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Everything you need to know about grandstand and tiered seating hire
Putting on a big event? Spectator seating’s one of the most important elements to get right.
Whether you’re planning a show, TV shoot or sports event, giving your guests a safe, comfortable seat with a great view of the action is crucial to creating an amazing audience experience.
The good news is, you can hire temporary seating for events in all kinds of configurations – from tiered seating and temporary grandstands to flat-floor and accessible options.
In fact, at GL Events UK that’s what our in-house designers deliver for events all over the country, from the Hay Literary Festival to the Horse of the Year Show, and from the Orchard West theatre to shoots for major productions like The Running Man movie or The Greatest Dancer TV show.
We’ve built up a huge amount of experience along the way, and in this blog, we’ll be sharing it with you – walking you through everything you need to hire the right seating for your next event.
So, what exactly is temporary seating?
Well, as you’d expect, it’s seating you can hire short term, for a specific event. What lots of people don’t realise is that you can hire seating for both indoor and outdoor use. Generally speaking, it’s made up of two elements – the seats, which are usually plastic and tip-up, and the scaffold system or frame that holds the seats together. In tiered seating, this frame also creates the tiers (also known as the rise or rake) that hold the seats up off the ground.
What different kinds of temporary spectator seating are there?
Temporary seating tends to fall into five categories:
- Tiered seating
- Grandstand seating
- Flat-floor seating
- Standing platforms
- Accessible viewing platforms
Hay Literary Festival grandstand seating
What do we mean by tiered seating?
Tiered seating is one of the most popular options for events. It’s a bank of seating set on scaffolding, so each row is stepped higher, giving the whole audience a clear view. Tiered seating can be used for small spectator stands, but it can also be used on a huge scale, as part of grandstand seating.
Multiple stands of tiered seating for Horse of the Year Show
What is grandstand seating?
Well, it’s when lots of tiered seating is combined to create vast, bespoke stepped seating that rises high into the air, seating hundreds or even thousands.
Grandstands for hire can be stand-alone outdoor structures (covered or uncovered), or installed within a building, like an exhibition hall. They’re often associated with sports, but actually, they’re a really effective type of spectator seating for everything from music events to graduations and parades.
What is flat-floor seating?
Looking for something a little closer to the ground? Temporary flat-floor seating uses the same tip-up seats as tiered and grandstand seating, but on a floor-level frame. It often works well when the audience is looking up at a raised stage, so sight lines are less of an issue.
What are standing platforms?
Standing platforms are modular, totally configurable decking systems that can either be single or multiple level, useful if you’re creating short-term viewing spaces. While they’re often used for events like golf, where spectators move to follow the action, they’re also often used as part of VIP areas at shows and concerts where people might like to move around or dance.
What are accessible viewing platforms?
Accessible viewing platforms create a great spectator experience for wheelchair users and their companions. They’re similar to standing platforms, but specially designed to give wheelchair users excellent sight lines, and fitted with fully DDA-compliant ramp systems.
If you’re wondering what are the accessibility requirements for temporary seating, the Green Guide (more on this in a moment) recommends that they make up at least 1% of your total audience seating, so your event is fully inclusive and open to everyone.
What if I don’t know what kind of seating I need?
Sometimes people ask us: what type of grandstand or tiered seating do I need for my event? And the starting point is always the kind of experience you want to create. You might like your guests to sit in the round, in a horseshoe shape or on all four sides. You might have specific sight lines in mind, numbers you need to accommodate or elements you’d like to build in.
Talk through all of those needs with potential seating suppliers and they should be able to make recommendations. Our approach is always to take your vision and transform it into the best possible tailored seating design, modelling the site topography and combining a whole range of seating options to achieve exactly what you need.
Tiered and flat floor seating at Warwick Castle
Can I include bespoke features or branding in my seating?
