The Sesh Bars is based in Reading and prices four package types across Reading, Berkshire and the Thames Valley. All quotes include setup, bar service, and strike. Any travel cost is shown in your quote before you book. Temporary Event Notice advisory is provided with every booking at unlicensed venues.
The bar unit, professional bartenders, quality glassware, ice and setup. You supply the drinks. Quoted individually.
Included
Not Included
Best for
Venues with a premises licence, caterers supplying their own alcohol, clients who want full control over drinks sourcing and brand.
A £500 hire fee covers our time, bar unit, and staff. Guests purchase their own drinks at event prices, and a £1,500 minimum bar sales applies across the evening. No upfront alcohol cost to you.
Included
Not Included
Best for
Corporate events, large parties where host does not wish to cover the full bar tab.
Open bar at £6.50 per adult per hour without alcoholic cocktails or £7.50 with alcoholic cocktails, for the first four hours. Extra hours are £4.50 per adult per hour. Spirits, bartenders, glassware, ice, and full setup are covered, with no separate bar-hire fee. Standard minimum is 100 adults and 4 hours, from £2,600 without alcoholic cocktails or £3,000 with. Smaller events are quoted individually.
Included
Best for
Weddings, private parties, corporate dinners, any event where a fully managed, all-in service matters.
Designed for large-scale, complex, or brand-specific events. Multiple bar units, branded menus, flair bartenders, themed glassware, and a dedicated event manager from enquiry to strike.
Included
Best for
Brand activations, festivals, multi-bar corporate events, large weddings (200+ guests).
Open-bar rates have no VAT added on top. Other formats are confirmed in your quote. Final quotes depend on adult count, duration, venue location, and drink specification. Request a quote →
For real-world budget examples by event type, a mobile bar vs venue bar cost comparison, and seasonal pricing notes, see the mobile bar hire cost guide.
Regardless of which package you choose, every booking with The Sesh Bars includes a portable bar unit, professional bartenders, quality glassware, ice, full setup on arrival, and a clean strike at the end of your event. Public liability insurance (£5 million) is standard, not an extra to negotiate. Licensing requirements are checked for each event, and we can arrange a Temporary Event Notice where required and agreed.
We agree setup time and access with you in advance. TEN advisory is included for events at unlicensed venues. A pre-event planning call is standard on all-inclusive and bespoke packages to confirm guest numbers, cocktail preferences, and venue logistics.
TEN Advisory
A Temporary Event Notice (TEN) is required at venues without a premises licence. TENs cost £21, submitted to your local council at least 10 working days before your event. We identify whether your venue needs one and walk you through the application.
£6.50 or £7.50 per adult per hour | No VAT added on top | Setup, bartenders and drinks included
Guests cover £1,500+ at event prices | You control bar spend
100 adults for 5 hours is £3,050 or £3,450 | Extra hours are £4.50 per adult per hour
Full drinks control | Best when you already have a supplier
Why mobile bar hire can cost less than venue bars: Venue bars charge per drink at retail prices, including VAT. An open bar at a fixed per-adult rate includes setup, bartenders, glassware, and ice, with unlimited drinks from the set menu, so you know the bar cost before the day. For a pint-and-wine crowd the venue can be cheaper; the more cocktails you want, the better the open bar value. Venue bar prices and sources are on the mobile bar vs venue bar comparison.
Skip bar hire entirely. Book bar staff hire (quoted individually), 1-2 bartenders are often enough for intimate events. Your venue's existing bar handles inventory; our staff focus on speed and guest interaction.
Best for: established venue bars, private member clubs, restaurant private dining
Choose dry hire (quoted individually). We bring the bar unit, trained bartenders, glassware and ice. You control the drinks budget entirely and negotiate directly with suppliers (wine merchant, beer distributor, spirits wholesaler). Particularly useful where a venue or caterer already supplies alcohol and you don't want to pay for it twice.
Best for: venue partnerships with caterers, specific spirit preferences, brand or supplier control
Choose all-inclusive (£6.50 or £7.50 per adult per hour). We handle everything: bar unit, drinks procurement, staffing, glassware, setup, and strike. You get a locked price weeks ahead; no surprises on invoice day. Suited to couples and planners who value certainty over flexibility.
Best for: weddings, private parties, corporate dinners where comprehensive service matters
Choose cash bar (£500 hire fee with a £1,500 minimum bar-sales requirement). We staff the bar professionally, guests purchase their own drinks, and you control your direct spend. Ideal for large corporate events, fundraisers, or milestone celebrations where attendees expect to buy their own rounds.
