Frequently Asked Questions
General & Availability
-
To check our availability, just send us your event date, location, and a few details about your plans. We’ll confirm right away if we’re free. Popular dates, especially weekends and summer months, do book up quickly, so we recommend enquiring as early as possible to secure your spot.
-
We recommend booking as soon as you know your event date. For weddings and larger events, 6+ months in advance is ideal to secure your preferred date. For smaller parties, a couple months’ notice is usually enough, but availability is always first come, first served, so the earlier you book, the better.
-
Yes, we’ve catered for events of all sizes, from intimate gatherings of 20 guests to large weddings and corporate events with several hundred attendees. We’ll recommend the right number of bartenders, bar setup, and service style to suit your guest count, so everything runs smoothly and your guests are well looked after.
Packages & Pricing
-
We offer a range of flexible bar packages to suit different events, guest numbers, and budgets. Our most popular options include:
Cash Bar – Guests purchase their own drinks, just like at a pub. We handle everything from stock to staffing, and you don’t need to worry about running a tab.
Open Bar – You cover the cost of drinks for your guests, with a set price agreed in advance or billed after the event based on consumption.
Token System – You provide guests with a set number of drink tokens, and once they’re used up, they can either purchase their own or you can choose to extend the tab.
Dry Hire – We supply the bar unit, staff, glassware, and equipment, while you provide the alcohol. Perfect if you’d like to bring your own drinks but still want professional service.
Custom Packages – Mix and match options to suit your event, whether that’s a cocktail-only bar, themed drinks menu, or a combination of bar types.
-
Our hire price includes everything you need for a fully functioning bar service. Typically this covers:
Your chosen bar unit
Professional bartenders and staff
Glassware or disposable drinkware
Mixers, garnishes, ice, and bar equipment
Setup, breakdown, and cleanup
Support with menu planning and drink recommendations
Depending on the package you choose, alcohol may be included (all-inclusive) or provided by you (dry hire). We’ll always make it clear what’s covered in your quote so there are no hidden surprises.
-
We include any cost of travel within 100 miles from our postcode YO26 7QF, any additional travel on top of that can be negotiated and will be transparent in the planning discussions.
-
Yes, we do have a minimum spend requirement, which varies depending on the day of the week, season, and package you choose. This ensures we can cover staffing, stock, and setup costs for your event. We’ll let you know the exact minimum spend when preparing your quote, and if you’re planning a smaller event, we’ll always do our best to suggest a package that fits your needs.
Staff & Service
-
The number of staff we provide depends on your guest count, event style, and menu. As a guide, we recommend 1 bartender for every 50–70 guests to keep service smooth and queues short, however we typically deploy 2 bartenders as standard to any event.
-
Yes, all of our team members are professionally trained in cocktail making, wine service, and general bar etiquette. They’re skilled at mixing classic and modern cocktails, pouring wines correctly, and delivering friendly, efficient service.
-
Our service time fully depends on your requirement, we can be there from welcome drinks to last dance if required. If you have booked us for a set amount of time but would like to extend it, we can arrange this on the day providing it fits within the venue’s rules and licencing restrictions.
Menu & Drinks
-
Absolutely! We love creating bespoke menus. You can choose from our list of popular cocktails, wines, beers, and spirits, or work with us to design a completely tailored menu that matches your tastes, theme, or season. Whether you’d like a signature cocktail for your wedding, a themed drinks list for a party, or alcohol-free options, we’ll make sure the menu reflects your event perfectly.
-
Yes, we always provide non-alcoholic options so that every guest feels included. Alongside our standard bar menu, we can serve a range of mocktails, soft drinks, juices, and waters. If you’d like, we can also design a dedicated alcohol-free menu with creative mocktails that look and taste just as special as their alcoholic counterparts.
-
Yes — if you’d like to supply your own alcohol, we offer a dry hire package where we provide the bar, staff, glassware, ice, mixers, and garnishes, while you provide the drinks. In most cases, there’s no extra charge for this, though we do apply a service fee to cover things like chilling, storing, and serving your stock.
-
We’re happy to accommodate requests for specific brands wherever possible. If we’re supplying the alcohol, we’ll do our best to source your preferred labels and will let you know if there are any availability or cost differences.
Set-Up & Logistics
-
For our horsebox bar, we need a space of around 5m x 3m on flat, level ground. Clear access is essential so we can tow the bar into position, this means wide enough entrances, no low branches, and suitable ground conditions. If you’re unsure whether your venue can accommodate the horsebox, just let us know and we can advise or arrange a site visit.
-
Our bar can be self-sufficient, but access to certain utilities can make service smoother:
Power: A double 13-amp socket nearby is required for lighting, refrigeration, and equipment. If power isn’t available, we can supply a generator at an additional cost.
Water: We bring our own water containers for washing and service, but if there’s access to running water on site, that’s always helpful.
Other utilities: None are strictly required, we’ll bring everything else we need.
We’ll confirm all requirements with you in advance so there are no surprises on the day.
-
For our horsebox bar, we typically allow 2–3 hours for setup before your event starts. This includes positioning the bar, stocking it, and preparing everything for service. Pack down and cleanup usually take about 1 hour after the event ends. For larger or more complex setups, we may allow extra time, which will always be included in your quote.
-
Yes, our horsebox bar is fully versatile and can operate both indoors and outdoors. Outdoors, it works best on flat, level ground with enough space for guest access. For indoor events, we just need a suitable entrance and clearance for the bar to fit comfortably. In all cases, we’ll review your venue beforehand to ensure a smooth setup and service.
Practical Considerations
-
Absolutely! We can decorate the horsebox bar to complement your wedding or event theme. This can include flowers, signage, lighting, bunting, or themed accessories to match your colour scheme and style. Just let us know your vision, and we’ll work with you to create a bar that looks as good as the drinks taste.
-
For larger events, we carefully plan staffing and bar layout to ensure smooth service. This includes:
Multiple bartenders based on guest count (typically 1/2 bartenders per 50–70 guests)
Efficient bar stations to reduce queues
Pre-prepared mixers and garnishes for faster service
Optional token or drink card systems to streamline ordering
-
Outdoor events always carry some weather risk. While we can’t cancel due to rain, we’ll work with you to mitigate problems e.g. setting up under a tent or marquee, repositioning under cover, or relocating indoors if available. For extreme weather, we will discuss rescheduling options (per our policy). We encourage you to plan contingencies and prepare for this possibility in your event setup.
-
Yes, we hold all the necessary UK licenses and insurance to serve alcohol legally. This includes liquor licensing and public liability insurance. If your venue has specific requirements, we can provide copies of our certificates and work with the venue to ensure everything is fully compliant for your event.
Payment & Terms
-
Our standard deposit amount for all event types and services is 25% of the total booking amount. This amount is non-refundable and secures your date for your event!
-
We require the balance to be paid 30 days before your event. This applies whether you’ve chosen one of our set packages or a minimum spend/amount behind the bar option.
If you’ve opted for an open bar, you can pre-pay for an agreed amount in advance, and if you’d like to extend this during the event, the additional spend can be settled on the night.
This ensures everything runs smoothly, while still giving you flexibility to add extras if the celebration is flowing!
-
A non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking. The remaining balance must be paid no later than 30 days before your event.
If the balance is not received by this deadline, the booking will be cancelled and the deposit retained.
If you need to reschedule your event, we’ll happily transfer your deposit to a new date (subject to availability). Please give us as much notice as possible so we can work with you to find an alternative date.
-
At all our events, we allow for payment to be made in both cash and card, giving customers the freedom of choice so everyone has a way to pay. Cash is king!