The Halls, Norwich

You can run a dinner for 50 in a vaulted crypt and a concert or conference for several hundred under one roof, booked through one council team, in the centre of Norwich. The Halls says its largest room, St Andrew’s Hall, takes up to 900 standing or 767 seated, so you can move from an intimate gathering of 20 to a large event without changing venue. The building is a Grade I listed medieval friary on St Andrew’s Plain, run by Norwich City Council, and it reopened in 2026 after a Town Deal funded renovation.

Event spaces and capacities

You get four hireable spaces with published capacities, ranging from up to 80 seated in Becket’s Chapel to up to 900 standing in St Andrew’s Hall. The council publishes standing and seated figures only. It does not give floor areas, layout by layout capacities (theatre, banquet, classroom, cabaret) or exhibition floor space, so ask for the technical pack and floor plans before you commit to a layout.

Capacities as published by the venue on its hire our spaces page, checked 6 November 2026. All figures are maximums (“up to”).

St Andrew’s Hall is the main medieval hall, and the venue’s own photos show a stage at one end with stone arcades along each side. The venue warns that some views in this hall can be partly blocked by the original stone columns, which matters if you are planning theatre seating for a keynote. Blackfriars Hall is the mid-sized room, and the council says a new platform lift now links it to the bar area. The Crypt sits below the halls, shown in the venue’s photos with brick vaulting around a central column, and Becket’s Chapel is a restored medieval space the venue lists for dinners, talks and workshops.

Getting there and parking

You can send delegates by train without arranging transfers, because Norwich station is 950 metres from the venue, with buses to Castle Meadow and a taxi rank outside the station. Castle Meadow, one of the city’s main bus interchanges and a Park and Ride stop, is 320 metres away, and Norwich Bus Station, used by National Express and Megabus, is 950 metres away.

There is no on-site parking. The venue lists Monastery Court car park on Elm Hill (150 metres, open 24 hours) and St Andrew’s multi-storey car park (160 metres, open 24 hours), plus limited on-street spaces on Princes Street. Blue Badge holders get dedicated spaces on Princes Street, free Blue Badge parking at Monastery Court and a buy one hour, get one free offer at St Andrew’s multi-storey. Taxis can drop off directly outside, next to pedestrianised St George’s Street. Cyclists have racks outside, secure bike parking at St Andrew’s car park and a Beryl Bike bay about 100 metres away on St George’s Street. The council does not publish loading or vehicle access details for exhibition builds.

Catering, AV and accommodation

You get a working bar on site without bringing in your own licensed operator. The council says the refurbished bar is run by The Bicycle Shop, a Norwich business, and that there is an accessible bar in the Cloisters. It does not publish a catering policy for private hire, so confirm whether you must use the in-house bar and who can supply food. On production, the venue says the renovation added sound and lighting technology, high speed connectivity and improved back-of-house facilities for performers. There are no bedrooms at The Halls.

For access, the venue says there is step-free entry into St Andrew’s Hall, level access toilets on its north side, a platform lift to the stage with an accessible dressing room, a lift from the bar area to the Cloisters, and level entry to The Crypt from St George’s Street. Assistance dogs are welcome if you tell the team in advance.

What to ask before you book

• Which seated layout produces the 767 figure for St Andrew’s Hall, and how many of those seats have a clear view past the stone columns?
• What floor area and power supply are available in St Andrew’s Hall if you want to run an exhibition alongside the 900 standing capacity?
• Can you bring your own caterer, or must food and drink go through The Bicycle Shop bar, and what kitchen space is there for a seated dinner?
• Can you hire Becket’s Chapel separately from The Crypt, and can the two run as one package for a dinner with a drinks reception?
• Where do suppliers load in, given there is no on-site parking and the venue sits beside a pedestrianised street?
• Which sound, lighting and connectivity kit is included in the hire fee, and is a technician required?

Related on Events Review

• Conference venues in Norwich
• The Assembly House, Norwich
• Norfolk Showground and Events Centre
• Historic event venues
• Liverpool City Halls
• Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, York
• Church House Westminster
• Brighton Dome
• Turn venue accessibility claims into a usable event plan
• Choose the venue around the event, not the headline capacity

Sources: The Halls, hire our spaces, plan your visit, accessibility, get in touch and Norwich City Council reopening news, checked 6 November 2026.