Furniture hire for events: Drive in Movie Nights at Bell Sport & Classic

Traditionally associated with American teen culture, drive-in movies never previously got out of first gear here in the UK. However, in 2020, with social distancing high on the agenda, this summer saw a whole raft of outdoor cinemas appear; this year, the drive-in is really having its moment on this side of the pond!  Our car-loving client, Bell Sport and Classic, saw this as a great opportunity, and decided to host their very own drive in cinema nights in September. Naturally, with Rio Lounge being specialists in furniture hire for events, we were able to help with some cool outdoor furniture, allowing their guests to enjoy the evening sunshine. Read on to find out more…

Who are Bell Sport & Classic?

Bell Sport & Classic are a local company with a fascinating history, specialising in the sale and restoration of both classic sports cars and supercars.  You can read more about the history of the company in our blog from last year.

Like Rio Lounge, the company’s premises are based in Markyate, Hertfordshire, so we are practically neighbours! We had a chat with Sophie Atkins, Bell’s Events and Marketing Manager, to find out more about the drive-in cinema nights, and of course, the restrictions that had to be put in place to keep the event Covid-safe:

Drive-in Movie Nights

Sophie says: “Following revised government guidelines, we felt that Drive-in Movies were a great idea for our classic and supercar customers. Our site is big enough for to be a Covid-safe environment – and allowed us to re-engage with customers we hadn’t seen all summer.

However, lots of restrictions had to put in place to enable the events to go ahead.  Firstly, due to the ‘rule of 6’, no more than six people were allowed inside the workshops or showroom at any one time, including staff. A one-way system was put in place for both cars and pedestrians. Additionally, we were continually cleaning surfaces; and also ensured there was signage in place to remind guests to use hand sanitiser and comply with social distancing!

Nevertheless, the events were a great success, and we will definitely plan more!”

Furniture hire for the drive-in events 

So what furniture did our client hire for their drive in movie nights?

Firstly: deckchairs. Available in both white linen, and a fun multicoloured stripe; they give a funky retro look to any event. Secondly, our cube-shaped Cabo tables were the perfect height alongside the deckchairs to pop down drinks and snacks. Last but not least, our tough yet stylish Hi-Ball poseur tables and Kubo Bar Stools were dotted around the site for those who preferred a higher seat!

Client testimonial

We love to gather feedback from our customers; this enables us to continually improve and build on the service we offer.  Moreover, it’s especially nice when clients are so happy with our furniture hire service that they book time and time again. We were delighted to receive this testimonial:

‘We have used Rio Lounge for every event at Bell Sport & Classic for the last 18 months, and it has always arrived fresh, clean (spotless in fact) and on time without fail. The furniture really adds that ‘finishing touch’ to our events; the deck chairs especially were so comfortable and perfect for our Drive-in Events. I can’t recommend highly enough – thanks so much to the entire team for a great service.’

We think you will agree that these are wonderful words for any company to read!

Event Credits

Event Sponsors: Louis de Soissons Architects & Herts Tool Company. Screen hire – Tonic Collective. Private screening was provided for:Four Marks Supercar Club. Catering: Anna Lobban. Charity: Rays of Sunshine

Contact us for your furniture hire needs

We would like to thank Bell Sport & Classic for being such loyal customers and for their input to this feature, including all the images.  

We know that events are few and far between right now, however, we are still available to help you plan your furniture hire needs for future events.  Why not get in touch; we have a generous Covid policy, enabling you to postpone your furniture hire at short notice if you end up having to move the date due to Government restrictions. Have a browse around our products and let’s get planning a year full of events for 2021! Call us on 0845 46 77483 or send an email.