Burns Night Hire: Equipment for Suppers and Celebrations

Burns Night suppers hosted in England follow the same format as the Scottish original: a pre-dinner drinks reception, a three-course meal with haggis as the centrepiece, and a series of toasts with whisky. Expo Hire delivers to England and Wales, so this guide is written for Burns Night dinners held south of the border.

Pre-Dinner Drinks

Burns Night suppers open with a standing drinks reception before guests are seated. Scotch whisky is the traditional drink, though many hosts also offer wine or soft drinks during this period.

For the drinks reception, poseur tables allow guests to stand and mingle. Allow one poseur table for every 8 to 10 guests. For a drinks period of 30 to 45 minutes before a 50-person supper, 5 to 7 poseur tables are enough. For 100 guests, allow 10 to 12 tables.

Whisky tumblers or small nosing glasses are the appropriate choice for whisky service. Expo Hire stocks highball glasses and tumblers suited to whisky service at a Burns Night event. For wine during the reception, wine glasses are needed separately. See the glassware hire page for available types and quantities.

The Supper: Tables, Chairs, and Linen

Burns Night suppers seat guests at round tables, though some hosts prefer long rectangular trestle tables for a more traditional supper-club feel. Round tables of 5ft or 6ft diameter seat 8 to 10 guests each. For 50 guests, you need 5 to 6 tables. For 100 guests, 10 to 12. For 150 guests, 15 to 19.

Chairs for a Burns Night supper do not need to be formal. Folding chairs are a cost-effective choice for community halls and village venues. For a corporate Burns Night, banquet chairs or chiavari chairs give a smarter result.

White tablecloths are the standard choice. Expo Hire does not stock tartan linen, but white round tablecloths with tartan ribbon or runners sourced separately work well. White tablecloths and napkins in the right sizes are available from Expo Hire. See the linen hire page for sizes and pricing.

Crockery for Three Courses

A traditional Burns Night supper follows a three-course format: cock-a-leekie soup or cullen skink for the first course, haggis with neeps and tatties for the main, and cranachan or clootie dumpling for dessert.

For each guest, the crockery needed is: a soup bowl, a main plate, a side plate, and a dessert bowl or plate. For 100 guests, that is around 400 pieces of crockery. Cutlery for three courses adds another 600 to 700 pieces. Expo Hire supplies matching crockery in the quantities needed for events of this size. See the crockery hire page.

Whisky Toasts and Glassware

Burns Night includes several formal toasts during and after the meal: the Address to the Haggis before the main course, and toasts to Robert Burns, the Lassies, and the Lads following dessert. Each toast is taken with whisky.

Allow one whisky tumbler or small glass per guest, in addition to the wine glasses used during the meal. At a sit-down dinner with full wine service, each guest needs a white wine glass, a red wine glass, a water glass, and a whisky glass. For 100 guests, that is 400 glasses for the dinner table, plus any reception glassware.

Outside Caterer Equipment

Many Burns Night suppers are catered by an outside caterer rather than a venue kitchen. A caterer working in a village hall or community space needs cooking equipment, chafing dishes to keep food hot during service, and serving equipment for the plated or buffet meal.

Expo Hire stocks a full range of outside caterer equipment including hot cupboards, bain maries, chafing dishes, and urns. See the catering equipment page for the full range. If you are working with a caterer, share this guide so they can identify the equipment they need alongside the tableware.

Delivery Coverage

Expo Hire delivers to England and Wales. Scotland is not within the delivery area. Burns Night suppers hosted in England are covered. For delivery charges and lead times, see the carriage and delivery page.

See also: private dining hire guide and harvest supper hire guide.