Q: How old is the Theatre Royal?
A: The Theatre Royal opened on the 3rd November 1902 - so now well over a century old.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can the theatre be "de-listed" and knocked down?
A: decision to list a building is taken solely on the grounds of architectural or historic interest.
There is no formal right of appeal against this decision, at the moment of listing, but an owner may
at any time put to the Secretary of State evidence that his building does not possess the architectural
or historic interest identified. If the Secretary of State accepts that the original assessment of a
building’s interest was wrong in this way and that it does not possess special interest, he will then
de-list the building
(details from English Heritage website about listed buildings).
The Theatre Royal is a unique survivor in so many ways, virtually untouched since it was built, and still
retaining most of its original features. As such, it is very unlikely that it would ever be de-listed.
Furthermore, all theatres also come under the care ot the Theatres Trust, which is a statutory consultee
on any changes to any theatre building in the UK (working or not) - and they would strongly oppose any
works that in any way caused permanent damage to the fabric of the building.
More coming soon...