Mobile bar hire is dry hire — you get the physical bar equipment, not the staff or the drinks. This is the right setup for events where you have your own bar team, a licensed caterer, or a venue that supplies staff but not the bar furniture.
A mobile bar hire covers the physical bar structure: front bar counter, back bar units, and any additional pieces like corner units or run extensions. You can add refrigeration, glassware, ice buckets and other bar equipment to the same order. Everything arrives on the same delivery and gets collected at the end of the hire period.
You are responsible for staffing, alcohol, licensing and any POS equipment.
A straight 2-metre front bar with a matching back bar handles most receptions up to around 150 guests with two bar staff. For busier events, extend the run to 3 or 4 metres and add further back bar units.
L-shaped and U-shaped configurations suit corner positions in hotel foyers, exhibition halls and marquees. The counter units connect together, so the shape adapts to your venue.
Leave at least 1.5 metres of clear space behind the counter. Less than that and staff block each other during busy service. For a full setup with fridges and a back bar, plan for 2 metres.
Add a bottle fridge or undercounter fridge if you are serving chilled wine, bottled beer or soft drinks. Ice buckets work for champagne and bottles you turn over quickly. For a long event with high volume, a fridge keeps things consistently cold without constant restocking.
Order glassware in the same hire for a single coordinated delivery. Order at least 1.5 glasses per guest per glass type, more if the event runs for several hours. Expo Hire supplies wine glasses, champagne flutes, beer glasses, highballs and cocktail glasses.
Most bar areas work better with a cluster of poseur tables and stools nearby. Guests have somewhere to set their drink, the bar stays clear, and staff serve faster. One poseur table per six guests is a rough guide for a standing drinks reception.
The Expo Hire website shows live bar stock with pricing. Add bar counter units, select any additional equipment, enter your postcode, and the basket shows the full hire cost before checkout. We deliver across England and Wales seven days a week. No deposit required.
Browse the full mobile bar hire range, or see the complete bar equipment hire section.
