What to do on the day
Morning ceremony
- Arrival (register, collect tickets and gowns, photography, refreshments):
earliest from 8.15 am, latest 9.30am - Doors to auditorium open: 9.30am
- Recipients and guests must take their seats promptly: 9.55am
- Ceremony begins: 10.15am
Afternoon ceremony
- Arrival (register, collect tickets and gowns, photography, refreshments):
earliest from 1.15 pm, latest 2.30pm - Doors to auditorium open: 2.30pm
- Recipients and guests must take their seats promptly: 2.55pm
- Ceremony begins: 3.15pm
Getting there
Please ensure that you allow ample time for arrival, as car parking may be difficult and can be some distance from the Brighton Dome. Brighton station is a 10–15 minute walk away for those travelling by train. The number 7 bus will take you from the station to the Old Steine, just outside the Pavilion which is one of the closest stops to the Corn Exchange. The majority of Brighton buses stop there; please see www.buses.co.uk for full details. The area around the Dome may be subject to roadworks, please see www.journeyon.co.uk for further information about transport in the area.
You can see a map of the Brighton Dome area here.
Registering your arrival
Recipients must arrive between the times stated above and enter via the Corn Exchange entrance of the Brighton Dome in Church Street. Go first to the registration desk where you will be given your seat and guest tickets. You will then be directed towards the gowning area. It is important that you register upon arrival as requested because recipients without a seat ticket may not be able to receive their award.
Recipients are seated in reserved blocks in the centre of the main auditorium. You may take your seats from the time that the auditorium doors open but you must be seated by 9.55am at the latest for the morning ceremony and 2.55pm for the afternoon ceremony. It will assist stewards if you remain seated once you have taken your place. It may not be possible for you to take part in the ceremony if you arrive after it has started.
Guests
On arrival at the Brighton Dome, guests will also enter via the Corn Exchange Entrance, where they will be asked to make their way to the Corn Exchange Hall to wait for you. Guests do not have numbered seats and are permitted to sit anywhere except the recipients’ block in the centre of the main auditorium and a few reserved seats.
Children will find the balcony area especially good for viewing although the ceremony is relatively long (approximately an hour and a half) and unsuitable for young children. Due to health and safety restrictions at the venue, prams and buggies cannot be taken into the main auditorium, however they can be left in the cloakroom free of charge.
Guests are asked not to enter either the registration or robing areas in order to minimise queuing congestion. Please arrange to meet recipients in the main foyer of the Dome or the Corn Exchange.
What happens if I arrive late?
We ask that you arrive in good time, as we cannot delay the start of the ceremony. Those arriving after 9.30am for the morning ceremony or 2.30pm for the afternoon will be considered late and will normally be called at the end of the ceremony, rather than with their cohorts, and may not be able to participate.
Refreshments
You will be able to purchase light refreshments such as tea, coffee, soft drinks and sandwiches from both the Dome bar and in the Corn Exchange; refreshments will also be available from the Corn Exchange after the ceremony. Additionally, there will be a celebratory reception where you will be given a free glass of sparkling wine, bucks fizz or orange juice.
Gifts and mementoes
A range of gifts and mementoes will be available to buy on the day. Unfortunately card payments will not be possible, so please bring cash if you wish to make a purchase.
The ceremony
What happens during the ceremony?
Recipients are seated in the auditorium alphabetically
in school and course order. Guests sit separately.
A steward will ask you to stand and will direct you to the backstage area, where you will be checked on a list and directed to the side of the stage. You will be called across the stage in formal acknowledgement of your achievement, shake hands with either Lord Mogg KCMG (Chairman of the Board of Governors) or Professor Julian Crampton (Vice-Chancellor) and your certificate will be handed to you as you return to your seat. It is difficult to estimate, but we would expect the ceremony to last about an hour and a half. Once you are seated you are not normally permitted to leave the auditorium.
Certificates
Your certificate will normally be available at the ceremony. If for any reason it is not, it will be dispatched by recorded delivery as soon as possible after the ceremony, provided that you have confirmed an address with us online. If you move house shortly before the ceremony and are then unable to attend, please get in touch with your new details.
Conduct
The ceremony is a wonderful celebration to be enjoyed by recipients and their guests. Aggressive or abusive behaviour is unacceptable and anyone behaving in this way will be asked to leave the ceremony.
