Hire tables, chairs, bars, staging and glassware for charity galas and black-tie fundraising dinners across England and Wales.
Charity galas need the formality of a dinner and the practical control of a fundraiser.
Guests expect a polished room, but the event team also needs space for registration, silent auction items, sponsor presence, donor hosting and strong food and drinks service.
Most jobs on this page start with chairs, tables and a clear service layout. The order then grows into the support stock that keeps guests, staff and suppliers moving in the same room or on the same site.
For most orders, the core links sit in Chair Hire, Table Hire, Catering Equipment Hire, Glassware Hire and Linen Hire. Outdoor formats often add stock from Outdoor Hire.
The exact mix changes with guest numbers, service style and venue access. A standing launch needs more bar surfaces and fewer seats. A dinner, exam or conference needs stronger seating counts and more disciplined aisle space.
Start with the busiest point of the day, not the quietest. Count who needs a seat, who only needs a standing surface and what support stock the service team needs at the same time.
| Group size | Planning guide |
|---|---|
| 50 guests | 50 guests often means 6 round tables, 50 chairs, 1 registration desk and 1 bar |
| 100 guests | 100 guests often means 10 to 12 tables, 100 chairs and stronger display and service support |
| 200 guests | 200 guests often means 20 to 24 tables, several display surfaces and 2 to 3 bars or coffee points |
Silent auctions need more side-table space than many teams expect.
Post-dinner networking works better with poseur tables or lounges near the bar.
These figures give you a planning baseline, not a fixed rule. The venue shape, the weather, the menu and the delivery route can all change the final count.
Sightlines matter because the room usually moves between dinner and stage-led fundraising.
Treat registration and auction areas as working zones rather than decoration.
Deliver refrigeration the day before so it can pre-cool for 6 to 8 hours.
Confirm power for hot holding or coffee equipment.
Give each phase of the evening its own furniture logic.
Standard hire runs for 3 days: delivery day, event day and collection day. That structure suits most event jobs because it gives you time to build, trade or host, then clear the stock without forcing everything into one shift.
Expo Hire delivers across England and Wales. Delivery starts from £40 ex-VAT and is calculated by distance from the nearest depot. Equipment arrives clean and tested. The service is dry hire, so your team, venue staff or caterer place the stock in final position after delivery.
Drivers do not set equipment up, connect gas or carry items up and down stairs. If the order includes refrigeration, ask for delivery the day before so the units can pre-cool for 6 to 8 hours. LPG equipment must be connected by a competent person. Fixed installations need a Gas Safe engineer. Many commercial catering items need a 16A or 32A supply rather than a standard 13A socket.
Build the order online at expohire.com once the dates, quantities and venue details are ready. The basket shows live stock and pricing, so you can size the job around the real guest count or room plan rather than a rough estimate.
If you need help with quantities, carriage or specialist equipment, call 0800 910 1100 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. If the order needs sign-off before payment, use the basket as the base for an internal quote.
Add access notes, room names, hall numbers, stand details or site contacts before checkout.
Most orders start with chairs, tables and service equipment, then add the extra stock that fits the format. That can include bars, glassware, linen, refrigeration, outdoor furniture or temporary kitchen equipment. The exact mix depends on guest numbers, service style and venue access.
Start with the real guest count, then check how much of the event is seated and how much is standing. A drinks-led event needs fewer seats and more poseur or service tables. A dinner or exam setup needs a full seat count and clearer aisle space.
Yes. Expo Hire delivers across England and Wales. Carriage starts from £40 ex-VAT and is calculated by distance from the nearest depot.
Check power, gas responsibility and access before you place the order. Fridges and coolers should arrive the day before so they can pre-cool for 6 to 8 hours. LPG equipment must be connected by a competent person, and fixed installations need a Gas Safe engineer.