New Nightingale Court Opens in Lancaster

A new Nightingale Court has opened in Lancaster.

Nightingale Courts are part of the Government's effort to reduce the backlog of court cases caused by the current coronavirus outbreak.

According to the latest Ministry of Justice figures, the backlog currently stands at 400,000 cases in the Magistrates' Court and 53,000 cases at the Crown Court.

The new court, which will handle adult criminal cases, opened on 18th December 2020 and is housed in the impressive Grade II listed Town Hall.

Magistrates' and former Police Court cases were heard at Lancaster Town Hall between 1909 and 1985, when operations were relocated to the current George Street building.

Paul Wright JP, chairman of the Lancashire bench, said: "Having never been into Lancaster Town Hall before, I couldn't believe that such a lovely piece of history was literally preserved in aspic. I'm delighted that it has been put to good use."

Irene Melling JP, who was on the first bench when the court reopened, said: "Following a phone call from our bench chairman, I was invited to sit in the first Nightingale Court in Lancaster.

"I was privileged to be one of the first three magistrates to sit in this building for a long while.

"This is such an iconic courtroom with its oak panelling and vaulted ceiling and is an ideal venue to help clear the backlog of cases we currently have in the system."

Lancaster Town Hall is only the second Nightingale Court venue to be dealing with Magistrates' Court adult criminal cases. The first, at St George's Hall in Liverpool, opened on 29th October 2020.