Yes, yes and absolutely, yes. Companies offering grandstands for hire should be able to build in all kind of features to create a great seating environment for your event. That might include practical features like walkways, bridges, accessible viewing platforms and toilets, tech elements like AV, audio, TV towers and commentary boxes, or premium touches like upholstered seats and VIP areas.
Because grandstand seating is created on scaffolding, you can also build in facilities like shops, bars and restaurants below the seating, accessible from behind it. Temporary grandstands can even be built over existing buildings, incorporating them into the footprint of your event and encouraging guests to visit. All of these things allow you to create the kind of environment, and experience, you want for your spectators, increasing dwell time in key areas.
If you’d like to incorporate branding into your tiered seating or grandstands, the right supplier should be able to use different coloured seats to recreate your brand colours or logo. The wrapping or cladding that encloses your scaffolding can also be fully branded and printed on to create a really impactful, eye-catching finish.
What safety standards apply to temporary seating in the UK?
Whatever seating you hire, safety is crucial. Your spectators need to be safe while they’re in their seats, and be able to enter and exit easily, both in normal conditions and in an emergency.
But that throws up lots of questions for event planners. How do I calculate the number of entry and exit points needed? Do I need a fire safety plan for grandstand seating? Do I need additional crowd control barriers or fencing around the seating?
The fact is, all of those are important considerations, but they’re also things a reputable seating supplier should be able to handle for you. They should be able to design in the right number of entry and exit points, as well as providing fire safety plans and any extra barriers you might need.
We seat hundreds of thousands of people a year, so we make sure we meet – and exceed – the safety measures set out in The Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (often called the Green Guide). It’s an industry benchmark and a good guide to reference when you’re talking to potential seating suppliers. For extra peace of mind, you can ask whether (like us) they also comply with the recommendations of the Institute of Structural Engineers.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of event is temporary seating suitable for?
Pretty much any event you can imagine. There’s a whole range of temporary seating stands available to hire, from grandstands and tiered seating to flat-floor options, standing platforms and accessible viewing platforms. Which all means that whether you’re planning a concert, conference, TV shoot, theatre show, graduation day, passing out parade, sports event or virtually anything else, you can hire temporary seating to create a great guest experience.
How big can grandstands be?
Typically our grandstands start at around 100 seats and can go up to 10,000 seats or more. So is there a maximum height for tiered seating at public events? Not really. The key factor is that the design complies with a structural engineer’s calculations and can resist forces like wind load.
We have our own in-house charted structural engineers, as well as external experts, and they’ve enabled us to build some very high grandstands – 28 metres high at Lancashire County Cricket Club and 31 metres high at Eden Park in New Zealand for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
How do I choose the best layout for visibility and sight lines?
Suppliers offering grandstands for hire should always build maximum visibility into their seating proposals, recommending the best layout to achieve it, so talk to them about your priorities and ask them to walk you through their designs.
How much space do you need for a grandstand?
A good supplier will create a bespoke design for your temporary grandstand seating, so we’d always advise you to tell them how much space you’ve got and what you’re hoping to create, so they can put together a proposal for you.
How many temporary seats can I fit on my site?
If you’re wondering how do I estimate the right capacity and footprint for temporary seating? we always recommend starting with the number of people you need to accommodate and the space you’ve got, then working out whether that’s realistic. Our spectator seating team generally works from the Green Guide’s recommended specification of 800mm x 500mm per person, then factors in other Green Guide codes determining things like the number of exits.
When it comes to how many seats fit in a grandstand, there’s a common misconception that the pitch of grandstands (how steeply they rise) impacts the number of seats. This actually isn’t the case. But if you can tell us the square meterage of your site, we’re always happy to calculate the number of seats your grandstand could safely have, based on our seat dimensions.
What’s the standard seat width and row spacing for comfort?
At GL Events, our standard seats are 500mm wide, which is more generous than the industry average. Row spacing varies depending whether you hire tiered or flat-floor seating. Our tiered spacing is 800mm, while our flat-floor spacing is 762mm.
