What event hire equipment do people most often forget?

Power distribution, heating, hand washing separate from the catering supply, waste collection after the event, and lighting for getting guests safely off a dark site. Toilet servicing on multi-day events and the cost of an extra hire day when the build slips are the next two.

How are crockery and glassware charged?

Usually per item, with a charge for breakages and sometimes a returned-dirty fee if washing up is not included. Ask whether glass washing is part of the bar package, and confirm how items are counted back in, because that is where disputes happen.

Guide

Event hire equipment list: everything people forget to budget for

Q: Do I need insurance for hired event equipment?

Suppliers generally expect the hirer to insure hired-in equipment while it is in their care, and many venues and landowners require public liability cover as a condition of use. Check what each supplier's terms require and what your own cover already includes before buying anything additional.

Updated 2026-08-14

Most event budgets blow out on the small, unglamorous items rather than the big ones. Here is the full list, so nothing arrives as a surprise three weeks out.

Structure and site

Marquee, stretch tent or temporary structure, plus linings and doors
Flooring, matting, or a raised and levelled floor on sloping ground
Trackway and ground protection where vehicles cross grass
Fencing, barriers and site signage
Ground stakes, ballast or weights depending on the surface

Furniture and front of house

Tables: round, trestle, poseur and cake tables
Chairs, plus covers or upgrades if the standard stock is not the look you want
Linen, napkins and table numbers
Bar structure, back bar, ice bins and glass washing
Dance floor and staging
Cloakroom rails, easels, post boxes and the other small hire items that appear at the end

Catering and bar

Crockery, cutlery and glassware, usually priced per item with a breakage charge
Ovens, hot cupboards, fridges, freezers and prep tables
Catering tent, separate from the guest marquee, with its own flooring and lighting
Hand wash stations and water supply for the kitchen
Waste, recycling and grease disposal
Ice, and somewhere to keep it

Power, light and comfort

Generator, sized to the actual load rather than guessed, plus fuel and attendance
Cabling, distribution boards and RCD protection, run by someone competent
Lighting: functional, decorative and, critically, emergency and route lighting for getting people off site safely
Heating for shoulder seasons and evenings, plus fuel
Fans or ventilation for hot days in an enclosed structure
Phone charging, which sounds trivial until 200 people want it

Welfare and the things nobody photographs

Toilets, specified for guest count and duration, with accessible units and servicing on longer events
Hand washing, separate from the catering supply
Water supply and grey water disposal
Waste bins, bags and a collection arrangement for after the event
First aid provision and, for larger events, stewarding and security
Parking, and a plan for what happens if the field is wet

The costs that sit around the equipment

Delivery, set-up and collection are separate from the hire rate and are driven by distance, access and how tight the collection window is. Damage deposits are normal and refundable. Most suppliers expect you to insure hired-in equipment while it is in your care, and larger sites and venues often require public liability cover as a condition of use. None of these is a hidden charge, but all four are regularly missing from a first draft budget. The Health and Safety Executive publishes guidance on running events safely that is worth a read for anything beyond a garden party (HSE event safety).

If you are selling alcohol, putting on music or serving hot food late at an unlicensed venue, add the licensing step to this list. See the temporary event notice guide: gov.uk states the fee is £21 and that you need to apply at least 10 clear working days ahead.