Event equipment hire unit

Event organisers, venues, schools, churches, businesses running conferences, and private customers.

Hire fees by the day, weekend or week, with package deals, delivery and set-up charges, and deposits held against damage.

• Good technical knowledge of sound, lighting and projection
• Stock control and maintenance
• Pricing and managing business customers

• Public liability insurance, stock and equipment cover, and employer's liability insurance if you hire staff
• Business rates, lease terms and whether the unit's permitted use allows retail or hire
• Electrical testing and safe maintenance of every item before it goes out
• Stock tied up in kit that sits idle, so buy gradually in line with demand
• Quiet periods outside peak event seasons, so plan your cash flow

Startup costs are estimates, typically around £10,000 to £45,000, depending on the unit and lease terms, how much audio, lighting and projection kit you buy, and your insurance. Buying stock gradually in line with demand may help.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £2,500 to £12,000, depending on the range of kit you hold and how many organisers, venues and businesses you serve. Quiet periods outside peak event seasons mean cash flow needs planning.

Check business rates, lease terms and whether the unit's permitted use allows retail or hire. Also check public liability, stock and equipment cover, employer's liability if you hire staff, and electrical testing of every item before it goes out.