CHESTER'S historic Town Hall is set to become the venue for the city's new 'Nightingale court' next month.

The Standard has learned that, subject to official confirmation by the Ministry of Justice, the Town Hall will be one of only 17 operational Nightingale courts dedicated to deal with the additional backlog of cases caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

It is planned for the new court to house two jury trial rooms, although it is yet to be confirmed what kind of court cases will be heard.

It is hoped the court will be up and running from Monday, October 19.

Of the nine Nightingale courts currently open in the UK, only three are dealing with criminal cases, with the rest dealing with civil cases, family cases and employment tribunals.

While the Chester area is not as badly affected as some parts of the country, where some courts are listing trials for 2023, defendants and alleged victims can still face a long wait before the case is heard at crown court.

Chester Crown Court is limited in its trial capacity as a jury need to be socially distanced not just throughout the trial, but while they deliberate their verdict.

This has meant only one of Chester Crown Court's four courtrooms is currently suitable to hold jury trials – courtroom 2 – while courtroom 1 is only just as a jury deliberation room.

The Standard has learned courtroom 4 will be adapted by next month to hold limited jury trials, for cases where there is a sole defendant.

Chester Crown Court is also due to hold a number of lengthy trials over the coming months for defendants accused of murder and corporate manslaughter, limiting the number of trials that would otherwise be heard.

Chester Magistrates Court is currently able to hear cases where a defendant enters their plea and can be sentenced, but the court does not have the capacity to hear trials due to social distancing. Defendants instead have to travel to Crewe for their case to be heard in South Cheshire Magistrates Court.

It was announced on Monday that the Lowry Theatre in Salford, plus two hotels in York and Middlesbrough, are to be used as Nightingale courts, along with five others across the UK, including in Chester and Liverpool.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland hailed the “important step” in the recovery plan but added: “We must keep going if we are to get our courts back up to speed.”

Plastic screens are being installed in 300 court rooms and rooms used for jury deliberations, allowing 250 crown courts to reopen for trials, which the MoJ said is more than were operating before the pandemic.