Bedern Hall in York can be booked for business meetings and conferences of up to 60 people, and for weddings and receptions of up to 75 guests. It is a 14th-century guild hall in a quiet corner of the city centre, reached through the narrow streets off St Andrewgate, and it is ten minutes on foot from York railway station.
Seminars and company events
The hall is set up for organisations that want privacy and focus rather than a standard hotel meeting room. Fibre Wi-Fi, projection facilities and a range of AV equipment are available, and tables can be laid out in several ways. The venue describes its approach as medieval meets modern: a beamed historic room with the technology of a current conference venue. Day delegate packages with conference catering are offered for groups of at least 20 in the hall, and for 10 delegates in the Committee Room.
Weddings and receptions
For weddings, the hall takes 75 people for the ceremony and drinks reception and 60 for the wedding breakfast. The beamed ceiling, arched windows and stone walls form the setting, and the courtyard and garden terrace are used for photographs and for drinks. The venue publishes a wedding brochure and a wedding pack on request.
Rooms and capacities
There are two main meeting spaces. The Committee Room suits round-table meetings, discussions and training sessions for up to 10 delegates, with space for AV equipment and refreshments. The Hall is the formal meeting space for groups of up to 60, suited to presentations, group work and away days. The courtyard seats 20 people for lunch or coffee, and the garden terrace is available for breaks.
Catering
Catering is in-house. Bradshaws of York, a family business that has cooked in the York area for over thirty years, provides the food for Bedern Hall. The conference package covers four servings of hot drinks at chosen times, a buffet of fork and finger food with salads and desserts, and orange juice. Wedding menus are separate and can be downloaded from the website. Vegetarian, vegan and other dietary needs are handled on request, and the kitchen changes its menus with the seasons and uses produce from the hall gardens.
History and setting
Bedern Hall was built in the 14th century for the vicars choral of York Minster and later passed to the city guilds. The site presents itself as a hidden hall, tucked behind the Minster quarter, with a cafe and garden terrace that are open to visitors on regular days. Private events close the building to the public on set dates, which the venue lists on its home page, so organisers should check dates early.
Getting there
Bedern Hall is at Bartle Garth, St Andrewgate, York YO1 7AL. The railway station is about ten minutes away on foot, and taxis reach the door easily. Nearby car parks serve guests who arrive by road, and the walk from the station makes the hall workable for delegates arriving by train from Leeds, Manchester or London.
