Thanet council Cabinet members are expected to agree a further £1m be allocated to the Margate Theatre Royal refurbishment project and that an operator for the venue be appointed.
In March 2021, £2.2m of Margate Town Deal’s £22.2m funding was allocated to the Theatre Royal scheme following the venue’s closure in April 2022 when the lease agreement with operator Your Leisure was ended. Last year a further £2.8m of Margate Town Deal funding from a ditched highways and public realm project was reallocated to the theatre. There is currently £3.4m remaining of that.
Now a further £1m, left from the highways scheme, is also expected to be agreed for reallocation. This would mean the theatre’s overall budget is £6m, with some of that already spent on designs and a masterplan and works to make the building watertight.
Cabinet members, meeting on January 22, will also be asked to approve procurement for Phase One construction works.
The proposal to restore and modernise both the theatre and 19 Hawley Square will now focus on getting phase one, for the theatre, completed.
As a Grade II* listed building and a significant heritage asset that has been on the Theatres at Risk Register since 2018, the Theatre Royal’s future hinges on investment and a robust operational plan.
Key features of the proposed restoration include:
- Upgrades to the auditorium and front-of-house areas, improving seating, accessibility, and toilet facilities.
- Extensive modernisation of building services, including rewiring, a new heating and ventilation system, and fire safety upgrades.
- Construction of a new extension to provide accessible dressing rooms (equipped with a lift), a bar, and a stage door.
- The creation of a new public piazza by closing the road between the theatre and 19 Hawley Square, creating a safe, vibrant gathering space for audience members.
The theatre works will increase venue capacity from 465 to 500 seats, Plans for an estimated 250 shows annually at an average ticket price of £25, could potentially generate approximately £218,750 additional income per annum from box office sales.
Further income is predicted to come from the bar and the piazza space, making a total of approximately £459,375 per annum.
Before closure the theatre attracted some 36,000 ticket sales annually (including 11,000 for the panto) from 168 performances, generating income of £106k.
Operator plan
In May 2024 Thanet council approved plans to lead an operating trust to run the theatre but an unsuccessful Cultural Development Fund bid, which included £395,000 funding for two-years of staffing and operational costs, means this is not now possible.
Instead an operator will be contracted on a lease basis.
A report to councillors says 16 interested operators came forward in a 2024 marketing exercise with seven progressing to the next stage. Thanet council officers have kept in contact with those potential operators.
19 Hawley Square
The failure to secure external grant funding means phase two, for 19 Hawley Square to provide a performing arts centre and artist’s accommodation, will be put on hold while extra funding is sought.
The Theatre Royal and 19 Hawley Square Masterplan has been costed at £7.2m across both buildings, and £4.1m for the selected phase one scheme which is to reopen the Theatre.
A report to councillors says: “A fundraising plan is in place, with an ambition to secure the remainder of the masterplan funds required (£3.1m), in partnership with the new operator.
“Discussions with the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council continue to be positive and funders are receptive to future applications, especially with a high-quality operator engaged.
“Officers will commence fundraising in 2026, with the aim of Phase Two (19 Hawley Square) commencing shortly after Phase One is complete.”
Alternative plans for 19 Hawley Square are also being reviewed and include creating a mix of theatre accommodation, commercial and residential units to support both the funding of the capital works and theatre operations and viability.
Remedial works to the building will be carried out this year, including the clearing of a pigeon infestation.
If the Hawley Square property cannot be used as a phase two scheme, the council could sell it or look at other uses such as housing. In 2019 the building was valued at £350,000 but the condition has deteriorated significantly since then. In the same year the Theatre Royal was valued at nil due to “its listed status, restricted use as a theatre, existing viability issues, and the poor condition of the building.”
A phase three of the project is to include the incorporation of renewable energy technology.
Councillor Ruth Duckworth, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Property, said: “If approved, this would be a pivotal and hugely positive step for Margate’s cultural heart. We are acutely aware of the Theatre Royal’s unique place in Margate’s history. The proposals demonstrate our determination to secure its future.
“We have listened to the overwhelming public support for this project, with over 90% of stakeholders calling for a fully operational theatre and more than 80% backing the vision. If approved, the recommendations in this report will be a significant step forward to reinstating Margate’s much-loved theatre.
“A new operator would bring the essential expertise and stability needed to help remove the theatre from the Theatre’s Trust ‘At Risk’ register for good. This would also move us closer to restoring civic pride to the area and boosting the night-time economy.”
Listed Building Consent and planning applications are expected to be submitted in February.
The aim is to reopen the Theatre Royal in 2027.
The Theatre Royal Margate is the UK’s second oldest working theatre and a Grade II* listed building since 1955.
Originally built in 1787 and redesigned in 1874, it is the only surviving design by J.T. Robinson, father-in-law to Frank Matcham. Its unique heritage includes carton pierre plasterwork, a sunburner, and a hybrid music hall/theatre layout, with an historic link to 19 Hawley Square – formerly The London Hotel circa 1830.
Another money pit for the council to waste money.
My understanding of all this isn’t great … and I should probably read & re-read this article before asking questions. However, much as I want the Theatre Royal to be a wonderful going concern, these phrases jumped out & not in a good way: ‘a further £2.8m of Margate Town Deal funding from a ditched highways and public realm project’ and ‘a further £1m, left from the highways scheme, is also expected to be agreed for reallocation.’
How can highways in Thanet ever NOT need money?
I think that there a couple of possibilities. I don’t know for sure, but I understand a bit about how funding and budgets work in local government.
The first is that the money was earmarked for a NEW project which isn’t now taking place for whatever reason (or is no longer considered a priority).
