Help - Royal Courts of Justice

[KitchenTable87]

Will be visiting next week and seen that you can't take phones inside.
Does anyone know where we could leave our phones securely, please? One website mentioned local shops might guard phones for a fee?
Thank you!!

Since when? I’ve always taken my phone.

If you go to watch the trials - you have to go through security and phones/cameras are not allowed.

You leave it in one of the shops around the area for £1 perfectly safe as you can take nothing in with you

Parsley, do you know the names of any of these shops? That sounds perfect!

Is a handbag allowed?

www.gov.uk/entering-court-or-tribunal-building

You can take phones into court. You just can't sit there chatting away to granny though the trial or live streaming the whole thing onto You Tube .

Even as a visitor to watch from the galleries?
I'm confused - I read completely differing things!

I'm a solicitor and frequently attend hearings/trials at the RCJ. I always have my phones with me.

You aren't allowed to USE your phone whilst in court. I've never seen anyone told they can't even HAVE their phone with them.

Just like you can't take photos or recordings at passport control, you can't take photos or recordings in court.

I believe the RCJ still allow you to take phones and bags in but you will need to go through security and the phones must be switched off if you’re watching a trial and you are not allowed to take photos anywhere in the building. The Old Bailey does not allow mobile phones or bags in the building so you can pay to leave them at a nearby shop. The chap on the door will be able to tell you where you can leave it.

Ok, thank you everyone! So it looks like we can take phones into the RCJ - turned off.
(If it's changed for some reason I'll update this thread!)

Thank you very much.
Maybe we will see you in action! 😉