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Theatre Royal, 102, High Street, Chatham, Kent
Formerly the Royal Hippodrome.

The Theatre Royal in Chatham, Kent was designed as a Theatre and Variety House by architect G. E. Bond and opened in July 1899 with a production of 'The Liars'. The Theatre is said to have had a capacity of 3,000 when it opened but currently this is a more modest 1,500. Shortly after opening a fire meant that the Theatre had to be rebuilt in 1900, once again designed by G. E. Bond.

The Theatre was redecorated in 1938 by Andrew Mather and renamed the Royal Hippodrome but the Theatre has since had a very sorry history.

Now known as the Theatre Royal again this, the only Theatre in Chatham, is currently derelict, having closed in 1953 and been used as a furniture showroom for some time, using the auditorium and foyer spaces. A fire in the 1960s gutted the stage house and the proscenium was bricked up and the boxes were removed. After the Furniture showroom moved out the Theatre went into even furthur decline due to vandalism and lack of care for the building.

By the 1980s local people had had enough and a campaign was begun by 'The Theatre Royal Chatham Trust' to restore the Theatre but although this looked hopeful for a while, in 2002 they were forced to give up and the building was sold to a Housing Association. Although the Theatre still stands its future looks bleak.

For a great deal more information on the Theatre Royal, Chatham, with many images, past and present, you may like to visit Graham White's Website on the history of the Theatre Royal here...