Browns Covent Garden, The Barristers Court

82- 84 St Martin's Ln, London, WC2N 4AG -

From
£2500 min spend
Up to
60 guests
Offers
catering
Internal Catering
allowed

About Venue

Browns Covent Garden is a brasserie and bar on St Martins Lane in the heart of the West End, housed in the Grade II listed former Westminster County Courts building, and one of the most atmospherically distinctive private hire venues in central London.

The ground floor is a bright, open-plan brasserie with wooden floors, white tablecloths, and a lively all-day atmosphere. Upstairs, hidden within the building, is Browns Court Rooms — a two-floor suite of four private rooms reached by grand sweeping staircases and lined with original courtroom features. These are spaces with a proper sense of history: chandeliers hanging from high ceilings, original skylights, the judge's benches still in place, and walls that once witnessed Westminster County Court proceedings. The building has been a bar and restaurant since 1996, and the juxtaposition of the setting with a full modern brasserie menu and kitchen is what makes it so memorable for guests.

The private rooms range from The Study, which seats up to 12, right through to the Afternoon Tea Room which can hold 100 for both seated dining and standing receptions. All four rooms have their own PA system, natural daylight, air conditioning, and play-your-own-music capability, and AV, lighting, and staging production support is available on request. Full venue hire extends across the entire building for up to 800 standing or 550 seated.

Leicester Square station is 0.1 miles away, with Covent Garden 0.2 miles and Charing Cross station 0.2 miles. No parking on-site or nearby.

About this space:

The Barristers Court is a private dining room at Browns Covent Garden on St Martins Lane in Covent Garden, seating up to 50 guests or accommodating 60 standing.

The room was formerly used for births, deaths, and marriages at the Westminster County Court and the original skylights and judge's bench are still in place. Chandeliers hang overhead, round tables are dressed with white linens and fresh flowers, and the whole room has a grand, formal feel that suits milestone occasions particularly well. It is the second largest of the four private rooms and works well for birthday dinners, engagement parties, wedding receptions, corporate events, and private dining experiences where guests want a setting that delivers some real theatre. A PA system is included and guests can connect their own playlist.

- Capacity: 50 seated / 60 standing
- Original skylights and judge's bench retained
- Chandeliers and white-linen round tables
- PA system, play your own music
- AV production support available on request
- Natural light from original skylights
- Air conditioning
- In-house catering (full brasserie menu, afternoon tea available)
- Lift access to all floors
- No external catering, no BYO alcohol
- Alcohol licence until midnight (extension available)
- No on-site parking
- From £2,500 minimum spend

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The Barristers Court

Min spend £2500

80% would book it again

Number of guests

Start date

End date

My dates are flexible

Capacity & Layout

Standing

up to 60

Dining

up to 50

Food & Beverage

Catering arrangements

Facilities & Amenities

Disabled access

Air conditioning

Natural light

Table / chairs included

Tea

Audio & Visual

Projector & screen

WiFi

Space Rules

Cancellation policy

- 7 days or more before event: full refund - 7 days to 24 hours before event: 50% refund - Less than 24 hours before event: no refund

Location

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Reviews

Maurissa Deonarine
July 2026
The service was exceptional! The team took the time to chat with us, Vida amazing made us feel genuinely welcomed and comfortable. Since it was our first time in London, they offered such a warm and friendly experience that made our visit even more special. Their hospitality truly stood out!
Julia M
August 2026
Service was slower than expected even for afternoon tea. The location is beautiful, but you 100% get what you pay for, and for £34 you get the type of sandwiches that one would expect for the price. The rye bread is dry. The desserts were pretty but not very good. The Victoria sponge had a strange aftertaste (and I usually love traditional Victoria sponge!). Carrot cake was dry. The pastry crust on the lemon merengue was gummy, and tasted like some chemical filled pre-made dessert you would get in America. The chocolate pot de creme was fine, as one would expect from a chocolate pot de creme. The best sandwich is the English cheddar and apple. But the rest is forgettable and please think twice before coming here for afternoon tea, unless dry bread and lukewarm tea is your thing. Also if you have a fish/shellfish allergy, they push you to order the vegetarian tea. You cannot have a vegetarian sandwich with the regular menu, or a vegetarian sandwich with the regular menu. This is flawed, as an egg mayo is so traditional except you can only have it with the vegetarian tea. The scones were fine, albeit miniature sized. But I suppose I should expect this with the price point in the middle of central London. So if you want a good traditional English afternoon tea, this is not it. Location is beautiful and convenient if you’re near Covent Garden, but there’s better places nearby. Complete waste of £70+ for my group. They also add a service charge, which seems to be happening more and more in London and Europe. I blame my countrymen for coming over and tipping. Stop bringing American tip culture to England!!