Conference Facilities

Introduction

Balliol College is ideally situated for conferences, training courses, and corporate hospitality. Located in the heart of the city, it is within easy reach of rail, coach, and bus stations. It is one of the oldest Oxford Colleges, founded in 1263. There are eleven meeting rooms, dining for up to 200 and, in vacations, up to 260 bedrooms available (including over 110 with private facilities). We pride ourselves on our conference facilities, which are first rate.

Facilities

Accommodation is available for small groups or large conferences with 200 single rooms on our main site in Broad Street [click for maps] and 80 en suite single rooms in our off-site accommodation at Jowett Walk, which is less than ten minutes walk from the main College site. All rooms are cleaned daily. Soap, bath towels, and toiletry packs are provided in all bedrooms. Our beautiful Hall can seat up to 220 and is a magnificent venue for all meals, especially banquets. Flowers and menu covers can be provided on request. The Old Common Room is perfect for more intimate or informal lunches or dinners. The Ante Room is suitable for Pre-Lunch/Dinner Drinks, and the Dining Room will seat up to 20 in comfort. The Fellows' Garden is adjacent to this room and, weather permitting, drinks can be taken outside. The Bajpai Room can also be used for lunches and dinners, seating six people.

The Jowett Walk Building

For conferences residing in the Jowett Walk Building, meals are taken in the Dining Hall (main College site), which is less than ten minutes walk from the Jowett Walk Building. There are kitchens available in the Jowett Walk Building, one between seven rooms, and conference guests are welcome to use these facilities to make tea and coffee and light snacks.  Telephones are available in all rooms.

Meeting Rooms

We have a range of lecture and seminar rooms of various sizes on the main site and at Jowett Walk.

Main College Site

All meeting rooms can be equipped with a data projector, flipcharts and screens. Television and video recorders are also available. Administration rooms and conferences offices with telephones and fax lines can be provided.

Jowett Walk Meeting Rooms

The Pilch Room in our Jowett Walk Building is often used for theatre productions and has excellent lighting facilities along with a stage.

Catering

We have an excellent kitchen, managed by our award-winning Head Chef, Bertrand Faucheux. It can cope equally well with a large banquet for up to 200 people, as it can with small luncheon or dinner parties. Our menus are varied and the quality of the meals is excellent. The value for money is highly rated. The conference catering service is planned to provide the Chef's choice for breakfast, luncheon, and dinner on a day-to-day basis and clients generally choose their own menus for banquets and special functions. We can also provide packed lunches, and all dietary requirements are catered for on request. The College wine cellar has an impressive selection of wines – a wine list is available on request. These wines are also available from the College Buttery which is open from 11am–2pm and again in the evening from 6–8pm. The Buttery is also available for hire for private functions after these times.