Guidance

Nightingale courts

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

From:
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Published
3 August 2020
Last updated
31 March 2025 — 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

Court Nightingale  Number of rooms  Type of work  Open until
Blackpool Magistrates’ Court Former Fleetwood Magistrates’ Court, The Esplanade, Fleetwood, Lancashire, FY7 6AT 4 Civil and Family 31 March 2026
Central Criminal Court CCT Venues Barbican, Aldersgate House, 135-137 Aldersgate, London, EC1A 4JA 2 Crown 9 August 2025
Croydon Crown Court Leonardo Hotel, Wellesley Road, Croydon CR0 9XY 2 Crown 31 March 2026
Gloucester Crown Court Former Cirencester  Magistrates’ Court, The Forum, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 2PG 2  Crown 31 March 2026
Lewes Combined Court Centre Former Chichester Crown Court, Southgate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1SX 2 Crown 31 March 2026
Telford Justice Centre Telford Annex, Telford Square, Malinsgate, Telford, Shropshire, TF3 4JP  3  Civil and Family 31 March 2026

Updates to this page

Published 3 August 2020
Last updated 31 March 2025 show all updates

  1. Updated active Nightingale courts list, removing Swansea.

  2. Updated list of Nightingale courts adding closure dates and consolidating the information to a singular table.

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

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

  5. Updated list of operational Nightingale courts.

  6. Updated list of active Nightingale Courts published.

  7. Updated list of active Nightingale Courts.

  8. Updated page to reflect the latest available information.

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

  10. Removed outdated Prospero House information.

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

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

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

  14. Updated name of Nightingale court in Croydon.

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

  16. Second Warwick Nightingale court opened.

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

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

  19. New location at Monument added.

  20. Addtional courtroom at Leeds Cloth Hall.

  21. Additonal crime venue opened in Leeds.

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

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

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

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

  26. Added number of courtrooms in each venue.

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

  28. Maidstone Mercure Hotel added.

  29. Preston North End Football Club added.

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

  31. Former Chichester Crown Court building added.

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

  33. University of Bolton Stadium added to list.

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

  35. Croydon, Hilton and Wolverhampton venues added.

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

  37. Maple House and CCT Venues Barbican added.

  38. Added Manchester Hilton Deansgate.

  39. Taunton Shire Hall added to list.

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

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

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

  43. Lancaster Town Hall added to list of courts.

  44. Details for Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Library added.

  45. Additional nightingale courts added - Liverpool and Winchester.

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

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

  48. Leeds and Peterborough added to list of venues.

  49. List of nightingale courts updated

  50. List of Nightingale Courts updated.

  51. Prospero House contact and venue details added.

  52. First published.

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