Q1. 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.

Usually we erect the marquee the day before the event and dismantle the day after. If this falls over a weekend it will be the closest working day, unless you specifically need it doing over the weekend when there may be an additional charge.

Q2. 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.

Q3. 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.

Q4. 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.

Q5. Can the Marquee be lined?

A. The Pavilion range can all be supplied with linings and both ranges can be fitted with carpets or wooden floors.

Q6. 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.

Q7. 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.

Q8. 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!

Q9. 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.

Q10. 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.

Q11. 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.

Q12. 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.

Q13. 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

Q14. 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.

Q15. 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.

Q16. 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.

Q17. Do you supply staff for traffic management?

Q18. 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.

End FAQ