Help & Advice

Many of us worry when hosting an outdoor event. Where do you get all the right equipment? How do you get it there? Who will set it up? Will we have enough power? We are in the middle of a field so where is the power coming from? At SHC we have most of the answers!

 

We are specialists in providing support to major Marquee firms and the events industry. We have a wide range of furniture, catering equipment and small marquees for hire along with our Power Supply and Traffic Management systems.

Q1.What type of marquees do you hire?
Q2. How long is a marquee hire period?
Q3. Do Marquees have to go on grass?
Q4. How large a marquee will I need?
Q5. Can the Marquees be connected to a building or each other?
Q6. Can the Marquee be lined?

Q7.How large does the generator need to be?
Q8.Who will set the generator up?

Q9.What type of events have you supplied power to?
Q10. Will it be safe and pass the requirements of an outdoor event licence?
Q11.What if I only need a small generator?
Q12.Are the generators suitable for use with a TV or computer?
Q13.How far away will a generator need to be and how noisy are they?

Q14.How large are your BBQs and how much gas will I need?
Q15.How much can I get in a chiller cabinet?
Q16.Do you have special marquee heaters?
Q17.Do you have anything to cool a marquee down?

Q18. Do you supply staff for traffic management?
Q19. What about insurance?

Q1.What type of marquees do you hire?
A. We hire a range of small ‘garden’ marquees that are ideal for family functions, corporate days, service tents, covered bars and over spill accommodation.  If you require a larger marquee we have a list of recommended suppliers that we frequently work with.

 

There are two types of marquees that we can supply;

Q2. How long is a marquee hire period?
A. The price quoted is for a standard 3 day hire, but allowances are made for distance travelled, bank holidays and occasional restraints put upon the customer by external parties. 

Q3. Do Marquees have to go on grass?
A. No. If the marquees are to be erected on hard standing we can either drill into the floor and use securing ties or use water filled butts as stabilisers. The marquees do need to be on level ground – if you are unsure whether your ground is suitable we can arrange a site visit.

 

Q4. How large a marquee will I need?
A. If it is for standing room only the legal requirement is a minimum 0.5 sq. m per person, after deducting the space that cannot be used such as areas taken up by tables. A more comfortable rule of thumb is 1 sq, m per guest which gives people more room to move about.

 

For dining events the general calculation is based on 5’ round tables which can seat 10 or 8 guests. The space required to accommodate each table, set of chairs and room for the guests to move is approximately 10 sq. m. If you require additional space for a greeting area or a dance floor this should be deducted from the calculation first. The table below is a simple guide.

 

Approximate marquee capacities (number of guests without dance floor)
	Buffet or Party	5' tables (10 per table)	5' tabes (8 per table)
5m x 4m	40	20	16
5m x 8m	80	40	32
6m x 6m	70	30	24
6m x 9m	105	50	40
6m x 12m	140	70	56
9m x 6m	105	50	40
9m x 9m	160	80	64
9m x 12m	210	100	80
9m x 15m	270	130	104

Q5. Can the Marquees be connected to a building or each other?
A. If there are no obstacles and the ground is level the Pavilion marquees can be connected to a building but we cannot seal the joint as this is a temporary structure fixing to a permanent structure so cannot guarantee the walkway to be weather proof. When fixing to each other we use a special ‘link’ which does guarantee no leaks should it rain. The Party Time marquees are not suitable for linking or adjoining buildings.

 

Q7.How large does the generator need to be?
A. We offer a free on site survey and liaise with caterers, musicians and other technicians to make sure you get the right sized generator, but you can use the guide below to give a rough idea of the kva requirement.

 

 

Q8.Who will set the generator up?
A. We have fully qualified staff that will come to your event with the generator; lay all the cables required, set up and position the distribution boards that your caterers, musicians and marquee firm can plug their lights and equipment into and before they leave they will test that the system has adequate power and most importantly is safe to use.

Q9.What type of events have you supplied power to?
A. We have set up temporary power systems for open air markets, working with several councils, for agricultural shows, weddings, corporate launches and music festivals to name but a few. We work closely with events organisers, caterers, sound & lighting technicians, musicians and individuals to make sure whatever the event you have the power to make it happen!

 

Q10. Will it be safe and pass the requirements of an outdoor event licence?
A. Yes. All our equipment is tested after EVERY hire, including cables and distribution boards. All the cables are heavy duty external grade with weatherproof plugs.  We can supply risk assessments for our work and test certificates if required.

 

Q11.What if I only need a small generator?
A. We carry a full range of generators starting at 1kva, which you can collect from any of our hire shops, along with cables, lights etc.

Q12.Are the generators suitable for use with a TV or computer?
A. Some of our basic generators are not so please specify what you are using it for when you call so that we can make sure you get the correct equipment.

Q13.How far away will a generator need to be and how noisy are they?
A. We have a wide range of generators including ‘quiet running’ and super silenced. All the large generators are silenced and produce very little noise so they need not be sited too far away, although we will always to put them out of the way.  The further away the generator, the more cables will be required so bear in mind that there will be a drop in the wattage supplied.

 

Q14.How large are your BBQs and how much gas will I need?
A. Our Gas barbeques are catering models, the working dimensions are 33.75” x 26” x 33.5”  and we recommended you use a 13kg propane gas bottle which will last 18 hours as gas consumption is usually 0.725Kgs per hour

 

Q15.How much can I get in a chiller cabinet?
A.  The Chiller Cabinet’s internal dimensions are 750mm x 420mm x 400mm deep and they can hold up to 192 cans.

 

Q16.Do you have special marquee heaters?
A.  Yes. The heaters offer far reaching, highly efficient, clean heating and air circulation with remote temperature control and ducting so that the heater is sited OUTSIDE the marquee. The fuel used is propane gas and it is recommended that you have one heater per 250 sq m.  Gas consumption averages at 3.6 kg per hour so a standard 46kg bottle will last approximately 12 ½ hours.

Q17.Do you have anything to cool a marquee down?
A.  Yes. We have a range of fans, including the water fed evaporative cooler. We also have portable air conditioning units, but they are not recommended for use in a marquee as they work best in a sealed environment such as an office.

 

A. No. We supply site fencing, crowd control barriers, signs, fluorescent jackets, lighting towers and other equipment you will need to secure and manage the site, the people and their vehicles. We have a list of companies we have worked with that provide personnel to manage traffic, car parking and security. 

Q19. What about insurance?
A. SHC are covered for any public and employers liability in the unlikely event that damage could occur whilst erecting or dismantling the marquee or setting up a generator but we recommend that you either take out our insurance or check with your own insurers so that you are covered for loss or damage to SHC property whilst it is being used by yourselves.