Bar staff who know a measure, a till and Challenge 25, and cocktail bartenders who can hold a menu at pace. Hand-picked, briefed twice and paid properly, on a published hourly rate with a four-hour minimum.
A good event bar is set before the first guest arrives. Our bar staff arrive at the briefed time, check the stock against the list, ice the wells, set the garnish, test the tills and card readers, and know where the back-up stock and the glass wash are. During service they pour accurate measures, serve in order, keep the bar clean and dry, and apply your age verification policy every time. At close they break the bar down, count stock back and hand over the float if there is one.
They do not bring stock, glassware, tills or the bar itself. Those come from you, your caterer or your bar supplier. We supply the people, briefed on your drinks list, prices and the way you want the bar to run.
Bar staff are Core tier at £25.00 an hour ex VAT: beer, wine, spirits and mixers, pre-batched drinks and a short list of simple serves. Cocktail bartenders are Skilled tier at £28.00: a full cocktail menu made to order, speed and consistency, and people who can talk about what they are making. A bar supervisor is Lead tier at £34.00: they run the bar team, handle stock and cash-up, and are your one point of contact behind the bar.
Every person on our books has been interviewed by us, has had two references checked, has passed a right-to-work check before their first shift and has worked a paid trial shift alongside a senior member of our team. Anyone handling food or drink holds Level 2 food safety and allergen awareness, paid for by us. Supervisors hold Level 3.
For bar work we look for real bar experience at interview and test it on the trial shift: pace, measures, cash handling and how the person talks to a guest. A personal licence holder can be requested on the booking form if your event needs one on the bar team.
They are our people, engaged on PAYE zero-hours terms, and they choose which shifts to accept. So the person who turns up wanted the shift. They are paid every Friday, from £14.00 an hour plus holiday, and they are paid for the hours booked even if you send them home early.
Every person is briefed twice before your event: once in writing 48 hours out, with the venue, door, transport, uniform, service style, allergens and your on-site contact, and once by phone three hours before start. They photo check-in on arrival. If anyone is not right, tell us in the first hour and there is no charge for them.
If you want to work these shifts yourself, see how we take people on.
These are the starting points we use when we build a quote. They are general guidance, not a rule. The right number depends on how many bars you run, how long the reception lasts, whether drinks are free or paid for, and how complicated the menu is. Tell us the brief and we will tell you honestly how few people the job needs.
| Service | Guidance only |
|---|---|
| Standard barBeer, wine, spirits and mixers | 1 per 50 to 75 guests |
| Cocktail barFull menu made to order | 1 per 40 to 60 guests |
| Drinks receptionPre-poured trays, then a bar | 1 per 75 to 100 guests, plus floor staff |
| Cash or card barGuests paying at the bar | Add 1 per bar for tills at peak |
| Bar supervisorMultiple bars or a team of four or more | 1 per bar team |
Bar staff, cocktail bartenders and bar supervisors are charged at the national rate everywhere outside the M25. The only uplifts we apply are for London, the festive period, bank holidays and New Year's Eve, and they are printed below.
| Tier | We pay them | You pay us |
|---|---|---|
| CoreBar staff, waiting, runners, kitchen porters, event crew, stewards, cloakroom, admissions | £14.00 + 12.07% holiday | £25.00 |
| SkilledCocktail bartenders, baristas, fine-dining and box waiters, hosts, brand ambassadors, team leaders | £16.50 + holiday | £28.00 |
| LeadSupervisors, event managers, chefs de partie | £20.00 + holiday | £34.00 |
| Senior chefSous chefs, head chefs | £24.00 + holiday | £40.00 |
Every client booking carries the same five guarantees, written into our terms of business.
Written, itemised, ex VAT, 8am to 8pm every day. Three hours outside that.
Your account manager's mobile is on the booking confirmation, answered on any day we have people working.
Anyone not right? Tell us in the first hour. No charge for them and a replacement on the way.
New clients get one person for one four-hour shift free on their first booking. See what you are buying.
Names confirmed within two hours of booking. If we cannot fill a position we say so at booking, never on the day.
Some do. Under a premises licence, bar staff do not each need a personal licence, because sales are authorised by the designated premises supervisor. If you want a personal licence holder on the team, tick it on the enquiry form and we confirm at booking whether we can fill it.
No. We supply the people. The bar, stock, glassware, ice and tills come from you, your caterer or your bar supplier. We brief our team on what is there and how you want it run.
Yes. Cash and card handling is part of the Core role. Floats, tills and card readers are yours, and we count back at close with your nominated person.
Bar staff at £25.00 an hour ex VAT pour beer, wine, spirits and simple serves. Cocktail bartenders at £28.00 make a full cocktail menu to order, at speed, and can talk guests through it.
Tell us in the first hour. There is no charge for them and a replacement is on the way. That is written into our terms.
See the whole rate card and the instant estimate, or start a full quote. Looking for shifts yourself? Work with us.
Your brief lands with Tasmyn or Liam, not a queue. A written quote within 60 minutes (8am to 8pm) and a call if anything needs clarifying. A named mobile is given to every client at booking.
Every person paid through our PAYE payroll, so you carry no status risk. Right-to-work checks before day one. Employers' Liability £10m, Public Liability £10m. Certificates with your first confirmation.
Keep them. Use us for the shifts they cannot fill, or the ones that matter most. Overflow is where most first clients start.
Short on people for a big weekend? We supply overflow to other agencies on the same published terms.