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Dry Hire Mobile Bar Berkshire.

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 is quoted individually 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, bartenders, glassware, and ice while supplying your own drinks. The Sesh Bars' dry bar hire service is quoted individually and covers Reading, Berkshire, and the Thames Valley, and any travel charge is confirmed in your quote. 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 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 bartender, quality glassware, ice, bar tools, and full setup and strike. We agree setup time and access with you in advance, build and dress the bar, and have everything in place for the first guest. All bar waste and equipment leaves with us.

Public liability insurance is included on every dry hire booking. Licensing requirements are checked for each event. 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
  • 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 bartenders.

Feature Dry Hire All-Inclusive
Bar unit + staff ✓ ✓
Glassware + ice ✓ ✓
Drinks supplied You supply We supply
Price Quoted individually From £2,600 (100 adults, 4 hours)
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 is quoted individually. The bar unit, glassware, ice, setup, and strike are covered, and the price depends on the number of bartenders and how long the event runs, so confirm your expected end time when enquiring.

Any travel charge is confirmed in your quote before you book. For a full breakdown of every package option, dry hire, cash bar, open bar, and bespoke, see our packages and pricing page.

Dry Hire

Quoted individually

Bar unit, bartender, glassware, ice

Extra Bartenders and Longer Events

Quoted individually

Confirm on enquiry

Dry hire is quoted individually and includes VAT where applicable. 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 is quoted individually. The price depends on the bar unit, the number of bartenders, event length and any additional equipment required. Dry hire covers the bar unit, a bartender, glassware, ice, and setup and strike.
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 covers the bar unit and bartenders only, you then buy the drinks separately, so the total cost depends entirely on what you source. Our open-bar packages bundle everything into one rate per adult per hour, 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). Licensing requirements are checked for each event, and we can arrange a Temporary Event Notice where required and agreed.
Where do you provide dry bar hire? +
Dry bar hire is available across Reading, Windsor, Ascot, Maidenhead, Henley-on-Thames, Wokingham, Bracknell, Newbury, and the wider Thames Valley, with any travel cost shown in your quote. 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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