THE oldest working theatre in the country has been offered a lifeline after years of desperate fundraising to give it a viable future.

The Grade I-listed Georgian Theatre Royal, in Richmond, has received a cash injection of more than £500,000 – which will allow it to bring more of the theatre’s rich history to theatregoers and visitors.

The theatre has won a grant of more than £286,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, as well as a further bequest of about £231,000 from the late associate director Paul Iles – which means the theatre can remain a professional performance venue and expand as a museum.

The cash will go towards a new education centre in memory of Mr Iles which will be housed in a studio building next door to the original theatre, and will include a fully accessible classroom with new lift, kitchen and toilets.

Although the theatre currently runs popular guided tours and has a small exhibition area, lack of space has created difficulties in displaying the playhouse’s heritage to full advantage.

A lot of archive material, including historic playbills, images and scripts dating from the Georgian era, has never been viewed, but this will now be put on show, and the existing theatre space will also receive a makeover.

A new online archive will also be created, and visitors will be able to access information on smart phones as they enjoy a tour.

Chairman of the Georgian Theatre Royal Trust, Malcolm Bryant, said: “Much work and thought has gone into planning this project by many people and we are absolutely delighted to receive the support from HLF to make it happen.

“When complete, it will transform the daytime life of our unique magical theatre and ensure that the individuals and groups who come will get even greater pleasure and understanding from their visits.”

The theatre contains the only 18th century auditorium still existing in its original form, and also possesses the UK’s oldest surviving set of scenery, the Woodland Scene, which was painted between 1818 and 1836.

Mr Bryant added that volunteers are the “life blood” of the theatre and the project will depend on their continuing support and commitment.

Fiona Spiers, head of Heritage Lottery Fund Yorkshire and The Humber, said: “This playhouse is a real gem with a story to tell that encompasses Georgian life both on and off stage.

“The project will ensure that many more people, of all ages, will have an opportunity to learn about it.”