Christmas Party Venue in Lincolnshire: Why Hire a Courthouse?

If you are looking for a Christmas party venue in Lincolnshire that feels like a proper occasion, The Sessions House in Spalding gives your team a whole Grade II listed Victorian courthouse to themselves for the night. Every booking is exclusive use, so the Courtroom, the bars and the dance floor are yours alone, with room for up to 100 guests seated for dinner and up to 180 for an evening party.

The classic office Christmas do (a meal, a few drinks, a DJ and a dance floor) still works because almost everyone can enjoy it. What lifts it is the setting. This guide explains what a traditional Christmas party looks like here, how many people each space suits, and what organisers usually ask before they book.

What makes The Sessions House different as a Christmas party venue?

The Sessions House is a former Victorian courthouse, built in 1843 in the neo-Gothic style, on Sheep Market in the centre of Spalding. Guests arrive at a castle-like facade with big green front doors and walk up the Justice Steps from the courtyard, so the evening feels special before anyone has taken their coat off.

Three things set it apart from a hotel function room:

• Exclusive use: every booking hires the whole building, so you never share the bar, the toilets or the dance floor with another party.

• A real Victorian courtroom: tall vaulted wooden ceilings of 9 to 12 metres, wood panelling, tiered pews and the original raised judge's bench, which makes a memorable top table for speeches and awards.

• One room that changes through the night: the Courtroom turns from dining room to party room, with a lighting rig and a choice of dance floor.

How many guests can a Christmas party at The Sessions House hold?

The building suits a small team dinner as well as a full company party. As a guide:

• Courtroom: up to 100 guests for seated dining and up to 180 for an evening party.

• Magistrates' Room: private dining for 15 to 30, in deep red and gold with velvet curtains, a grand piano and a marble fireplace, which feels very festive in December.

• Emerald Room: lush greens, wood flooring and its own staffed bar with more than 300 lines, ideal for welcome drinks.

• The Chinoiserie Library: pink and black with cherry blossom and antiques among the law books, a characterful spot for photos or a quieter corner.

• Courtyard: private and walled, lit up at night, with room for up to 150 standing if you want an outdoor bar for part of the evening.

You can see every room on our spaces page, and the corporate events team can suggest a layout for your numbers.

What does a traditional Christmas party look like in a Victorian courthouse?

Most teams follow a simple flow, and exclusive use means you can set the timings around your business rather than a hotel's other bookings:

• Arrival drinks in the Emerald Room or, on a dry evening, the lit Courtyard.

• Dinner in the Courtroom, with speeches or awards from the judge's bench.

• The tables cleared back, the lights down and the dance floor open until the standard midnight finish (later finishes are possible, subject to Council permission).

For a smaller group, The Cell Bar, our reservation-only, prison-themed cocktail bar in the original Victorian holding cells downstairs, is also available for Christmas bookings and celebrations, with five cells each holding up to 12 guests.

If your team would rather play detective than dance, the same building hosts murder mystery dining for up to 100 guests seated for food. Our guide to planning a corporate Christmas party in Spalding walks through the wider planning steps.

What food and drink can you have at a Christmas party here?

In-house catering is available and the menus adjust for dietary needs and budget. Options range from canapés and grazing to two- and three-course sit-down meals, evening buffets and casual favourites such as nacho boxes, butcher's baps and food vans in the Courtyard. External caterers are also welcome with no fee, provided they bring their own insurance and food-safety paperwork.

For drinks, there is the staffed bar in the Emerald Room plus an outdoor bar in the Courtyard if you want one.

How do you make a Victorian courthouse feel festive?

The building does most of the work, so a few well-chosen touches go a long way. In winter the interiors are cosy and candlelit, and the rooms suit big Christmas trees and festive decorations. Ideas that work well:

• Deep red, evergreen and antique gold to echo the Magistrates' Room.

• Warm uplighting on the Courtroom's wooden ceiling.

• A statement tree near the Justice Steps for arrival photos.

• Place cards, printed menus or company awards presented from the judge's bench.

How easy is The Sessions House to reach from Peterborough and across Lincolnshire?

The venue is in the centre of Spalding, under 250 metres' walk from Spalding station, which helps when colleagues want to leave the car at home. By train, Peterborough to Spalding takes about 20 minutes and London is about 1.5 hours away. By car, Spalding is around 30 minutes from Peterborough.

There are 15 parking spaces on site, and the public car parks on Victoria Street and Sheep Market are close by. Local taxi firms include Spalding Taxis (01775 722115), A1 Taxis (01775 714545) and Smart Cabs (01775 767676), and the Red Lion Hotel is a two-minute walk for anyone staying over.

One honest note for organisers: the indoor rooms are on the first floor, up 14 steps, and there is no lift or wheelchair-accessible toilet. The Courtyard is step-free (gravel). Please tell us early about any guest with access needs so we can plan together.

How do you book a Christmas party at The Sessions House?

It pays to start planning early. The simplest next step is to book a viewing: a private 60-minute tour with a member of the team, where you can stand in the Courtroom and picture your evening. You can also email info@thesessionshouse.com or call or WhatsApp 07887 980103, and answers to common questions are on our FAQ page.

Frequently asked questions

Is The Sessions House exclusive use for Christmas parties?

Yes. Every booking at The Sessions House in Spalding, Lincolnshire hires the whole building, so a company Christmas party never shares the venue with another group.

How many people can come to a Christmas party at The Sessions House?

The Courtroom seats up to 100 guests for dinner and holds up to 180 for an evening party. For smaller teams, the Magistrates' Room suits private dining for 15 to 30.

Can we have a DJ and dancing in the Courtroom?

Yes. The Courtroom turns from dining room to party room and has a lighting rig and a choice of dance floor. The standard finish is midnight, and later finishes are possible subject to Council permission.

Can we use our own caterer for a Christmas party?

Yes. In-house catering is available, and external caterers are welcome with no fee as long as they provide public liability insurance and allergen and food-safety documents.

How far is The Sessions House from Peterborough?

The Sessions House is around 30 minutes' drive from Peterborough, or about 20 minutes by train to Spalding station, which is under 250 metres' walk from the venue.

Is the venue accessible for all guests?

The indoor rooms are on the first floor, up 14 steps, with no lift and no wheelchair-accessible toilet. The Courtyard is step-free (gravel). Talk to the team early so access needs can be planned for.