Bookings are currently via the Booking Secretary, either by telephone (020 7693 5138) or email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ), giving a minimum of 48 hrs notice. Requests to dine less than 48 hrs before the dinner can only be accommodated if there has been a cancellation.
Members are entitled to bring up to three guests on any ordinary dining night, guest night, Grand Day or Sunday luncheon. Guests are not permitted on Domus or Sponsorship nights.
Members are asked to inform the Booking Secretary of any special dietary requirements either for themselves or their guests a minimum of 48 hrs before the dinner. The dining term menus will be available on the website and by email on request 2 weeks before dining term begins. Members should inform the Booking Secretary of their requirements on each occasion they book to dine.
Called Members are normally sent a bill for their dinners in the first week of the month after they dine. On certain occasions they may be requested to pay for dinners in advance and will be advised at the time of booking.
Members are asked to give at least 24 hours notice if they wish to cancel a booking. Members who fail to attend a dinner they have booked will be charged the full price for each place booked.
There are 5 Sponsorship nights each year on which sponsors and their spondees dine together in hall (see below for further details). Sponsors may also invite their spondees to dine with them at the bar table on ordinary dining nights. The sponsor should book in as above, informing the Booking Secretary that they are dining with their spondee. The spondee should book in with the Students’ Dining Secretary, informing her that they will be dining at the bar table with their sponsor. The spondee will be required to pay a supplement to match the lowest rate for barrister dining.
Members who have received the Hardwicke Award are entitled to dine free of charge on 6 occasions, each of which may be either an ordinary dining night, domus dinner, Sponsorship Night, or Friday or Saturday guest night dinner, within 2 years of being called.
The award can also be used towards the cost of more expensive dinners, such as Black Tie Guest Nights or Grand Day, the member paying the balance. The award cannot be used against dinners that occur outside of the dining term. All guests are charged at the normal guest rate.
Specially Qualified Applicants have been granted permission to complete their qualifying sessions after call, and must complete six such sessions (of which Call night dinner counts as one) within three years of being called. Booking is as for other barrister members, but SQAs should inform the Booking Secretary of their status at the time of booking so that the dinners can be recorded and Education staff notified. SQAs dine with other barristers (details of the seating arrangements for each dinner are given below) and are not required to sign the student attendance sheets that are circulated on the student tables.
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