Best for: corporate events, large fundraisers, industry networking functions
Book a cocktail masterclass at £50 per person: a two-hour class for a minimum of 12 participants, with all alcohol, ingredients, mixers, glassware, ice, bar equipment and the materials needed all included.
Best for: hen parties, birthdays, team socials, corporate away days
Unsure which fits? Call us on 0118 449 3066. We ask three questions (guest count, event type, and whether you supply drinks or want everything included) and recommend the right package within minutes. There is no obligation.
Planning estimates based on our experience staffing events. Actual consumption varies by guest mix and event style.
Open bar price estimate
£2,600 without alcoholic cocktails
£3,000 with alcoholic cocktails
Open bar: £6.50 per adult per hour without alcoholic cocktails, £7.50 with alcoholic cocktails, for the first four hours. Extra hours are £4.50 per adult per hour. Mocktails and alcohol-free drinks are included in both rates, and the £7.50 rate adds alcoholic cocktails. No VAT is added on top. Open-bar rates apply from 100 adults; smaller events are quoted individually. Cash bar and dry hire options are on the pricing page.
Multiply your adult count by 4 hours by the rate (£6.50 without alcoholic cocktails, £7.50 with), then add £4.50 per adult for each extra hour. For 100 adults at 4 hours that is £2,600 without alcoholic cocktails or £3,000 with alcoholic cocktails; at 5 hours it is £3,050 or £3,450. To check bartender capacity, use an average of 3.5 drinks per person for a wedding: 100 adults × 3.5 drinks = 350 total drinks. Divide 350 drinks by 4 hours = about 88 drinks per hour on average. That requires 2 bartenders working at full capacity, which is what our staffing model provides. If your event runs 5 hours instead of 4, plan for 4.0 drinks per person rather than 3.5, as evening celebration periods (7:30pm-10:00pm) see higher consumption. In practice, professional bartenders using calibrated measures (25ml standard spirits, 50ml doubles) work faster and more consistently than untrained staff, which keeps queues down and the night flowing. Event planners commonly make two miscalculations: (1) underestimating consumption: expect 3.5-4.0 drinks per person for 5+ hour weddings, not 2-3; (2) overestimating bartender speed: one bartender handles 40-60 drinks per hour max, two bartenders 80-120 drinks per hour, meaning staffing must scale with guest count. Conservative planning using 4.0 drinks per person if including dancing prevents running dry mid-reception.
Choose your package type at this stage. Venue availability and budget depend on this decision. All-inclusive allows couples to lock pricing in advance; dry hire requires identifying a drinks supplier. Couples planning summer Saturday weddings should commit to a package by month 4 to secure preferred bartender availability. Budget predictability matters at this stage: an all-inclusive package at £6.50 or £7.50 per adult per hour lets couples communicate a fixed bar budget to stakeholders and wedding planners immediately.
Guest count solidifies. If you've chosen all-inclusive, your quote now finalises based on confirmed headcount. If you've chosen dry hire, now is the time to finalise your drinks order with suppliers. Bartenders need your menu list at least 4 weeks before your event. Cash bar bookings should confirm the TEN application timeline with local councils (10 working days minimum). This stage is when most couples dial in their menu through consultation calls with bar providers.
No package changes at this stage: final numbers lock in. Couples should finalise their bespoke drinks menu if they haven't already. Dry hire couples confirm delivery schedules with spirits suppliers. Cash bar couples ensure TEN has been submitted and approved by their local council. This is when event coordination really matters: confirm setup times with venues, confirm dietary requirements and allergies, and confirm any last-minute guest count changes that affect bartender staffing.
For all-inclusive and bespoke packages, the bar hire provider manages final logistics. For dry hire, confirm spirits and wine have arrived and are properly stored. Confirm final guest count if there have been last-minute cancellations. Clarify any final timing questions (when does champagne service start, what time is first dance) with your bar hire coordinator. These final touchpoints ensure your bartenders arrive briefed on your reception flow and serve smoothly throughout the night.
For repeat bookings: Contact us at 0118 449 3066 or email [email protected] with your expected dates and adult counts, and we will put a tailored quote together. Ask about a tailored arrangement for regular events.
"From start to finish they were exemplary."
"From my conversation, Hemal was very professional, understood what we wanted and nothing was too much trouble. The bar looked very professional with a wide choice of drinks which were reasonably priced."
Share your event details and receive a mobile bar hire quote within 24 hours. No obligation.
Enquiry received
Thanks, your enquiry is with us. We reply within 24 hours on working days. If your event is close, call 0118 449 3066 or message us on WhatsApp for a faster answer.
Or reach us directly
Call 0118 449 3066 WhatsApp Email