St Andrews Plain, NR3 1AU
St Andrews Hall Norwich: Location, Map, Parking and Access
Where the building actually is, how to reach it, and where to put a car or a van when you get there.
The halls stand on St Andrews Plain, in the middle of Norwich, between St Andrews Street and Blackfriars Street with the surviving cloister range behind. The postcode is NR3 1AU. A large stone church in a city full of them, the useful landmark is the Plain itself and not the building, which does not announce itself from a distance.
Finding the building
The site is a few minutes north of the market place and immediately around the corner from Elm Hill, which puts it on the natural walking route between the castle and the cathedral. It sits flush with the street on two sides, so most people walk past the west front before they register what it is.
Two street frontages give onto the complex, and which entrance is in use depends on what is happening inside. For a public event the arrangement is normally signed on the day; for a private hire it is agreed in advance as part of the booking. Signage on the day is the reliable guide, since the pattern changes with the booking.
Arriving by train or bus
Norwich railway station is roughly fifteen minutes on foot. The walk crosses Prince of Wales Road and runs up through the centre, on pavements the whole way, and for most visitors it is quicker and less trouble than driving. The bus station is a similar distance to the south, and coaches set down on surrounding streets.
For anyone attending an evening concert, the walk back to the station is well lit and direct, which is worth knowing when deciding whether to bring a car at all. That is worth weighing when deciding whether to bring a car into the centre at all, since the return leg is the part most people forget to plan.
Parking
This is where most visitors go wrong. There is very little parking on the Plain itself, and arriving expecting to stop at the door does not work at all. The St Andrews multi-storey is the nearest substantial long-stay option, with several further city-centre car parks a short walk away from the Plain.
Charges, height restrictions and closing times vary by car park and change from time to time, so anyone attending a late event should check the closing time of their chosen car park rather than discover it afterwards. A car park that closes at eleven is a problem discovered at half past.
Load-in for suppliers and exhibitors
Vehicle access to the site is restricted, which matters a great deal for anyone bringing equipment. Access windows, vehicle sizes and routes are agreed with the venue and not assumed, and events with many vehicles — fairs especially — normally run a staggered arrival. A van that turns up outside its window waits, and everything behind it waits too.
Planning this early is the single most useful thing an organiser can do. The trade fair notes and the music hire notes cover the production side in more detail. A van that cannot reach the doors at the agreed hour will hold up every other supplier behind it, and on a fair day that delay compounds quickly.
Access
Access was among the priorities of the recent restoration, and step-free routes, improved facilities and better circulation formed part of that work. The fabric is nonetheless medieval, and some routes remain indirect; the crypt in particular sits below the main floor level and is reached by historic steps that cannot be altered.
Anyone with specific requirements should raise them with the venue before the day, not on arrival, because the arrangements that can be made are considerably better when there is notice. Arrangements that can be made comfortably with notice become difficult or impossible to improvise once an event is already under way.
Combining a visit
The compact centre rewards a longer walk. Elm Hill is around the corner, the market place a few minutes south, and the castle and both cathedrals are all within easy reach — the grouping described on the Norwich 12 page sits almost entirely within a square mile. The castle, both cathedrals and the guildhall are each a few minutes’ walk away.
Common questions
What is the address and postcode?
St Andrews Plain, Norwich, NR3 1AU. The complex sits between St Andrews Street and Blackfriars Street in the centre of the city, with the cloister range behind, and the postcode brings drivers to the right junction even though there is little parking on the Plain itself and the car needs a plan of its own.
Where is the nearest parking?
The St Andrews multi-storey is the closest substantial long-stay option, and there are further city-centre car parks within a short walk. On-street space immediately around the Plain is very limited, so arriving expecting to park at the door is the most common mistake visitors make. The Plain is a plain in name only; it holds almost no cars.
How far is it from Norwich railway station?
Roughly fifteen minutes on foot, crossing Prince of Wales Road and heading up through the centre. It is a straightforward walk on pavements the whole way, and for most visitors arriving by train it is quicker and simpler than any alternative. The route is level, lit and obvious enough not to need a map.
Is the building accessible for wheelchair users?
Access was a priority of the recent restoration, which brought step-free routes and improved facilities. Because the fabric is medieval some routes remain indirect, and the crypt in particular sits below the main floor level, so specific requirements are best confirmed with the venue in advance. Lifts do not reach every part of a building begun in the thirteenth century.
Where can suppliers and exhibitors load in?
Vehicle access to the Plain is restricted, so load-in arrangements, access windows and vehicle sizes are agreed with the venue and not assumed. Fairs and concerts with many vehicles normally stagger arrivals instead of opening the site to everyone at once. A single arrival window for forty exhibitors blocks the street for the whole morning.
Is it close to other places worth seeing?
Very. Elm Hill is around the corner, the market place a few minutes south, and the castle and both cathedrals are all within a comfortable walk. The compact centre makes it easy to combine a visit here with the rest of the city's historic core. Two or three of the city's principal buildings fit comfortably into an afternoon.