The Brief
A member of the teaching staff at Bennet Memorial Diocesan School in Tunbridge Wells organised an end-of-term celebration for around 60 colleagues. The event was held in the school's main hall after hours — a space that needed transforming from exam-season classroom to cocktail bar in under two hours.
The organiser wanted something that felt like going out, not like standing around with warm wine. Their exact words: "We spend all term looking after everyone else. This is the one night we get looked after."
The Setup
School halls are one of the more unusual venues we work in, but the fundamentals are straightforward: large open space, power available, flat floor, and easy vehicle access for load-in through the main entrance.
- One bar unit positioned against the stage end of the hall
- LED accent lighting along the bar face — transformed the room from assembly hall to event space
- Two bartenders for the 60-person guest list
- Full glassware: no plastic cups, no compromise
- Setup completed in 75 minutes after the school closed for the day
The Menu
We kept the menu accessible — a crowd-pleasing list that didn't require cocktail knowledge to order from:
- Pornstar Martini — the most-ordered cocktail in the UK for a reason
- Espresso Martini — teachers and coffee; the pairing writes itself
- Aperol Spritz — light, easy, worked well for guests who started early
- Mojito — classic; fresh mint, white rum, lime, soda
- Virgin Mojito — same build, no rum, for designated drivers and non-drinkers
We served 190 cocktails in three and a half hours. The Espresso Martini was the runaway winner — 70 serves. Make of that what you will.
Why Staff Parties Work Well with a Mobile Bar
Corporate Christmas parties get all the attention, but staff celebrations at schools, hospitals, and public-sector organisations are some of the best events we do. The guest list is tight-knit, the atmosphere is genuinely warm, and the bar becomes the focal point of the room in a way that doesn't happen at a 500-person corporate event.
For venues outside London — Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Maidstone — we charge no travel surcharge within the M25 corridor and a flat £75 beyond it. Kent bookings are straightforward: we load from our Berkshire base and arrive via the M25/A21.
"Another massive Sesh for the Teachers. What a night."
— The Sesh Bars team, March 2026
Staff Party Bar Hire
Staff party and corporate event bar hire starts from £1,800 for up to 60 guests. We cover Tunbridge Wells, the wider Kent area, and all venues within 90 minutes of London. Schools, colleges, and community halls are venues we know well — we handle the setup, the service, and the strike so your only job is to enjoy the evening.