Dry hire explained
A true dry hire wedding venue in West Sussex
Haylands Barn is a dry hire wedding venue in Graffham, West Sussex, at the foot of the South Downs. Dry hire means you choose any caterer, run or hire your own bar with no corkage, and style the barn however you like. You pay one venue fee with no VAT. Tables, chairs and luxury loos are booked directly with Tents n' Events at Haylands rates, with our help and no mark-up.
What dry hire means at Haylands
"Dry hire" is used loosely in the wedding world. Some venues call themselves dry hire but insist on an approved caterer. Others let you bring food but charge corkage on every bottle. At Haylands it means three things.
Any caterer
A restaurant you love, a street-food van, a hog roast, a family friend who cooks. The courtyard north of the barn, with its covered prep tent and generator, is theirs for the day.
Your own bar
Buy the drinks yourself and ask friends to pour, or hire a mobile bar company. We don't sell drinks and we don't charge corkage. A bar that sells alcohol needs its own Temporary Event Notice; a free bar doesn't.
Your own look
The barn comes with lighting, power and a mirror ball, and otherwise it is yours to dress. There is no house style to work around.
Covered by the venue fee, £6,400
- Exclusive use of the barn, the south-facing patio and two acres of lawn
- An on-site manager through the build and on the day
- Patio bar, soft furniture, benches and cushions
- A 5m x 5m high-top marquee
- A covered prep tent and a 30kVA generator for caterers
- A changing room for the bridal party
- Friday build day from 8am; Saturday 8am to midnight; Sunday collection until 11am
- Indoor and outdoor lighting with a mirror ball
- Field parking, ramp access and professional cleaning afterwards
- No VAT and no corkage
Not covered, and booked by you
- Tables and chairs, and the luxury toilet trailer, from Tents n' Events at Haylands rates
- Catering, drinks and bar staff
- Flowers, music, photography and styling
- Any tipi, marquee or stretch tent on the lawn beyond the included 5m x 5m marquee
- The registrar, booked through West Sussex Registration Service, plus our £300 ceremony fee if you marry at the barn
Tables, chairs and loos: how booking through Tents n' Events works
We thought about bundling furniture and toilets into our price. We decided against it, because a bundled price hides what things cost and would add VAT to the lot. Instead:
- Tell us your guest numbers and pick a style: classic (limewash chiavari chairs at round tables of ten) or rustic (cross-back chairs at trestles of six).
- We tell you exactly how many chairs and tables you need. One 2 + 1 luxury toilet trailer covers up to 200 guests.
- You book directly with Tents n' Events in Arundel and mention Haylands Barn for their Haylands rates: chairs from £4.80, tables from £15, the toilet trailer £960, all including VAT. Delivery and collection are free with tables and chairs.
- We add nothing. Our fee is on the pricing page; theirs sits next to it, with worked totals for 80 to 200 guests and an estimate builder.
Bring your own caterer: how it works here
- Space: a covered prep tent and a courtyard to the north of the barn for vans and waste, out of sight of your guests. There is no kitchen; caterers bring their own equipment, as they would for a marquee wedding.
- Power: sockets throughout the barn and a 30kVA generator for the caterers. Tell us your caterer's and band's power needs four weeks before the day.
- Access: from 8am on Friday for the build, and vehicles right to the courtyard on the day.
- Standards: caterers need a food hygiene rating of 4 or above and £5 million public liability insurance, and they take their own waste away.
- Who has done it before: Jacaranda, Eat the Street, Taste, Gastro and Doggart & Squash all know the barn. You are welcome to bring anyone else.
Dry hire vs all-inclusive: an open-book comparison for 120 guests
Figures for comparable venues come from published 2026 and 2027 listings and are indicative. The point is not that dry hire is always cheaper; it is that you can see every line and decide where the money goes.
| Haylands dry hire | Typical Sussex barn with in-house catering | |
|---|---|---|
| Venue hire | £6,400, no VAT | £7,000 to £8,500 including VAT |
| Tables, chairs, delivery and loos | About £1,716 via Tents n' Events, classic style, including VAT | Usually included |
| Catering | Your choice, typically £45 to £110 per head | £90 to £110 per head, set menus |
| Drinks | Cost price plus staff; no corkage | Venue bar prices, or corkage of £10 to £15 a bottle |
| Set-up | Friday from 8am, your suppliers | Often the morning of the wedding |
| Before food and drink | About £8,116, then catering and drinks at your prices | Roughly £18,000 to £22,000 all in |
How the Friday build day works
You and your suppliers have the barn from 8am on Friday until 5pm. Tents n' Events deliver the furniture, your florist and stylist dress the room, your marquee company builds on the lawn if you are using one. Saturday starts at 8am. Sunday until 11am is for collecting cars, decorations and lost property. There is no other event the day before or after yours.
Suppliers who know the barn
Our suppliers page lists caterers, florists, photographers, marquee and tipi companies, loos and bands who have worked at Haylands. None are compulsory, and there is no charge for bringing your own. All of them know the drive, the power and the layout.
Dry hire questions
Is there really no corkage?
None. Bring what you like, or hire a bar company. If drinks are sold, the bar operator needs a Temporary Event Notice for the day.
Do you have a kitchen?
No. Caterers work from the covered prep tent in the courtyard with their own equipment and our 30kVA generator, as they would at a marquee wedding.
Can we do the catering ourselves?
Yes, within food safety law. Most couples hire at least one professional for service.
Is the venue hire really free of VAT?
Yes. We are not VAT registered, so no VAT is charged on our fees. Tents n' Events prices include their VAT.
Do we have to use your suppliers?
No. You are free to use any supplier and there is no charge for doing so. Every supplier needs £5 million public liability insurance and PAT-tested equipment.
Enquiries open for 2027 and 2028
Pricing and availability
Venue hire is £6,400 for any Saturday from April to September in 2027, held at the same rate for 2028. Tell us your preferred month and we will come back with dates.