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Dry Hire Mobile Bar London.

Dry hire gives you the full bar setup, unit, bartenders, glassware, and ice, without the drinks markup. You supply the alcohol and we serve it properly. The Sesh Bars dry hire service starts from £1,700 and suits events where a venue or caterer is supplying stock, or where you want full control over what's being poured.

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Fully stocked dry hire mobile bar with LED backlighting, beer fridges, and spirit display

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Dry hire is one option within mobile bar hire, it means hiring the physical bar unit, licensed bartenders, glassware, and ice while supplying your own drinks. The Sesh Bars' dry bar hire service starts from £1,700 for a four-hour event and covers all London boroughs (travel included inside the M25) plus Berkshire. Dry hire makes the most sense when a venue or caterer already supplies alcohol, when the host has trade pricing access, or when a specific brand needs to be showcased, it's about drinks control, not the lowest headline price. Every dry hire booking includes public liability insurance to £5 million, a personal alcohol licence held by each bartender, a drinks quantity guide, and full setup and strike. For a complete comparison of dry hire vs all-inclusive vs cash bar pricing, see the mobile bar hire cost guide.

01 - What's Included

What Dry Hire Includes.

Dry hire from The Sesh Bars includes the portable bar unit, a licensed bartender, quality glassware, ice, bar tools, and full setup and strike. Our team arrives 45 minutes before your event, builds and dresses the bar, and has everything in place for the first guest. All bar waste and equipment leaves with us.

Public liability insurance and the bartender's personal alcohol licence are included on every dry hire booking. We provide a recommended drinks quantity guide when you book, based on your guest count, duration, and event type, so you can shop accordingly. Our bartenders work with any supplied stock and advise you if quantities are running low during the event.

  • Portable bar unit
  • Licensed bartender
  • Quality glassware
  • Ice and coolant
  • Full bar tools
  • Setup and strike
  • Public liability insurance
  • Quantity guide included
02 - Comparison

Dry Hire vs All-Inclusive Bar.

Dry hire suits events where you have an existing drinks supply, a venue or caterer bringing alcohol, a client supplying stock, or a host who prefers to shop themselves. All-inclusive suits events where simplicity is the priority: one price, one point of contact, no shopping list. Both options use the same bar units and the same licensed bartenders.

Feature Dry Hire All-Inclusive
Bar unit + staff ✓ ✓
Glassware + ice ✓ ✓
Drinks supplied You supply We supply
Starting price £1,700 £750
Drinks control Full Menu-based
Quantity risk Yours Ours
03 - When to Choose Dry Hire

When Dry Hire Makes Sense.

Dry hire is the right choice when your venue is already supplying alcohol or your catering contract includes a drinks package. It is also well-suited to events where the host has access to trade pricing, a family in the drinks trade, a company with existing supplier relationships, or an event where a specific premium brand is being showcased and the organiser wants to control exactly what goes behind the bar.

Corporate events with sponsorship arrangements, where a drinks brand is providing stock as part of a commercial deal, nearly always use dry hire. Our bartenders are brand-trained for major spirit labels on request. For events where simplicity matters more than drinks control, see our all-inclusive packages for a single-price option.

Venue-supplied drinks

You have existing stock or a drinks deal

Trade pricing access

You shop cheaper than our wholesale

Brand showcase events

A specific spirit is being featured

Sponsored bar

A drinks brand is supplying the stock

04 - Pricing

Dry Hire Mobile Bar Pricing.

Dry hire starts from £1,700 for a four-hour event with one bartender. This covers the bar unit, glassware, ice, setup, and strike. A second bartender adds £180 per four-hour shift. Events running beyond four hours carry an hourly extension rate, confirm your expected end time when enquiring.

Travel is included for all London events inside the M25. Sites outside the M25 carry a mileage supplement. For a full breakdown of every package option, dry hire, cash bar, all-inclusive, and bespoke, see our packages and pricing page.

Dry Hire

From £1,700

4hrs, 1 bartender, glassware, ice

Extra Bartender

+£180

Per additional bartender, 4hr shift

Hourly Extension

POA

Beyond 4hrs, confirm on enquiry

All prices exclude VAT. Drinks cost is separate, we provide a quantity guide when you book.

08 - FAQ

Dry Hire Mobile Bar FAQ.

What does dry hire mobile bar mean? +
Dry hire means you hire the physical bar unit and bartenders but supply the drinks yourself. The Sesh Bars bring the bar, staff, glassware, ice, and equipment. You provide the alcohol, mixers, and any soft drinks you want served. Dry hire gives you full control over the drinks budget and is often chosen when a venue or caterer is already supplying alcohol.
How much does dry hire mobile bar cost? +
Dry hire mobile bar hire starts from £1,700 for a four-hour event. This covers the bar unit, one licensed bartender, glassware, ice, and setup and strike. Additional bartenders are charged per shift. The final price depends on event length and any additional equipment required.
What do I need to supply for a dry hire bar? +
You supply all the drinks: spirits, mixers, beer, wine, soft drinks, and any cocktail ingredients you want served. We advise on quantities per head and can provide a shopping list when you book. Our bartenders are experienced at working with supplied stock and will let you know if quantities are running low during the event.
Is dry hire cheaper than an all-inclusive mobile bar? +
Not necessarily. Dry hire's booking fee covers the bar unit and bartenders only, you then buy the drinks separately, so the total cost depends entirely on what you source. All-inclusive packages bundle everything into one per-person rate, which can work out similar or better value at scale once you add up your own drinks budget. Dry hire is worth choosing for control over sourcing and brand, not as the automatic cheaper option, we can model both against your guest count when you enquire.
Do I need a licence for a dry hire bar at my event? +
Licensing depends on the event type and venue. Private events where alcohol is provided free to guests generally do not require a premises licence. Events where guests pay for drinks at the bar, even if it's a donation, may require a Temporary Event Notice (TEN). Our bartenders hold personal licences and we advise on the licensing position at the quote stage.
Where in London do you provide dry bar hire? +
Dry bar hire is available across all 32 London boroughs with travel included inside the M25. Central London, North London, South London, East London, and West London are all covered. Berkshire venues including Reading, Windsor, and Ascot are also within our service area with a transparent mileage supplement. We bring the bar unit, bartenders, glassware, and ice to any venue with a flat surface of at least 3m by 1.5m.
Can I combine dry hire with a partial drinks package? +
Yes. Some clients supply their own spirits and beer but want us to provide cocktail ingredients and mixers. Others supply wine and beer and ask us to cover the cocktail menu. We tailor the split to your budget and advise on quantities for whichever items you source yourself. This hybrid approach often works well for wedding receptions where the couple has a specific wine preference but wants professional cocktail service.

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