Cocktail bartender
From £270
One bartender for three service hours at your suitable counter. You supply drinks, ingredients, ice and glasses.
View the serviceCocktailhire · Event bar service & planning
Bar Hire for Brand Activations, Launches & Exhibitions
Build a staffed drinks service into your retail launch, exhibition stand or brand event. Cocktailhire supplies mobile bars, cocktail bartenders and agreed supplies, with optional branded bar fronts and printed event menus made from your selected drinks. The service is planned around your space, production schedule and guest flow.
Choose what we supply
Staffed mobile bar
From £595
One 1.5m bar unit and one bartender for three hours. With two bartenders at that bar: £865. Drinks supplies and glasses are separate.
View the serviceStocked cocktail package
From £29 per guest
Four hours at £7.25 per guest per hour. Minimum 50 guests: £1,450. Agreed bar, staff, cocktail ingredients, ice and glassware included.
View the servicePostcode travel and agreed extras are quoted separately. Review your event’s total before confirming. Existing valid protected quotes keep their agreed terms.
THE MOBILE BAR COLLECTION
Mobile bar finishes and layouts
01 / 03Single straight unit
THE SAME FINISH, SIDE BY SIDE
Compare mobile bar layouts
White Chesterfield
01 / STRAIGHT
Straight bar: 1.5m floor depth
A straight bar needs its ordered width by 1.5m floor depth.
02 / HORSESHOE
Horseshoe: 2.5m floor depth
Allow the ordered width by 2.5m floor depth, with access at the back.
03 / ISLAND
Island: 5.5m × 3.5m footprint
Allow 5.5m by 3.5m for the island, central shelving and working area, plus guest circulation space.
Configurations shown for comparison, not to scale. Equipment and back-bar shelving depend on the arrangement booked.
A working bar inside your activation
Begin with the stand or store floor plan, guest numbers and service window. Position the bar so ordering and collection work alongside product displays, entrances and presentations. At a trade show, include the exhibitor’s load-in rules and the route for restocking during public opening.
Branding and drink choices
Clients choose drinks from the existing Cocktailhire menu. Event menus can present that selection, while bar-front artwork can carry your campaign identity. Branded fronts are normally estimated at £75–£100 per 1.5m unit where artwork and notice allow; confirm the material, artwork and final cost in the quote.
Represent Manchester: two floors of service
The documented Manchester store launch used a 1.5m bar on the ground floor and a 3m bar on the first floor, with staff and glassware support. Separate service points let the drinks operation follow the store layout. The case study shows the actual setup and further documented retail event photographs.
Staffing and stock allocation
Allocate staff, ice, ingredients and glasses to each bar position. Our initial staffing guide is one bartender per 50 guests; arrival peaks, cocktail choices and supporting duties affect the final requirement. Agree collection and replenishment responsibilities alongside the drinks service.
Give production one complete brief
Send the date, postcode, floor plan, working hours, loading slot and on-site contact. Include any branded artwork deadline, venue documents and equipment requirements. Agree how the bar will be installed and removed within the production schedule.
Mobile bar and service specifications
| Specification | Planning detail | What to arrange |
|---|---|---|
| Straight bar working space | Ordered length × 1.5m depth | 0.75m bar depth + 0.75m bartender workspace. A 6m straight bar needs 6m × 1.5m. |
| Horseshoe working space | Ordered width × 2.5m depth | Confirm the width and keep guest circulation and access outside the footprint. |
| Full island working space | 5.5m × 3.5m | Share the plan with the venue or marquee team. |
| Initial staffing guide | One bartender per 50 guests | Review for selected drinks, simultaneous arrivals, separate positions and agreed duties. |
| Initial bar guide | One 1.5m unit per 100 guests | Measured space and the service plan determine the final layout. |
| LED Gatsby | Two bar units or more | Use the supplied product view and the ordered production plan. |
| Ingredients and glasses | Client supplied, or included as agreed | Glassware hire can be added with a staffed mobile bar. Stocked packages include agreed supplies. |
| Access and power | Confirm for the selected setup | Send loading, doors, lifts, stairs and venue requirements. Check power for illuminated equipment. |
| Preparation and removal | Agreed event access windows | Record access before service and equipment removal with your venue contact. |
See completed event setups
Amazon Manchester
A three-metre wooden bar for an after-work team event, with client-arranged ingredients and ice.
See the office barRepresent Manchester
Separate staffed bars on the ground and first floors of a Manchester store launch.
See the two-floor setupClient reviews
Read clients’ own accounts of the staff and service they booked.
Read reviews on GoogleBooking questions
What should I send for an initial quote?
Start with the date, full event postcode, guest count and service hours. State whether you need staff at an existing counter, a staffed mobile bar or a stocked package. You can choose cocktails after establishing the service.
Can I choose the cocktails?
Choose up to five drinks from the existing Cocktailhire menu. The event menu uses your selected drinks. Stocked-package tiers have different eligible menu choices, shown in the booking system.
Who supplies drinks, ice and glasses?
For staff-only hire, you provide ingredients, ice and glasses using the shopping list. Add glassware with a staffed mobile bar, or choose a stocked package with the agreed cocktail ingredients, ice and glasses included.