Westminster Abbey Facilities: Café, Shop, Toilets & Bags
Westminster Abbey has a café (the Cellarium), a gift shop, and toilets on site, but there is no cloakroom for large bags or suitcases, so leave those at your hotel or a nearby luggage store. Photography is generally not allowed inside the Abbey church, though you can take photos in the Cloisters and College Garden. Plan for a bag-free, phone-in-pocket visit.
Westminster Abbey is a working church rather than a museum, and that shapes its on-site facilities more than you might expect. There’s a good café and a well-stocked shop, but no left-luggage service and firm rules on bags and cameras once you’re inside the church.
This guide covers the Cellarium Café, the Abbey shop, toilets, the bag policy, photography rules, and the practical things worth knowing before you arrive.
Westminster Abbey Facilities at a Glance
| Facility | On site? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Café | Yes | The Cellarium Café, in the Cloisters |
| Gift shop | Yes | Abbey shop near the exit |
| Toilets | Yes | Includes accessible facilities |
| Large-bag storage | No | Suitcases and large bags not allowed |
| Photography inside church | No | Allowed in Cloisters and College Garden |
The Cellarium Café
The Cellarium Café sits within the Abbey’s medieval Cloisters and serves coffee, cakes, light lunches and afternoon tea. You can visit it with an Abbey ticket during your tour, and it also has a separate street entrance so you can eat without paying admission. It’s a calm spot to rest partway through a visit.
The Cellarium is set in a genuinely historic space — the vaulted room where the Benedictine monks once stored provisions — so it’s part of the experience as much as a refreshment stop. Expect hot drinks, cakes, seasonal lunch dishes and afternoon tea, with prices in line with a central London café. Because a full visit runs about 1.5 to 2 hours, it’s a useful place to pause; our guide to how long to spend helps you plan the timing. No eating or drinking is allowed inside the church itself, so the café is the place for a break.
The Abbey Shop
The Abbey shop sits near the end of the visitor route, close to the exit, and stocks books on the Abbey’s history, guidebooks, souvenirs, jewelry and gifts tied to the coronations and royal tombs. It’s a sensible last stop rather than a reason to visit on its own. If you’d like a fuller rundown of what’s on the shelves and whether it’s worth browsing, see our dedicated Abbey shop guide. You do not need an admission ticket for everything, but the main shop is on the visitor route.
Toilets and Cloakroom
Westminster Abbey has visitor toilets, including accessible facilities, on site. There is no cloakroom or left-luggage service for large bags or suitcases, and these are not permitted inside — so store big luggage before you come. Only small bags are allowed, and they may be checked at the security point on entry.
Toilets are available for visitors during your tour, and accessible facilities are provided; our accessibility guide covers step-free routes and other provisions in more detail. The key limitation is storage: the Abbey does not run a cloakroom for large bags, backpacks or suitcases, and those items aren’t allowed inside the church. If you’re arriving with luggage, leave it at your hotel or use a nearby luggage-storage service before heading to Parliament Square.
Bag Policy
Security checks apply on entry, much like at other major London landmarks, so travel light. Large bags, suitcases and oversized backpacks are not permitted, and there’s nowhere on site to leave them. Small bags are generally fine but may be searched at the entrance. Arriving with just a small day bag speeds up your entry and spares you a wasted trip back to store luggage — worth remembering if the Abbey is one stop on a busy sightseeing day. Getting to the door efficiently is easier with our getting there guide.
Photography Rules
Photography is generally not permitted inside the Abbey church, out of respect for its role as a place of worship and to protect the monuments. You can take photos in the Cloisters, the Cellarium area and the College Garden, but not of the Nave, Poets’ Corner, the royal tombs or the Coronation Chair. Phones should be kept on silent throughout.
This surprises many first-time visitors: the church interior — including the Nave, Poets’ Corner and the royal tombs — is a no-photography zone. The rule keeps the atmosphere calm and protects fragile monuments, and vergers do enforce it politely. The good news is the outdoor and semi-outdoor spaces are fair game: the medieval Cloisters and the College Garden are lovely to photograph. For the full etiquette picture, including dress and behavior, see our dress code and photography guide.
What to Know Before You Go
A little planning makes the visit smoother. Come with only a small bag, expect to keep your camera and phone away inside the church, and build in time for the café if you’d like a rest. The included multimedia guide runs about an hour, so factor that into your schedule. Booking an entrance ticket ahead doesn’t save money — the price is the same at the door — but it lets you head straight to the North Door and adds free cancellation, which is handy given the Abbey’s occasional short-notice closures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a café at Westminster Abbey?
Yes. The Cellarium Café is set in the Abbey’s medieval Cloisters and serves coffee, cakes, light lunches and afternoon tea. You can visit it during your tour with an Abbey ticket, and it also has a separate street entrance, so you can eat there without paying admission. It’s a calm place to rest partway through a visit, since no food or drink is allowed inside the church itself.
Can I store luggage or large bags at the Abbey?
No. Westminster Abbey does not have a cloakroom or left-luggage service, and large bags and suitcases are not allowed inside the church. You’ll need to store big luggage at your hotel or a nearby luggage-storage service before you arrive. Only small bags are permitted, and they may be checked at the security point on entry, so travel as light as you can.
Can you take photos inside Westminster Abbey?
Generally no. Photography is not permitted inside the Abbey church, out of respect for its role as a working place of worship and to protect the monuments. You can, however, take photos in the Cloisters, around the Cellarium and in the College Garden. The Nave, Poets’ Corner, the royal tombs and the Coronation Chair are all off-limits for cameras and phones.
Are there toilets at Westminster Abbey?
Yes. Visitor toilets, including accessible facilities, are available on site during your visit. As with most historic buildings, they can be busy at peak times in mid-morning, so it’s worth planning around the quieter windows. Step-free access and other provisions for visitors with additional needs are covered in our accessibility guide.
Is there a gift shop?
Yes. The Abbey shop sits near the exit on the visitor route and stocks books, guidebooks, souvenirs, jewelry and gifts linked to the coronations and royal history. It makes a natural final stop before you leave. If you’d like to know exactly what’s on offer and whether it’s worth your time, our dedicated shop guide has the details.
Can I bring a backpack into Westminster Abbey?
Small day bags are generally fine, but large backpacks, suitcases and oversized bags are not permitted, and there’s nowhere on site to store them. Bags may be searched at the security check on entry. To avoid delays, bring only what you need and leave larger items at your accommodation or a luggage-storage point before heading to the Abbey.
Is there food and drink allowed inside the Abbey?
No eating or drinking is allowed inside the church, as it’s an active place of worship. The Cellarium Café in the Cloisters is the place for refreshments, whether that’s a coffee, a light lunch or afternoon tea. Plan a break there rather than expecting to snack as you walk the visitor route through the Nave and chapels.
Do I need to pay to use the café or shop?
Not necessarily. The Cellarium Café has its own street entrance, so you can eat there without an Abbey ticket. The main shop sits on the visitor route inside, so you’ll usually access it as part of a ticketed visit. If you only want the café, you can enjoy it independently of a full sightseeing tour.
