Guidance

Nightingale courts and extra court capacity

A list of additional courtrooms set up to support the justice system.

From:
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Published
3 August 2020
Last updated
22 November 2024 — See all updates

We used additional temporary courts (known as ‘Nightingale’ courts) as one of a range of measures to increase capacity and alleviate the pressure on courts and tribunals during the pandemic.

Since then, we have kept many of these sites open where there is an operational need and benefit to doing so. Additional venues are set up on a temporary basis where there is a local need for extra court capacity and the venue is available.

This page shows the sites currently in use by region and will be updated as new sites open and others close.

Check the status and contact details for a court or tribunal

London

Court Type of work Temporary court Other venue Number of courtrooms
Central Criminal Court Crime including jury trials CCT Venues Barbican, Aldersgate House, 135-137 Aldersgate Street, London, EC1A 4JA   2
Croydon Crown Court Crime including jury trials Leonardo Hotel – formerly Jurys Inn, Wellesley Road, Croydon CR0 9XY   2
Inner London Crown Court Crime including jury trials   Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand, London WC2A 2LL 2
Wood Green Crown Court Crime including jury trials   The Court House, The Hyde, Hendon NW9 7BY 4

Midlands

Court Type of work Temporary court Other venue Number of courtrooms
Telford Justice Centre Civil and family Telford Annex, Telford Square, Malinsgate, Telford, Shropshire TF3 4JP   3

North West

Court Type of work Temporary court Other venue Number of courtrooms
Blackpool Magistrates’ Court Civil Former Fleetwood Magistrates’ Court, The Esplanade, Fleetwood, FY7 6AT   4

South East

Court Type of work Nightingale court Other venue Number of courtrooms
Lewes Combined Court Centre Crime including jury trials Former Chichester Crown Court, Southgate, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1SX   2

South West

Court Type of work Temporary court Other venue Number of courtrooms
Gloucester Crown Court Crime including jury trials Former Cirencester Magistrates’ Court, The Forum, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 2PG   2
Southampton Combined Court Tribunals   The Courts of Justice, London Road, Southampton SO15 2XQ 2

Wales

Court Type of work Temporary court Other venue Number of courtrooms
Swansea Crown Court Crime including jury trials Swansea Civic Centre, Oystermouth Road, Swansea, SA1 3SN   1

Updates to this page

Published 3 August 2020
Last updated 22 November 2024 + show all updates

  1. Updated list to reflect changes to Maple House Nightingale court.

  2. Minor change to update figure from 2 to 4.

  3. Updated list of operational Nightingale courts.

  4. Updated list of active Nightingale Courts published.

  5. Updated list of active Nightingale Courts.

  6. Updated page to reflect the latest available information.

  7. Removed Cloth Hall Court from list as it's now closed.

  8. Removed outdated Prospero House information.

  9. Removed Prospero House as it's now closed.

  10. Re-added Prospero House to list as removed in error.

  11. Removed Prospero House from list as it's closed.

  12. Updated name of Nightingale court in Croydon.

  13. Updated list of Nightingale court sites currently in use.

  14. Second Warwick Nightingale court opened.

  15. M40 J15 Warwick Hotel added to list of venues.

  16. Agreement to use York Hilton comes to an end.

  17. New location at Monument added.

  18. Addtional courtroom at Leeds Cloth Hall.

  19. Additonal crime venue opened in Leeds.

  20. Salford Lowry Nightingale court is closing as venue hire contract comes to an end.

  21. Nightingale courts at Preston North End Footbal Club and Taunton County Court no longer in use.

  22. Nightingale venue licence agreements in Birmingham, Lancaster, Middlesbrough, Hull and Stafford ended.

  23. Nightingale added for Chester Crown Court at Chester Crowne Plaza.

  24. Added number of courtrooms in each venue.

  25. Lancaster Town Hall added for Preston Combined Court and Lancaster Magistrates' Court.

  26. Maidstone Mercure Hotel added.

  27. Preston North End Football Club added.

  28. Lancaster Town Hall temporarily closed until after 2021 local elections.

  29. Former Chichester Crown Court building added.

  30. Bristol Law Society Nightingale court closed on 31 March 2021.

  31. University of Bolton Stadium added to list.

  32. Updated to add Nottingham Mercure information to the table.

  33. Croydon, Hilton and Wolverhampton venues added.

  34. East Pallant House has closed and is no longer a Nightingale court.

  35. Maple House and CCT Venues Barbican added.

  36. Added Manchester Hilton Deansgate.

  37. Taunton Shire Hall added to list.

  38. Stafford Shire Hall added to list of Nightingale courts.

  39. Former Cirencester Magistrates' Court added to list of Nightingale courts.

  40. Hull university added as a new Nightingale court venue.

  41. Lancaster Town Hall added to list of courts.

  42. Details for Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Library added.

  43. Additional nightingale courts added - Liverpool and Winchester.

  44. Bristol Law Society and Chester Town Hall added as locations.

  45. New venues added: Salford Lowry Theatre, York Hilton and Middlesbrough Jurys Inn.

  46. Leeds and Peterborough added to list of venues.

  47. List of nightingale courts updated

  48. List of Nightingale Courts updated.

  49. Prospero House contact and venue details added.

  50. First published.

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