Chair hire for events across England and Wales. Banqueting chairs, folding chairs, bar stools, and conference chairs available online with live stock checking and delivery from £40.
Chair hire for events across England and Wales. Banqueting chairs, folding chairs, bar stools, and conference chairs available online with live stock checking and delivery from £40.
Chair hire covers a range of seating options available for short-term use at events and functions. Event organisers, caterers, wedding venues, conference centres, and corporate event teams all use it when their own stock is insufficient or when the event calls for chairs they don't own. Expo Hire stocks banqueting chairs, folding chairs, bar stools, poseur chairs, and conference chairs, with live stock checking at the time of booking and same-day availability on many lines. Orders can be placed online at any time.
Expo Hire stocks a range of chair types to suit different events and settings.
Banqueting chairs are the most common choice for seated dinners, weddings, and award evenings. The range includes Chiavari chairs (gold, silver, black, or white frames with padded seats), Cross Back chairs for a rustic or farmhouse look, and standard padded banqueting chairs for larger events on tighter budgets. Chiavari chairs hire from around £3.50 per chair; padded banqueting chairs from around £1.50.
Folding chairs suit ceremonies, outdoor events, and occasions where chairs need to be stacked and moved between uses. White wooden folding chairs are a popular choice for outdoor wedding ceremonies. Standard plastic folding chairs are the most economical option for large numbers.
Bar stools and poseur chairs work alongside poseur tables at exhibition stands, networking events, and drinks receptions. Most bar stools hire for around £3–£5 per stool depending on style.
Conference chairs are used at seminars, training days, and AGMs. They are available as padded stacking chairs or as standard banqueting stacking chairs and can be arranged in rows or around tables.
The number of chairs you need depends on the table format and the type of event.
A 5ft (152cm) round table seats 8 guests. A 6ft (183cm) round table seats 10. You can push these to 10 and 12 if space is tight, but it makes for a cramped dining experience. Round tables are often hired alongside matching trestle or round tables.
A standard 6ft trestle table (183cm x 76cm) seats 3 per side, with one at each end if needed. A 5ft trestle seats 2–3 per side. For long banqueting rows, count 3 chairs per 6ft table length on each side.
For theatre-style seating in rows with no tables, allow roughly 5–6 seats per linear metre of row. In a room 10 metres wide you can typically fit 50–60 chairs per row, depending on aisle spacing. Leave a minimum 45cm gap between the front edge of one row and the back of the next.
For a wedding ceremony, guests are seated in two blocks with a central aisle. Allocate one chair per guest, with a few spares for late arrivals. If you are using the same chairs for a ceremony and a reception, factor in the time needed to move them between the two spaces.
For an outdoor ceremony or barn wedding, white folding chairs are the most popular option. They are lightweight and easy to move when transitioning from ceremony to reception in the same space. For the reception dinner, Chiavari chairs or Cross Back chairs give a more formal or rustic feel to the room. Pair chairs with matching tables and table linen to complete the look.
Exhibition stands need flexible seating that does not take up floor space when not in use. Bar stools and poseur chairs work well at high tables, allowing a standing or semi-seated conversation. They make better use of vertical space on a small stand than conventional chairs and pack away quickly at the end of the show.
For a seminar or training day, conference chairs in rows or around tables are the standard choice. For a corporate dinner or awards evening, banqueting chairs around round tables work well. Many corporate clients combine both formats in one event, using conference-style seating for daytime sessions and banqueting chairs for the evening dinner.
For outdoor events such as festivals, garden parties, and open-air concerts, folding chairs are the practical choice. They are easy to transport, set up quickly, and can be moved if the layout needs to change. If the ground is soft, check that chair legs will not sink in; placing chairs on temporary flooring helps on grass or gravel.
All orders can be placed through the Expo Hire website. Stock availability is checked in real time when you add items to your basket, so you know at the point of booking whether the chairs you need are free on your event dates.
Delivery is available to venues across England and Wales. The base charge starts from £40, with the rate depending on distance from the depot. Full details are on the delivery charges page. For most events, delivery and collection can be timed to suit the venue, including early-morning drops before a venue opens and late-night collections after an event finishes.
Expo Hire offers a minor damage waiver scheme which covers wear and minor accidental damage to hired items. It can be added to your order at the time of booking.
For large orders or events requiring a bespoke delivery schedule, the Expo Hire team can provide a quote. Contact details are available on the website.
