Choosing between a local dance floor hire company and a UK-wide (national) dance floor hire company ultimately depends on your specific requirements, priorities, and the nature of your event. While both options can deliver a successful outcome, they do so in different ways, and understanding those differences can help you make a more informed decision.
There is no universally correct choice. Instead, it comes down to weighing up a number of practical factors and deciding which matters most to you. The main areas to consider are:
Availability
Price
Backup
Experience
Each of these plays an important role in determining whether a local or national dance floor hire company is the best fit for your event.
Availability
Availability should always be one of the first considerations when choosing a dance floor hire company. It is not simply a question of whether a supplier is free on your date, but whether they actually have the type, size, and finish of dance floor you want available in their stock.
The most commonly stocked and frequently requested dance floor is the white starlit LED dance floor. Because of its popularity, many companies carry this option as standard. Dedicated dance floor hire companies will almost always have white starlit LED floors in various sizes, but they are also commonly offered by venue décor companies, production suppliers, and even some DJs as an additional service.
This naturally raises another important question: should you hire a dance floor from a specialist dance floor hire company, or rely on a supplier that offers multiple services? While multi-service suppliers can be convenient, a specialist company will typically have a wider range of stock, more in-depth technical knowledge, and a greater focus on the quality and condition of the dance floor itself. I have written a separate post about this topic The truth about booking a dedicated dance floor hire company and a company that use it as as an add on.
Availability becomes a much more significant issue if you are not looking for a white starlit dance floor. Perhaps you want a plain white dance floor without LEDs for a more minimal or contemporary look. You may be considering a coloured dance floor such as red or pink to match your event theme, branding, or wedding colour scheme. In some cases, clients are looking for something truly bespoke, such as a custom finish, printed design, or a non-standard shape.
For these more specialist requirements, local options can be limited. Many local dance floor hire companies simply do not have the demand, storage space, or budget to carry a wide variety of colours and finishes. As a result, they tend to focus on the most popular and versatile products.
In contrast, national dance floor hire companies are more likely to invest in a broader and more unusual range of stock. For some colours and styles, there may only be one supplier in the entire UK. For example, colours such as yellow, ivory, or green are extremely rare. To our knowledge, we are the only company in the UK to hold these colours as standard stock items rather than one-off custom builds.
If your dance floor requirements are very specific, unusual, or bespoke, working with a national company—or at least a company outside your local area—may not just be preferable, but necessary.
National vs Local Dance Floor Hire Prices
Price is understandably one of the most influential factors when choosing between a local and a national dance floor hire company. At first glance, it might seem logical to assume that a local company will always be cheaper, but this is not always the case.
The base hire cost of a dance floor can often be similar between local and national suppliers. In some cases, a national company may even offer a lower hire price due to economies of scale, larger stock holdings, and higher overall booking volumes. However, the key difference usually lies in delivery and logistics costs.
A local company may only need to travel 20 to 30 minutes to reach your venue, whereas a national company could be travelling two, three, or even four hours each way. These additional travel distances increase fuel costs, staff hours, vehicle wear and tear, and in some cases overnight accommodation. All of these factors will influence the final price you are quoted.
As far as we are aware, there are currently no truly national dance floor hire companies operating from multiple depots across the UK. This means that even national suppliers typically deliver from a single central hub. While the initial hire price may appear competitive, the delivery cost can significantly change the overall value.
For this reason, it is essential to ensure you are comparing like for like. Always ask for a final, all-inclusive price that covers delivery, installation, dismantling, and collection. A local company may appear more expensive at first glance but could offer better overall value once all costs are taken into account.
Backup and Contingency Planning
Backup arrangements are often overlooked when booking a dance floor, but they are a critical part of ensuring your event runs smoothly. Problems can and do occur, from vehicle breakdowns and traffic delays to staff illness or unexpected equipment issues.
Smaller local companies may only own a limited number of dance floors and may operate with a small team and a single delivery vehicle. If something goes wrong, their ability to provide an immediate replacement or alternative solution may be limited.
Larger national companies will typically have a greater quantity of stock, more staff, and more vehicles available overall. This can provide reassurance that backup options exist. However, there is a potential drawback: if a problem occurs while travelling to your event, any backup solution may still be several hours away. For time-sensitive installations, such as weddings with strict venue access times, this can be problematic.
Local companies, on the other hand, often have established relationships with other reputable suppliers in their area. If an issue arises, they may be able to source assistance or replacement equipment from another local company at short notice. National companies are less likely to have these local connections, which can limit their flexibility in an emergency.
Experience
Experience is not simply a measure of how long a company has been trading. In the events industry, experience often means that problems have occurred in the past and systems have been developed to prevent them from happening again.
Local companies may have many years of experience working within a particular region and may know local venues extremely well. This familiarity can be a significant advantage, especially when dealing with access restrictions, venue rules, or unusual layouts.
National dance floor hire companies, however, are likely to have multiple dance floors installed every weekend across a wide range of venues, from hotels and stately homes to marquees and outdoor structures. This volume of work means they are exposed to a greater variety of challenges and scenarios. As a result, they may have already encountered and resolved issues that a smaller or less active company has never faced.
This breadth of experience often translates into more refined processes, clearer communication, and stronger contingency planning. While both local and national companies can be highly experienced, the type and scale of that experience can differ significantly.
Final Thoughts
Choosing between a local and a national dance floor hire company is not a decision that should be based on a single factor. Availability, price, backup arrangements, and experience all play an important role, and the right choice will depend on what matters most for your event.
If you are looking for a standard white starlit LED dance floor and value minimal travel costs, a reputable local company may be the ideal solution. If your requirements are more specific, bespoke, or unusual, a national supplier with a wider range of stock and broader experience may be the better choice.
Taking the time to understand these differences will help ensure you choose a supplier that can deliver exactly what you need, with the confidence that your dance floor will be installed professionally and reliably on the day of your event.
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