The first steps have been taken in a major project to raise the curtain again at one of the country’s oldest theatres. Plans were unveiled last year to transform the Theatre Royal in Margate into a “nationally significant performing arts hub”, with a bar, cafe, studios and offices. The Grade II-listed venue shut in April 2022 after falling into decline, but Thanet District Council (TDC) wants to welcome audiences once more and is spearheading major renovations. Now minor repairs to inside the theatre and its roof have been approved, which are needed before the development project gets underway…