Do I need planning permission for temporary seating?
Flat-floor seating, small spectator stands, standing platforms and accessible viewing platforms don’t usually need planning permission, but tiered seating and grandstands often do, especially if they’re more than 5m high or they’re going to be standing for more than 28 days.
Your grandstand hire supplier should help you through the process, but it’s important to factor in the time you’ll need to get approval, which is often between 8 and 12 weeks.
How much ground preparation is needed for grandstand seating?
That depends where your grandstand is going. If it’s inside or on a concrete pad outside, then the ground prep will be quite minimal. Your grandstand hire supplier should factor in whether there are any services or hatches that can’t be covered, or whether the surface needs a protective membrane – for example if it’s a sprung gymnasium floor.
Outside, grandstands can be built on grass or sand, as well as hard surfaces, but a structural engineer will need to make sure the weight is spread evenly. So can temporary seating be installed on uneven or sloped terrain? Yes, we’ve done it many times, often incorporating concrete piles as part of the grandstand’s design.
How long does temporary grandstand seating take to install?
We’re often asked how long does it take to install and dismantle a grandstand? That depends on the project. Small spectator stands with simple designs in quiet periods can be up in just a few hours. But more complex grandstands will always need extra time for design, engineering and approval, not to mention installation. Our advice would be to talk to suppliers as soon as you’ve got the basic details of your project, so they can work out a solution and ring-fence the time.
Can a grandstand be moved or adjusted once installed?
While minor adjustments can often be made, grandstands can’t be moved once they’re installed – they’d have to be completely taken down and put up again, which would be very expensive. That’s why it’s so important to work closely with your supplier and make sure you’re completely happy to approve your spectator seating design before installation starts.
What happens if the weather is bad during installation?
If your temporary spectator seating is being used outdoors, bad weather can have an impact. For example, prolonged wet weather can mean the ground needs extra prep work and strong winds can mean installation has to be delayed, especially if people need to work at height. The good news is, UK seating suppliers are more than used to wind and rain, so they should have a contingency plan and build extra time into your schedule to cope.
How long can I hire temporary seating for?
In most cases, seating and grandstand hire can be as long as you need it – from a single day to over 20 years. Once your seating is up, with regular checks it can stay in place almost indefinitely.
What if I need permanent tiered seating or grandstands?
If you’re looking for an even longer-term solution, we also have a dedicated Stadia by GL Events team who specialise in permanent seating and stadium construction.
How much does grandstand seating cost?
Tiered seating and grandstands can vary hugely in terms of size and complexity, which naturally means prices will vary too. Most suppliers start with a rough cost per seat, then factor in other elements to create a bespoke quote for your event.
So what affects the price of tiered seating hire? Besides the actual size and specification of the grandstand, one of the biggest factors affecting price is time – not just how long you hire the seating for, but how long it takes to install and dismantle, and what time restrictions your site might have. When suppliers are given a very tight window of time for installation, they often have to bring in extra labour to get the job done more quickly. They’ll also factor in how far installation teams have to travel and whether they can drive right onto the site to unload easily.
Wondering what exactly is included in a grandstand hire package? or do suppliers charge for installation, delivery and breakdown separately? Well, quotes should usually include design, site visits, structural engineering, transport, installation, sign-off and clear-down. You’ll then get additional options like cladding for the scaffolding, roofing, branding, spectator facilities, carpets, cushions, seat numbering and powder coating handrails (often needed for TV work).
We’re sometimes asked can I get itemised estimates for different configurations? Absolutely. A good supplier should be able to price tiered seating or grandstands in whatever way you want them, breaking down the price so you can understand the different elements. It’s actually a really helpful starting point for working with your supplier to value engineer the design, prioritising what matters to you most and cutting out other elements to keep your budget on track.
Chris Mansell
Managing Director, Seating & Stadia | GL events UK
Is maintenance included in the cost of grandstand hire?
