FAQs about our Cambridge conference & event venue

Q. What event services does Newnham College Conferences offer?

Newnham College Conferences in Cambridge offers venue hire for meetings, large conferences, hybrid events and residential conferences. We provide AV support, break-out rooms, on-site catering and tailored event planning services for corporate and academic organisers.

Q: Is the venue available on my desired dates?

A: Newnham College is available for external events, such as meetings, conferences and dining, year-round. Accommodation is available in University vacations. Please contact us for specific date availability.

Q: What is the cost (including VAT, deposits, hidden charges)?

A: Prices are clearly marked as including or excluding VAT. We aim to be transparent with our pricing - there are no hidden charges - and terms and conditions. All costs are outlined during the booking process. Cost estimates are provided during enquiry and on confirmation of the booking. Clients are welcome to request an updated cost estimate at any time.

Terms and conditions are provided during enquiry and when clients complete the booking form. VAT exemption forms can be provided during the booking process.

We usually ask for £500 or 10% deposit upon confirmation of the booking. For high value bookings, we will implement a pre-payment schedule with amounts and dates agreed between the two parties.

Q: What is your provisional booking policy?

A: Bookings are usually kept on provisional hold for around 2-weeks but many clients require a longer period and depending on other enquiries we are happy to accommodate this.

Q: Do you offer site visits?

A: Yes, our professional conference team offer site visits year-round. Please contact us

Q: Is the venue easily accessible by public transport?

A: Yes, Cambridge bus station (Drummer Street) is a 20-minute walk and 7-minute cycle to Newnham College. We recommend taking a bus or taxi from Cambridge Railway Station (Station Road). The bus from the Railway Station stops on Grange Road and from there it is a 3-minute walk to Newnham College.

Q: Is there parking?

A: There is limited parking (including accessible spaces) available on site. Street parking 'pay and display'. We can also arrange parking nearby for large groups.

Q: What is the venue's capacity (seated, standing), and can it accommodate our session formats?

A: Newnham's largest meeting room can accommodate up to 150 delegates theatre style and College Hall can seat up to 150 guests banquet style. Smaller meeting and dining spaces are also available and most rooms have flexible layout options. Please see Meeting rooms and Private dining spaces for more details.

Q: What AV and technical equipment is included? Is on-site support provided?

A: Our on site Audio Visual team provide set up and ad-hoc technical support for all bookings. Most of our meeting rooms are equipped for hybrid meetings as standard. We can also offer dedicated AV support and event recording/filming options for a charge. The team have worked at Newnham College for a number of years and have a variety of professional AV qualifications. We also have excellent relationships with local suppliers, should a more extensive set up be required.

Q: What amenities are included? E.g. toilets/restrooms, changing rooms, green rooms, quiet spaces, registration areas.

A: The College has plenty of single occupancy toilets (including accessible toilets) in public areas near function rooms. Other private spaces such as those described above can be booked dependent on availability.

Q: Do you offer bedrooms?

A: Yes, Newnham College has 80 en suite bedrooms with double (one) beds and around 200 bedrooms with shared-bathrooms available in University vacations.

Q: What accommodation options are nearby?

A: During University vacations, bedrooms are available in College. Please contact us or visit University Rooms for individual and group bookings. During term time, the closest hotels are the Graduate by Hilton, Hotel du Vin Cambridge and Premier Inn city centre and Cambridge North.

Q: What furniture and décor flexibility is provided? Are there restrictions (e.g. wall attachments, effects)?

A: All our meeting rooms come fully furnished and elegantly decorated. As Newnham College is a Grade II listed building, we kindly ask that nothing is attached to walls or ceilings. Freestanding decorations are welcome. We strive to be as flexible as possible to bring your ideas to life. Please speak with us in advance to discuss your plans.

Q: Does the venue offer in-house catering or can we bring in external caterers? 

A: Newnham College has an excellent reputation for food and drink, evidenced on our client feedback page. The majority of catering for events is produced in-house however, the College is open to external caterers for some events. It is possible to bring in food trucks for example, and use our fantastic marquee during summer months.

Q: What are the dietary options?

A: We can accommodate most dietary requirements providing we are advised in advance. We are very committed to our allergen policy and have put a number of steps in place to ensure the safety and comfort of all guests. This includes clear labelling of all dishes, staff training on allergen awareness, and procedures to prevent cross-contamination. If you or your guests have any specific needs, please let us know as early as possible so we can make the necessary arrangements. The allergen policy is available on our Governance page.

Q: Is Newnham College an historic venue?

A: Yes, Newnham College dates back to 1871 where it began as a house for five students attending "Lectures for Ladies". Newnham Hall opened it's doors in 1875 (now called "Old Hall"). The College grew to include a laboratory ("Old Labs") and an observatory and the old telescope now rests as a feature in our Porters' Lodge. Both Old Hall and Old Labs can be booked for external events. The University did not offer degrees to women until the 1940's! More on our fascinating history can be read here.

Q: Are you near any other Colleges?

A: Yes, Newnham is located in central Cambridge near Selwyn, Robinson, Gonville and Caius and Wolfson College and within walking distance of many others.

Cambridge is an exceptionally walkable city, with its compact layout making it easy to navigate on foot or by bicycle. The Colleges can collaborate to offer facilities and accommodation for large-scale events, ensuring convenience for attendees. This accessibility supports a strong commitment to sustainability, promoting eco-friendly travel and reducing the environmental impact of events..

Q: Where can I find College policies?

A: Please visit the College Governance page.

Q: Does Newnham College hold any sustainability accreditations?

A: Yes, we were delighted to achieve a silver Green Impact award in 2024 and very proud to achieve gold in 2025, indicating our strong commitment to reducing environmental impact across our operations.

Q: What environmentally sustainable practices are in place at Newnham?

A: Newnham follows its Environmental and Sustainability Policy, available on in our Governance section, which is overseen by the College's Environmental and Sustainability committee.

This includes:

• Managing building and operational impact
• Encouraging sustainable event arrangements
• Regular annual policy reviews
• Ongoing greening initiatives among staff and student communities.

You can also see our "Greening Newnham" sustainability map.

Q. What is Newnham like for people with additional needs?

A. Newnham strives to provide a welcoming environment for any person visiting, living or working in the College, and is committed to removing barriers to education, training and employment for all. The Conference team work with event organisers to collaboratively create inclusive events and we encourage anyone to get in touch in advance of their event to discuss specific requirements.

The College benefits from 

• Wide corridors and doorways
• Flat floors with some gentle slopes
• Assistive listening (induction loops) in the Porters’ Lodge, Iris Café and some meeting rooms
• Drop off point close to main entrance with flat route and automatic door
• Accessible onsite parking spaces
• Ambulant toilets and single-occupancy gender inclusive toilets.
• Accessible en suite bedrooms
• Lift access to function rooms and accessible bedrooms
• Adjustable lighting in function rooms
• Clear directional signage
• Quiet rooms can be booked by the event organiser
• Organisers are actively encouraged to plan breaks in the event schedule
• Staff trained in food‑safety and allergen protocols
• Baby changing facilities
• On site first aid, including mental health first aid
• Service animal friendly

More information can be found on AccessAble

Q: Is the venue accredited?

A: Newnham College is proud to be a member of the Meetings Industry Association (mia) and a MIA Accredited venue. This measures

• The quality of our meeting and events facilities
• Our commitment to delivering a healthy and hygienic environment
• Our service delivery
• Our compliance with legislation
• Our commitment towards diversity and inclusion

 Read more on their website.