Thanet

Residents are asked to comment on the plans for the Theatre Royal in Margate by the council.

7 months ago

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Thanet District Council has launched a programme of public engagement, to share plans for the ambitious project to restore and reinvigorate the Theatre Royal in Margate. Members of the public and stakeholders were invited to attend a drop-in event, on Thursday 7 December at the Theatre Royal in Addington Street, Margate, at the start of the engagement period. Over 175 local residents and stakeholders came along to find out about the new vision for the Theatre Royal Margate and view the proposed plans for the development of the theatre and 19 Hawley Square. The council’s project team was on hand to answer questions, along with the architects. Visitors were invited to give their feedback on the proposed plans. The information boards remain on display in the poster sites on the exterior of the Theatre Royal and on the council’s website. Residents are invited to submit their feedback and thoughts on the proposed plans via an online survey on Your Voice Thanet. Paper copies of the survey can also be collected from the reception area at the Council Offices in Cecil Street, from Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, until 4pm on Wednesday 20 December, when the survey closes. There will be further opportunities for comment ahead of any designs reaching the planning stage. Cllr Ruth Duckworth, Cabinet member for Regeneration and Property said: “I am delighted that so many local people were able to come along to the event to find out about the exciting new vision for the Theatre Royal. It combines the theatre’s impressive 245 year heritage, with a focus on performance and financial sustainability. “There’s no doubt that this is an ambitious project. The proposed plans remain on display in the poster sites outside the theatre. I’d urge anyone who’s interested in the future of the Theatre Royal to come along to see them and tell us how they feel about the project during this engagement period. “The views of local people are really important to us. We want to make the right decisions for the Theatre Royal, to ensure it has a viable future as a centre for the arts in Margate.” The event also marked the launch of the council’s search for a new operator for the theatre. The council would like to hear from: Existing operators of theatres and other similar arts and entertainment venues Performing arts organisations seeking to expand and/or relocate to operate the theatre Smaller organisations and/or small groups and consortia interested in becoming part of a new organisation to operate the theatre The council expects this opportunity to suit sector specialists who can operate all the required elements of the theatre themselves (e.g. venue programming, ticketing, event promotion and management, hospitality, backstage and technical and facilities management). At this stage, this is an exercise to test the market and not a call for competition. Operators or local consortia who may be interested in this opportunity can find further information on the council’s website. The Theatre Royal project has been allocated £2.2m of funding as part of the £22.2million Margate Town Deal. However, the success of the project is reliant on securing significant funding from external sources. An application is in process for a further £3.2m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The council is also in conversation with the Arts Council regarding the possibility of applying to the Department of Culture Media and Sport’s Cultural Development Fund, which will be launched in 2024. There is more information about the Theatre Royal project and Margate Town Deal programme on the council’s website.

To share plans for the ambitious project to restore and revitalize the Theatre Royal in Margate, the Thanet District Council has launched a program of public engagement. At the beginning of the engagement period, on Thursday, December 7, at the Theatre Royal in Addington Street, Margate, participants from the general public and stakeholders were invited to attend a drop-in event. &nbsp,

More than 175 locals and stakeholders showed up to learn more about the Theatre Royal Margate’s new vision and to see the suggested plans for the theater and 19 Hawley Square. Along with the architects, the council’s project team was present to respond to inquiries. The proposed plans were open for feedback from visitors. &nbsp,

The information boards are still visible on the council’s website and the poster sites outside the Theatre Royal. Residents are encouraged to complete an online survey on Your Voice Thanet to share their opinions and feedback on the suggested plans. The survey’s paper copies can also be picked up from the reception area at the Council Offices in Cecil Street from Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p m, until the survey closes on Wednesday, December 20.

Before any designs reach the planning stage, there will be additional opportunities for comment.

I’m thrilled that so many locals were able to attend the event to learn about the exciting new vision for the Theatre Royal, said Cllr Ruth Duckworth, a member of the Cabinet for Regeneration and Property. It combines the theater’s impressive 245-year history with performance- and financial-sustainable goals. &nbsp,

There is no denying that this is a challenging project. The suggested designs are still on display outside the theater in the poster locations. Anyone interested in the Theatre Royal’s future is encouraged to visit them and share their thoughts with us during this engagement period. &nbsp,

” The opinions of the local populace are very significant to us. To guarantee the Theatre Royal’s viability as a hub for the arts in Margate, we want to make the right choices for it.

The occasion also signaled the start of the council’s search for a new theater operator. The council is interested in hearing from: &nbsp,

existing theater owners and other businesses that provide similar arts and entertainment
Performing arts organizations looking to grow and/or move to run the theater&nbsp,
Smaller organizations, as well as small groups and consortia, are interested in joining a new organization to run the theater.

The council anticipates that this opportunity will be available to sector experts who are capable of managing all the necessary aspects of the theater themselves, such as venue programming, ticketing, event promotion and management, hospitality, and backstage and technical and facilities management. At this point, there is no need for competition; this is merely a market test exercise.

On the council’s <a href="https://www.thanet.gov.uk/info-pages/theatre-royal/”>website, operators or nearby consortia who might be interested in this opportunity can learn more.

As part of the £22.2 million Margate Town Deal, the Theatre Royal project has been given £2.2m in funding. The project’s success, however, depends on securing sizeable funding from outside sources. A request for an additional £3.2 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund is currently being considered. The Cultural Development Fund, which will be established in 2024, is a topic of discussion between the council and the Arts Council. &nbsp,

On the council’s <a href="https://www.thanet.gov.uk/services/margate-town-deal/”>website, you can find more details about the Theatre Royal project and the Margate Town Deal program.