Guided Tour of the UK Supreme Court

BIID Members, plus a guest, are invited on a guided tour of the UK Supreme Court in Westminster, London.

The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal in the UK for civil cases, and for criminal cases from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It hears cases of the greatest public or constitutional importance affecting the whole population.

Built by Scottish architect James S Gibson (1864 – 1951) with Skipwith and Gordon, and sculptures by Henry Fehr, the building is situated opposite the Houses of Parliament and flanked by the Treasury and Westminster Abbey.  Gibson demonstrated a modern approach to his design by “keeping it quite distinct in scale and style so as to preserve its own individuality.”

Construction of the building (described as neo-Gothic with Flemish – Burgundian) took place from 1906 to 1913, as one of a number of significant buildings constructed in the area in the early 1900’s, including the Government Offices in Great George St (now HM Treasury), the Methodist Central Hall, the Head Quarters of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and the Institute of Civil Engineers. Being of relatively modern construction, the building is in good condition, and most of its historic fabric, decoration and fixed furniture survive.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Attendees will be shown around the courtrooms as well as the magnificent Justices' Library, which is not normally open to the public. The tour will be led by an experienced member of staff who will give our group an introduction to the Court's role in the UK justice system, explain about the history and artwork of the building, give interesting examples of cases heard by the Court and answer any questions. (Please note, tours are occasionally subject to variation or cancellation due to Supreme Court business, if our tour is cancelled, a full refund for your booked tickets will be issued).

After the tour you are welcomed to visit the exhibition area before joining us for a casual drink from 16.30 onwards at St. Stephen’s Tavern, an iconic traditional pub in the heart of Westminster and located a short 5 minutes’ walk from the courts through Parliament Square Garden. 

Originally opened in 1875, the St Stephen’s Tavern is a traditional pub, serving the heart of Westminster. It has been frequented by many notables, including prime ministers such as Baldwin, Churchill and Macmillan and even today boasts famous politicians amongst its guests. The pub still has the original division bell which rings, warning MPs that there are only a few minutes left to vote.

WHAT YOU WILL LEAVE WITH

The tour will inform attendees of the function of the court, the architecture, art and interiors. Some highlights include:

The Middlesex Guildhall Art Collection - The collection commemorates several former Lord Lieutenants, judges and Magistrates, including the 1st Duke of Northumberland in portraits by both Gainsborough and Reynolds.

Newly commissioned works of art - A wide-ranging variety of new works of art have been commissioned to enhance the renovated building.

Stained glass - The building hosts a large amount of original stained glass, designed to commemorate the contribution of many notable public figures in the history of Middlesex.

Interiors - The two principal court rooms were double height with impressive ceilings. One, which is now The Supreme Court library, has a striking vaulted fan ceiling with the Royal Coat of Arms at the centre. The other, now Court Three, has beautifully moulded timber beams and tall perpendicular style windows bearing armorial stained glass. The original Council Chamber, now Court One boasts a majestic original hammer beam ceiling, embellished with wooden carvings, as well as the original light fittings that have all been carefully restored.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

BIID members plus a guest each are entitled to book this tour, please note that you must be a Registered Interior Designer, Associate, Student or Employee of a Registered Design Practice to register. If you are bringing a guest, please book their ticket with your own. If you are not a member your ticket will be cancelled. Please note these requirements to avoid disappointment.

ABOUT THE VENUE

The tour should last approximately 60 minutes. The toilet facilities, café and exhibition are on the Lower Ground floor.  

Upon your arrival there will be an airport-style security check once you have entered into the building, so please do not bring any sharp or dangerous objects (including nail scissors, penknives etc). Please arrive 15 minutes before our booked tour, this should give you ample time to pass through security. A BIID member of staff will be there to greet you in the entrance way, please see that your name is checked off the guest list prior to entering security.

There are no cloakroom facilities available so please avoid bringing bulky items or luggage, as you will have to carry these with you throughout the tour.

You are welcome to bring your camera along with you as photography is permitted within the Supreme Court (if court is not in session) however please note that recording of any kind is not permitted.

The building is fully accessible, but it is very helpful to the venue if they are made aware of any extra adjustments they need to make to how your tour is delivered before you arrive. Please note any access requirements when registering for you and/or your guest.  

Please note that this is not an exclusive tour and that members of the public will also be joining us.

Additional information

If you have any queries, please email the office at info@biid.org.uk or call 020 7628 0255.

All BIID events and training courses are subject to standard terms and conditions which can be read in full below:

Terms and Conditions:

1. If you wish to cancel your booking to a paid event, please send a refund request via Eventbrite. A full refund will be issued if your refund request is received 10 working days prior to the day of the event.
2. The full delegate fee will be forfeited for non-attendance (for any reason) without prior notice or cancellation of your booking.
3. A replacement delegate nominated and confirmed by you is permitted but must be confirmed in writing to info@BIID.org.uk prior to the event.
4. If you wish to cancel your booking to a free event, please do so via Eventbrite as soon as possible so that your ticket can be reallocated.
5. The BIID reserves the right to make changes to the programme.
6. The BIID reserves the right to cancel the event if unavoidable circumstances arise.
7. This event will be photographed and videoed. Attendance constitutes consent for these images/videos to be used, by the BIID and its partners, for promotional purposes.
8. In compliance with the Data Protection Act, we must point out that the information on this form will be kept on a database.
9. Your name may be shared with the venue.
10. These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed under the laws of England and Wales and you submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales.

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