Guidance

Courts and tribunals additional capacity during coronavirus outbreak: Nightingale courts

This page holds a list of additional facilities opening to support the courts and tribunals estate during the coronavirus outbreak.

From:
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Published:
3 August 2020
Last updated:
311 March 2021, see all updates

HMCTS is using additional venues to provide increased estates capacity in response to the coronavirus outbreak. These venues have been referred to as ‘Nightingale courts’. They will be used on a temporary basis to ensure as many hearings as possible can continue to take place during the coronavirus outbreak. This page shows the sites that are open and will be updated and published as new sites become operational.

Find the current status and contact details of courts and tribunals during the coronavirus outbreak

Open Nightingale courts

The additional facilities which are currently open are detailed in the list on this page.

Site Address Opening date Business being heard
1 East Pallant HouseEast Pallant Chichester PO19 1TYMonday 20 July 2020Civil work from Worthing County Court and family work from Worthing Family Court
2Prospero House 241 Borough High Street London SE1 1GA Monday 3 August 2020 Non-custodial crime work from Southwark Crown Court. Prospero House - venue and contact information (PDF, 319KB, 2 pages)
32 Middlesbrough Town Hall Middlesbrough Town Hall, Albert Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2QJ Monday 17 August 2020 Civil work from Middlesbrough County Court (which forms part of Teesside Combined Court)
43 Swansea Civic Centre Swansea Civic Centre, Oystermouth Road, Swansea, SA1 3SN Monday 17 August 2020 Crime work from Swansea Crown Court
54 Telford Annex Telford Annex, Telford Square, Malinsgate, Telford, Shropshire TF3 4JP Monday 17 August 2020 Civil and Family work, serving as an annex of Telford Justice Centre
65 Ministry of Justice, 102 Petty France MOJ, 102 Petty France MOJ, London SW1H 9AJ Monday 24 August 2020 Family work from East and West London Family Courts
76 Former Fleetwood Magistrates’ Court Former Fleetwood Magistrates’ Court building at The Esplanade, Fleetwood, FY7 6AT Monday 24 August 2020 Civil work from Blackpool Magistrates’ and Civil Court
87 Cloth Hall Court, Leeds Cloth Hall Court, Quebec Street, Leeds LS1 2HA Friday 28 August 2020 Civil work from Leeds Combined Court
98 Knight’s Chamber, Peterborough Cathedral Peterborough Cathedral: Knights Chamber, Peterborough Cathedral Visitor and Learning Centre, 25 Minster Precincts, Peterborough, PE1 1XZ Friday 28 August 2020 Employment Tribunal and Corporate Crime from Luton Crown Court
109 Salford Lowry Theatre Salford Lowry Theatre Complex, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ Monday 28 September 2020 Non-custodial Crown Court work and tribunals work, from Manchester Crown Court, Manchester Employment Tribunal and Manchester Immigration Tribunal
1110 York Hilton 1 Tower Street, York, YO1 9WD Monday 28 September 2020 Family work from York County Court
1211 Middlesbrough Jurys Inn Jurys Inn, Fry St, Middlesbrough, TS1 1JH Monday 28 September 2020 Family work from Middlesbrough County Court
1312 Bristol Law Society 12 Colston Avenue, Bristol, BS1 4ST Monday 19 October 2020 Civil, Tribunal and non-jury Crown work, as a satellite Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre and Bristol Crown Court
1413 Chester Town Hall 33 Northgate Street, Chester CH1 2HQ Monday 19 October 2020 Crown court work as a satellite of Chester Crown Court
1514 Liverpool, St George’s Hall St George’s Hall, St George’s Place, Liverpool, L1 1JJ Thursday 29 October 2020 Non-custodial magistrates’ work as a satellite of Liverpool Magistrates’ Court
1615 Winchester, The Guildhall The Guildhall, The Broadway, Winchester SO23 9GH Thursday 29 October 2020 Civil, Family and Tribunal work as a satellite of Winchester Combined Court
1716 Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Library Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP Monday 14 December 2020 Crime work from Birmingham Crown Court
1817 Lancaster Town Hall Dalton Square, Lancaster LA1 1PJ Friday 18 December 2020 Magistrates’ and Crown Court work as a satellite of Preston Crown & Lancaster Magistrates’ Court
1918 Hull University Kingsley Suite, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX Monday 11 January 2021 Civil and family work from Kingston upon Hull Combined Court
2019 Former Cirencester Magistrates’ Court The Forum, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 2PG Monday 25 January 2021 Non-custodial Crown Court work from Gloucester Crown Court
2120 Stafford Shire Hall Market Square, Stafford ST16 2LD Thursday 28 January 2021 Civil and Family work from Stoke Combined Court
2221 Taunton County Court and Family Court Shire Hall, Taunton TA1 4EU Wednesday 10 February 2021 Crown and magistrates’ work from Taunton Crown Court and Taunton Magistrates’ Court
2322 Manchester Hilton Deansgate 303 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4LQ Week commencing 15 February 2021 Crown court work from Manchester Crown Court
2423 CCT Venues Barbican Aldersgate House, 135-137 Aldersgate Street, London, EC1A 4JA Week commencing 1 March 2021 Crown Court work from Central Criminal Court and across London
2524 Birmingham Maple House 150 Corporation Street Birmingham B4 6TB Week commencing 1 March 2021 Crown, civil and family work from Birmingham Crown Court and Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre

Hertfordshire Development Centre was open between 17-3117 and 31 August 2020 to hear civil work from Luton County Court and Watford County CourtCourt.

East Pallant House, Chichester was open between 20 July 2020 and 28 February 2021 to hear work from Worthing County and Family Court.

We have also published guidance if you’ve been asked to attend a hearing in person at a court or tribunal during the coronavirus outbreak.

Published 3 August 2020
Last updated 311 March 2021 + show all updates

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

  2. Maple House and CCT Venues Barbican added.

  3. Added Manchester Hilton Deansgate.

  4. Taunton Shire Hall added to list.

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

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

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

  8. Lancaster Town Hall added to list of courts.

  9. Details for Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Library added.

  10. Additional nightingale courts added - Liverpool and Winchester.

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

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

  13. Leeds and Peterborough added to list of venues.

  14. List of nightingale courts updated

  15. List of Nightingale Courts updated.

  16. Prospero House contact and venue details added.

  17. First published.