Frequently Asked Questions

What does the standard price include?

The price quoted on the website includes the equipment only (unstaffed unless otherwise specified) with free local delivery and set up in the North East.

The most common additional charges are for delivery outside our free area (nationwide delivery available), late collection or overnight hire, staffing, and an alternative power source (eg, generator hire) if electricity is not available.

What areas do you cover?

We can deliver nationwide depending on what items you want and what your budget is. We are based in the North East and therefore most commonly cover Newcastle, Gateshead, County Durham, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Northumberland, Hexham, and we are often found driving across to Carlisle and the Lake District or up to Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Borders of Scotland.

How much is delivery?

Local delivery in the North East is often free, although some areas will incur a charge. Delivery to rural areas, across to the North West and up to Scotland will incur a delivery charge based on fuel consumption and staff hours. To accurately calculate the best delivery charge possible for you, we need to know the postcode of delivery and the length of the event. Certain items can sometimes be couriered to you at a lower cost, please ask for further details.

The product I want doesn't seem to be available?

Give us a ring, some items are on long term hire or may be currently unavailable for another reason however we can usually still help! We may be able to suggest an alternative or source the item you want in time for your event.

Do I pay a deposit / booking fee?

Yes, a 25% booking fee is required at the time of booking to secure your date and equipment. No booking is confirmed until the booking fee has been paid.

What time will you arrive?

This depends on the equipment you have booked. Some items can be set up in 10 minutes, whereas our biggest packages may require a couple of hours for set up. We will always ask you what time your event starts and ensure that we arrive with plenty of time to set up.

How long do I get the equipment for?

Standard prices on the website are for up to 4 hours, between 9am and 5pm. Late collection, overnight hire and multi day hire are all possible and can be added to your order on the booking form. If you have booked staffing, your equipment hire will be for the same length of time as the staffing.

What happens if A1Events cancels my hire?

We will only cancel your booking if going ahead poses a serious safety risk. For example, electrical equipment cannot be set up outside in the rain and inflatables cannot be operated outdoors in winds or gusts of 24mph and over. If strong winds are predicted, there are a couple of options - you can change to an indoor venue or we can offer an alternative date. If neither of these are possible, we can make an onsite assessment of windspeed before making a decision. We may also be able to offer some alternative equipment of a similar value.

On the extremely rare occasion that your equipment is damaged prior to your hire date and cannot be repaired or replaced in time, we will contact you as soon as possible to offer an alternative of equal or greater hire value.

What happens if I need to cancel?

Please see our Cancellation Policy for the full terms. A summary is provided below:

Please note: the booking fee is always non-refundable.

Orders up to £399.99: Cancellations must be made 7 full days prior to your event. Cancellations made between 7 days in advance of your event and up until 12 noon the working day before your event are subject to a 50% cancellation fee. Cancellations after this will be subject to a 100% cancellation fee (including refusal of delivery on arrival or inability to set up due to material misinformation).

Orders £400 and over: Cancellations must be made at least 14 days in advance of the event. Cancellations made between 14 days prior to the event and 12 noon 3 days prior to the event will be subject to a 50% cancellation fee. Cancellations after this will be subject to a 100% cancellation fee to cover our costs (including refusal of delivery on arrival or inability to set up due to material misinformation).

What happens if it rains and my booking is outdoors?

Some bookings can go ahead in the rain, such as inflatables and some garden games, however electrical items cannot be set up outside in the rain. We strongly recommend you have a back up option available.

Are you insured?
Yes, we have public liability insurance of £5 million. We can e-mail evidence of the cover to you or the venue if required.

If you have any questions that have not been answered on this page, please Contact Us and we will be able to help you.