Visiting The Old Bailey

[SteveD]

I am planning a trip to London in November and would like to include a visit to the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey). It is clear from the website that mobile phones and cameras are not allowed in the building. As my wife and I will be doing other things on the same day (without returning to our hotel) and will need to keep in touch with each other and with friends who will also be in London, this presents a problem.

Does any one know if there are any left-luggage lockers in the area or somewhere else where we could leave a bag?

[sandyRoe]

Do they not mean that cameras and mobile phones can't be used in the building rather than that they can't be taken in?

[SteveD]

No, the policy is very clear:

"No cameras, video equipment, mobile phones, bags, food or drink allowed in the building."

This is confirmed by comments on TripAdvisor.

[rockyracoon]

Here's a list of train stations that let you leave luggage etc (for a hefty fee)

http://www.visitlondon.com/traveller-information/essential-information/baggage-left-luggage

There may be a shopping area where you can leave bags in lockers, Lakeside have them, I'll have a google about.

[VHG]

Found this on the web:

No electronic devices, bags, food or drink are allowed in the building. There are no facilities for the safekeeping of such items available at the entrance to the public galleries.

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-the-city/what-we-do/Pages/Central-Criminal-Court.aspx

[VHG]

Depending how long you want to spend in the building you could take it in turns to look round inside the building while the other one stays outside with the phones, bags etc.

[rockyracoon]

Combine with a visit to the British Museum and you can store your bag there

http://www.britishmuseum.org/visiting/facilities.aspx

[waterlocke22]

This is such a good example of how reliant we are on technology these days its crazy can you no suffice without a phone for one day and arrange a simple meeting place and time? Like the good old days

[Buenchico]

Because of security concerns, left luggage lockers are largely a thing of the past. As Rocky suggests, you could visit a museum which has cloakroom facilities and leave your bag there until later. Otherwise you'll have to pay £9 to leave a bag at Liverpool Street Station or Charing Cross Station. (There are also facilities at other mainline termini). The high fees charged at railway stations are, in part, because every bag has to be X-rayed.

[wolf63]

I keep my mobile phone in my bra - surely you are not going to be searched. The others will give best info as to the legality of this.

Enjoy your trip.

[pusskin]

I visited the Old Bailey many yrs ago, and was shocked at what a lovely building it was inside. I listened to one or two court cases.

[Buenchico]

>>>surely you are not going to be searched

Entry to ANY court building requires you to pass through a metal detector. Many people are then additionally checked through the use of hand-held detectors, with frisking being fairly common.

The checks to get into our local Crown Court building are quite stringent, with entry into the Magistrates Court only being slightly easier. Even the civil court buildings here (such as the Probate Court) have metal detectors. With the Central Criminal Court being such a high profile building (which has previously appeared on the target lists of terrorists) security will be EXTREMELY tight.

[SlackAlice]

I can confirm the metal detectors at the Old Bailey do work. Had to empty my pockets of loose change and keys. Still tripped the detectors because I had a packet of chewing gum that I had overlooked.

So wolf63, unless you want someone rummaging around in your bra, be careful ☺☺☺

[EdmundD]

I did juty service there some years ago and the security is very strict with as mentioned metal detectors, personal searches.