It depends how long your spectator seating will be up for. For short-term tiered seating hire, maintenance isn’t usually needed and often won’t be factored in, but temporary grandstands need to be inspected every three months for structural integrity and potential damage, so if your hire period goes beyond this, you might see maintenance listed on your quote.
Do suppliers stay on site during the event?
Not usually, but if this is something you’d like, just talk to your grandstand hire supplier. Like us, they may well be happy to keep somebody on standby on site for an extra charge.
What should I look for in a grandstand seating supplier?
When you’re looking at companies offering grandstands for hire, start by checking their knowledge, experience and reliability. Look at what projects they’ve done and how experienced their people are, including their designers, CAD specialists and structural engineers. Read their case studies and testimonials, and ask for references from past clients.
Find out about about their customer support too. Do they have a properly resourced team who’ll look after you at every stage and communicate with you effectively? Will they give you a project manager who’ll be on site during the final installation?
Next, familiarise yourself with their product. See whether you can visit a live project using some of their temporary grandstand seating, try out the seats and get a feel for the finish. Ask whether they comply with the latest regulations, as well as the guidance from the Green Guide and Institute of Structural Engineers. Then, when it comes to designing your own spectator seating, look for flexibility. A good supplier will give you a range of options based on your specific requirements – not just roll out what they usually do.
Finally, try to find out about their financial stability, especially if you’re looking to hire seating longer term. Can you rely on them to be around by the end of the year, or in 10 to 20 years’ time? And can they afford to maintain and refresh the equipment you’ll be hiring?
What certifications or accreditations should a seating supplier have?
Businesses offering tiered seating for hire – or any seating for that matter – should have ISO approved systems in place to cover quality and health & safety management. They should also comply with the Green Guide and Institute of Structural Engineers guidance. If you can see they care about proper procedures, that’s a good sign.
You might also want to check their position on ethics, sustainability and community. Does it line up with yours, and can they support you in meeting your own targets?
Can a supplier handle phased installation if a site is shared with other contractors?
An experienced supplier who’s worked on complex projects should be able to. At GL Events we’ve worked on major projects all over the world, including the Commonwealth Games, so we absolutely can. If we’re appointed Principal Contractor on a project we’ll draw up a detailed installation plan to make sure each team works seamlessly alongside each other.
How do I check if a grandstand supplier is fully insured?
Ask them. A reputable company will understand how important this is for you, and they’ll be happy to share their insurance cover details.
Make sure you have a good understanding of the amount of professional indemnity and public liability insurance you need them to have so that your event or grandstand hire period is properly covered.
What information do I need to give the supplier to get started?
From the outset, most suppliers will want to know where, when and for how long you need your temporary seating, as well as what type of event you’re planning and how many people you need to accommodate. From there, they should be able to give you ballpark figures and tell you whether they have availability for your project.
What kind of grandstand seating does GL Events do?
We offer two types of grandstand seating – C-View and C-View Plus – which can be used to create a huge range of bespoke seating designs. They both use polypropylene tip-up seats which are more generous than the industry standard, set into galvanised steel frames, which in turn lock into solid aluminium risers and non-slip decks, with aluminium balustrades.
The main difference between them is the height of their row risers – or the distance each row of seats is stepped up from the next. The bigger the riser, the clearer the spectator’s sight line. While C-View offers 166mm and 333mm risers, C-View Plus offers 250mm, 375mm and 500mm. In most cases you won’t need to make a choice – we’ll recommend the best option for your event, often combining both products to make the best use of your space.
Whichever product we use at GL events UK, we always used closed risers in our grandstands, which means there aren’t any gaps in the flooring, so spectators don’t need to worry about dropping their belongings. It’s all part of creating a safe, comfortable environment that gives people the best possible experience at your event.
Chris Mansell
Managing Director, Seating & Stadia | GL events UK
Planning an event? Let’s talk
If you’d like to find out more about working with GL Events UK, just get in touch with our team.