This is a totally separate budget from maintenance of existing roads (ie filling potholes).
The second is that some of it might have ended up “doubled-up” – ie central government have awarded money for something that the council had already earmarked so they can reallocate it with no impact.
I am theorising as I say, but I offer these as potential explanations.
It’s not about saying “we won’t fill some potholes this year and use the money to refurbish a theatre”. The budgets are separate and I don’t think this is possible even if they wanted to.
Thanet District Council is starstruck and dazzled by the promise footlights everywhere in Margate. People who just do not grasp how commerce works. Rather than come up with some practical ideas as to how to use “spare” money for the general community benefit, they’d rather throw it at yet another “cultural” project.
Margate already has Dreamland, The Hall By The Sea and Olby’s. The Theatre Royal and Winter Gardens are both in mothballs. Although, the latter appears now to have a plan, monies and a partner. Why not give them this money too? The venue is already more modern, capacious and functional than the former property. If functioning venues I’d what T.D.C. wants? There is a saturation point for every type of premises within a community. Margate really cannot support all those that I have mentioned.
There is a public debate to be had nationally around the listing of and issue of preservation orders for structures. We need to begin to look at potential future use in preference to nostalgia at any price.
How much money has been wasted on this theatre , ever since Richard Samuels decided to pour TDC funds into it.
I don’t get the maths. They say before it closed it made £106k from selling 36,000 seats. That’s less than £3 per ticket ?
Also, if the average attendance before it closed was less than half its capacity how can they be so confident it will now fill up an increased capacity venue ?
I’m trying not to be too negative as it is a good news story but TDC haven’t exactly got a good track record with project delivery.
£3 per ticket after costs (paying performers and staff, electricity, cleaning, etc) makes sense.
Yes if it was a net figure that would make more sense but projection above it for increased capacity income was based on gross income from ticket sales with no netting.
I guess whatever the figures are, the important thing is to start to fill the venue to, or near, capacity when it reopens.
Maybe Margate can crowd-fund it!
Thanet District Circus once again squandering good money on another scandalously wasteful vanity project that will benefit no-one. Like its predecessors it will no doubt go into an instant loss-making project and in ten years another council will have to throw yet more money at it.
I’m sure there will be interested operators… who will shut up shop the minute the funding dries up.
When will this economically illiterate council wake up to reality – everything TDC manages (Winter Gardens, The Royal Harbour etc.) makes exorbitant losses because councillors are brain dead bottom-feeders and council staff are largely lazy, clock-watching jobsworths.
The only growth in Thanet is migrancy and DFL’s (migrancy by any other name).
Alex Peters. Have you ever been a councillor?
Moving to Thanet from London or anywhere else is not a crime. Do you think people born and bred in Thanet should never move out of it?
Nobody else need bother to answer. I am asking Alex Peters questions related to his/her 4.07 comment.
MM Rees – your problem is seeing good in all things! Life is not quite a bed of roses and DFL’s, as an example, have put immense pressure on housing prices forcing them up and up. No good whatsoever for young hard working people trying to get a first home if terraced housing is pushed way above their affordability by outsiders buying second/holiday homes.
“Fedup B” – I certainly don’t “see good in all things”.
I see the good in you.
MM Rees -really?
Alex Peters – a first rate article. I do not think there one TDC Councillor who has ever run a business and had to control/manage expenditure to maintain that business. How can departments run up huge over spends without Councillors being aware until its sudden presentation!
Checksfield. No you don’t. You just see an opportunity to put your name on this site , no matter how stupid and irrelevant your comment is. make no more replies to my comments. You’re a prat.
Reported.
Peter – why is this individual M M Rees obsessed with you and constant rabbiting on about name calling obviously going back many years. Perhaps in need of help in some form or other. I am glad you have reported her as her comments now nasty.
It’s not even worth arguing with. In future I’ll just report ALL abusive attitude from her.
an excellent asessment from Alex Peters , i feel he has nailed it !
“250 shows annually” Yeah, right! I was the Set Builder, Stage Manager for a very succesful small amateur theater in the 80’s, and we put on some very successful shows, as good as any in the West End, but the most I could achieve was 12 shows in one year! That was as a fund raiser to buy a Costume Store, but the most we achieved was 35 shows over 4 years excluding a Panto every year! I doubt any professional theater could do better! I used to do a talk for the youth section, and would show it would take upwards of 65 people to put on a “Two Hander”.
We also won the 1989 Kent Drama Festival with “A Chorus of Disapproval” which had 13 scene changes, mostly done on “Revolves”!
6 million and counting for theatre royal , really does raise questions about TDC’s previous estimates of the 11 million to keep the Winter Gardens going for a decade. The architects/designers/ advisors will be milking this to the max, anyone know what % their fees are? It was 12.5% for the Dalby Square project plus the VAT
We have managed without it for years now. No one really noticed. Why waste millions that can be used elsewhere on a project that fires up only the few. Let them fund it themselves if they think it will turn a profit.
It’s difficult to understand how this theatre was operational until covid and that since then it’s now bottomless money pit.
As for the critics of the existence of this theatre, it has/had a great character and atmosphere and compares well with theatres in London and was preferable to the Marlowe theatre in Canterbury.
It seems likely that none of us will see the theatre reopen in our lifetime, we just have to accept that Thanet council is notorious when it comes to managing any project just look at the Ramsgate harbour debacle where money is being washed away with every tide.
About the only thing we can ever rely on is Thanet council to do, is to arrange for a dozen or two councilors to meet in the council chamber every few weeks and pump out abnormal amounts of hot air for what purpose I don’t know.