Simon said.

"Keep in mind this was long before the days of the popular TV series The Repair Shop."

Peter first moved to Chichester in the late 1960s. He opened his antique shop in 1969 on West Street, which still trades today more than 50 years later. Further shops have been opened in Westgate and in St. Pancras.

The shop in Chichester has also welcomed a number of famous guests, including Zoe Wannamaker, Penelope Keith, Countess Spencer, Derek Jacobi and Nicholas Lyndhust.

Simon added: "He meant a lot to the community with his shop being here 50 odd years and was very well-known to the community and would often support it.

“He was well-known for being a soft touch and he was a sucker for a sob story so if someone needed some money they would come in and tell him about it and he would give them a

tenner even if it was about something else."

Peter also hosted a regular antique phone-in on Radio Victory (Portsmouth) in the 1980s.

More recently he appeared in three episodes of the BBC's Antique Road Trip.

Peter was also instrumental in opening Chichester Armoury in 1984 and remained a partner in the business.

His Westgate antique shop became the first Chichester Armoury with the shop subsequently moving in 1987 to its present location.

Simon said: “He will obviously be greatly missed by the family and the intention is that the shops will stay open and trading.

"He was a really nice family man, kind and generous.

“I don't think that many people would have a bad word to say against him in all honesty.

"I think he was a nice man who tried his hardest to do the best for everyone that he could.”