Skinner's New Foyer
Circa: May 1902
For the first 140 years theatre-goers entered the Theatre Royal through passages running through one of the houses on King Street, leading onto a paved courtyard in front of the Theatre. Unsurprisingly, by 1902 the King Street house was in a state of disrepair; it was time for a new entrance.
W. Skinner was the chosen architect, but his initial plans didn’t cover the entire front of the Theatre and he was forced to alter his plans again when his budget was reduced that June. It wasn’t until 1904 that his renovations were finally approved. The King Street houses were demolished and Skinner’s new foyer was built in their place.
