Book afternoon tea hire online for corporate events and hospitality. Select fine bone china teacups, saucers, teapots, and tiered cake stands.
Organising a corporate hospitality event or bespoke catering function requires specific china. Sourcing commercial-grade crockery helps event organisers and caterers present a traditional service without the capital outlay of purchasing delicate items. Booking your afternoon tea hire online removes the logistical challenges of storing and washing hundreds of teacups for a single event. Expo Hire supplies complete matching sets in fine bone china and durable porcelain. These collections give your table settings a consistent, refined appearance.
Individual pieces and complete sets form the china collection. Fine bone china offers translucence and strength, while porcelain provides a heavy-duty alternative for high-volume gatherings. You can select individual teacups and matching saucers to build your exact inventory. Teacups hold 200ml, a standard serving size for hot beverages. Side plates measure 18cm in diameter, providing functional space for small pastries, scones, and finger sandwiches. The clean white finish complements various event themes and pairs well with our table hire options.
Teapots come in two capacities to suit different group sizes. A 4-cup size holds 700ml, serving two or three guests. A larger 6-cup option offers 1000ml capacity, serving four to six people. You can choose tiered cake stands in both 2-tier and 3-tier configurations. These stands display your selection of cakes, scones, and sandwiches, adding traditional height to the table. The lower tier holds sandwiches, the middle tier holds scones, and the top tier displays miniature cakes.
Consider your guest count when planning your china requirements. Traditional setups require one teacup, saucer, and side plate for each person. Guests share teapots, so allow one 4-cup teapot for every two to three guests, or a 6-cup alternative for every four to six attendees. Cake stands serve multiple people. You might use one 2-tier stand for four to six guests, or one 3-tier stand for six to eight guests, depending on your food volume. We recommend adding a few spare items to your order to cover unexpected breakages or additional guests. Every order includes a free minor damage waiver, covering accidental chips and cracks. We do not charge a security deposit on any order.
Expo Hire cleans and sanitises all china before dispatch. We pack items in heavy-duty crates to prevent transit damage. You receive each piece ready for immediate use. On delivery day, our live vehicle tracking system sends an SMS ETA, allowing you to monitor your driver's progress. After your event concludes, our "Send It Back Dirty" service applies to all crockery. You return the china unwashed, and we handle the cleaning. This removes the need for extensive washing-up facilities and reduces your post-event workload. For larger functions, you might also need catering equipment hire to manage hot water boilers and food preparation.
Arranging your afternoon tea hire takes just a few clicks. You can view live stock levels and pricing directly on the website. Selecting your dates confirms availability for your afternoon tea hire order. Add the required quantities to your basket and confirm your booking online today.
Expo Hire does not charge a security deposit. A free minor damage waiver covers minor damage and loss. Excessive or negligent damage is charged at 10 times the hire price. Full details in our terms and conditions.
Use the carriage calculator to find your nearest branch and get an accurate delivery quote. At checkout we show an itemised delivery cost before you confirm the order.
On the day, track your driver in real time on our order tracking page, or use the link in the automated text we send.
For orders over £1,000, you can confirm a booking with a 25% deposit and pay the balance up to 28 days before delivery. The checkout offers this automatically. Full details in our terms and conditions.
