Venues

During the Coronavirus pandemic we recommend video conference mediation.  The Coronavirus is airborne and transmitted through face-to-face contact so face-to-face mediation will always involve a degree of risk for those attending*.  

In the exceptional circumstances where a mediation has to be face-to-face, you'll need to agree a venue with the other side. It's usual to share the cost between the parties.   We ask that you book the venue that you've agreed direct, please, and let us know where the mediation is to be held.

We'll need at least three rooms, please, one for each party, and one for joint sessions, which can also be used as a base by the mediator.   For each additional party, we'll need an extra room.   It shouldn't be possible for a party in one room to overhear, or see, what's being said or done in another room.    There will need to be wi-fi, and printing facilities so that we can print any settlement.  And we'll need access to tea, coffee, and carbohydrates throughout the day!  

During the pandemic, all mediation venues should comply with mediation1st's Coronavirus Protocol in order to ensure that a face-to-face mediation can take place with as little risk to the health of those attending as possible.   Venues for face-to-face mediation should have large enough rooms to allow each attendee a minimum of two metres' personal space and will, depending on the configuration of the room, probably require significantly more, as well as having good ventillation**.   Air conditioning units that do not have a direct external air feed such as split air conditioners should be switched off, and the windows opened instead, if possible.  The venue should be easily accessible by car (so usually not in city centres) in order that attendees do not need to travel on crowded public transport, and must have adequate parking.  Ideally the venue may also be accessible by (preferably uncrowded) public transport.   

Sometimes one party's solicitor or barrister offers facilities free of charge.  It's natural for the other side to feel that perhaps they'd prefer a "neutral venue".   That's understandable, but, on the whole, if one side is able to offer suitable protocol compliant premises at no cost, it may make sense to accept the offer.

We normally aim to start mediations at 10.00am or 10.30am but during the Coronavirus pandemic we may need to adjust our start time and / or agree a finish time in advance in order to ensure that those travelling to the mediation do not need to travel on over crowded public transport during the rush hour.  

The venues listed below have been shut during the lockdown but when open should be capapble of being made protocol compliant, though those booking should check (and please note that only the Stansted Radisson is also accessible by what is usually uncrowded public transport - the Stansted Express from Liverpool Street Station in London).   There will be many other venues that can fulfill the same criteria: this is simply a list of some that we know.