A corporate away day needs more than an activity programme. This guide covers the furniture, catering equipment and quantities needed for groups of 50 to 150.
A corporate away day needs more than an activity programme. This guide covers the furniture, catering equipment and quantities needed for groups of 50 to 150.
A corporate away day gives employees a break from the office while delivering team-building, training, or a recognition event. Getting the logistics right means thinking beyond the activity programme. You need furniture and catering equipment that can handle a range of formats across an outdoor or semi-outdoor space.
\n\nMost corporate away days run through two distinct phases: the activity session and the catering or social element. The activity phase might not need much furniture at all, but break periods, workshop segments, and the lunch service all require proper setup.
\nFor a group of 50 to 150 delegates, expect to need 50 to 150 chairs depending on layout, 10 to 20 trestle or folding tables for the catering run, 4 to 6 poseur tables for networking or the drinks reception, and 2 to 4 gazebos if the event is outdoors with no covered space.
\n\nWorkshop sessions at away days tend to run in small groups of 8 to 15 people. Rectangular folding tables work well here. They can be arranged in clusters or rows and pack down quickly when the space needs reconfiguring.
\nFolding chairs stack in large numbers, which matters when you need to convert the same space from workshop to dining within 20 minutes. If the event is in a function room or village hall, confirm access early enough to do a trial layout before guests arrive.
\n\nIf the away day has an outdoor component, poseur tables give delegates somewhere to set down drinks and plates during breaks. Two or three poseur tables with white linen creates a smarter look than plain trestle tables and encourages people to stand and circulate.
\nGazebo or marquee cover is worth hiring for any outdoor UK event, regardless of the forecast. Expo Hire stocks gazebos in several sizes, and a 3m x 6m gazebo covers 4 to 6 poseur tables with room for guests to move around. For evening events or autumn away days, patio heaters keep outdoor areas usable for an extra hour or two after dark.
\n\nAn on-site working lunch is standard for most away days. You have two main options: a buffet-style service or a more formal sit-down meal.
\nFor a buffet, you will need trestle tables for the service run, chafing dishes to keep food hot, and crockery and cutlery for your guest count. A 100-person away day uses around three 6ft trestle tables for the buffet run, 4 to 6 chafing dishes, 120 dinner plates, and matching cutlery sets.
\nFor a sit-down lunch, round tables seating 8 to 10 give a better atmosphere than rectangles and avoid the conference-room feel. White linen signals to guests that the lunch is a reward rather than just a fuel stop.
\n\nA pre-event drinks reception helps people settle in before formal proceedings begin. Keep it simple: poseur tables with linen, wine glasses, and a small area for the bar setup. Champagne flutes are worth adding if the away day includes an awards or recognition element.
\nExpo Hire stocks glassware in bulk quantities suited to events of this size. For 100 guests, 150 wine glasses and 100 champagne flutes covers a two-hour reception with some breakage margin.
\n\nThe following gives a working baseline for a mid-size corporate group:
\nAdjust quantities based on whether guests eat in shifts or all at once.
\n\nExpo Hire delivers across England and Wales to venues, parks, hotel grounds, and outdoor sites. Delivery can be arranged the evening before for morning-start events, and all items are collected after the event. Check the carriage page for delivery charges based on your postcode.
See also: networking event hire guide and conference and seminar hire guide.
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