Professional Stage Hire Across Norfolk
Modular decking, built to the size and height your event needs. We deliver, build, level and derig — from a 4 m × 2 m DJ riser in a village hall to a full festival stage on grass. Based in Diss, covering Norfolk, Suffolk and the wider East Anglia region.
- Deck module
- 2 m × 1 m
- Height range
- 200–1000 mm
- Load rating
- 750 kg/m²
- Finish
- Non-slip black
Built from 2 m × 1 m modular decks
Every stage we build uses the same 2 m × 1 m deck module. That is what makes the sizes below possible — the stage is assembled to fit the room, not squeezed into a fixed platform.
Deck construction
- Aluminium frame with 18 mm phenolic-faced plywood top
- Non-slip black surface — no carpet, no shine under lighting
- Rated to 750 kg/m² uniformly distributed load
- Approx. 32 kg per deck, handled by two crew
- Decks lock together so the platform behaves as one structure
What comes with the stage
- Adjustable legs set and levelled on site
- Steps with handrails, positioned where you need access
- Black stage skirt to hide legs, cabling and flight cases
- Edge protection to rear and sides where the drop warrants it
- Cable ramps and dressing where the stage meets the floor
Load ratings are confirmed per job against the specific deck stock supplied. If you are flying anything, rigging from the stage or running heavy backline, tell us the weights at quote stage.
Common stage configurations
Plan views below, drawn to the same scale. The gold grid shows how the 2 m × 1 m decks lay out. The thick edge is the front, facing the audience.
Solo acts, DJ risers, award presentations and speaker platforms. Comfortable for two to three people plus a lectern or DJ booth.
The standard wedding and function band size. Fits a four-piece with drum kit, keys and monitors without the drummer sitting on the back edge.
Full band with backline, or a corporate stage carrying a lectern, seating and an LED wall behind. Steps both sides keep changeovers moving.
Thrusts, drum risers, split levels, L-shapes and stages that work around a pillar, a bay window or a marquee pole. Any multiple of the 2 m × 1 m module is buildable.
Choosing a stage height
Leg height is adjustable from 200 mm to 1000 mm. Higher is not always better — in a low-ceilinged village hall a 1 m stage puts a singer's head into the beams.
| Height | Best for | Access |
|---|---|---|
| 200–400 mm | Low ceilings, seated audiences, drum risers on an existing stage | One step, handrail optional |
| 600 mm | The default for weddings and functions with a standing crowd | Two steps with handrail |
| 800 mm | Larger rooms, corporate presentations, deeper crowds | Three steps with handrail, edge protection recommended |
| 1000 mm | Festivals and outdoor events with sightlines over a big audience | Full stair unit with handrails, edge protection to rear and sides |
Ceiling height is the constraint people forget. Measure floor to the lowest beam or fitting and tell us at quote stage — we will work the stage height back from it.
Steps and handrails
Steps are supplied with every stage, sized to the deck height and fitted with handrails. We position them where they work for the event rather than defaulting to one corner — usually stage left or right, out of the audience sightline, on the route from the green room or the load-in door.
- Handrails as standard on every set of steps
- Steps both sides on wider stages so changeovers do not bottleneck
- Edge protection to rear and side edges on stages of 600 mm and above
- Anti-slip nosings on every tread
- Wider or shallower stair units available where access needs are known in advance
Black stage finishes
Everything the audience sees is black. Deck tops are matt non-slip black so they do not flare under front lighting or in photographs, and the legs are hidden behind a fitted black skirt that runs the full front and both sides.
- Matt black deck surface — no reflections on camera
- Fitted black skirting covering legs, cabling and case storage
- Black cable ramps and floor dressing at the stage edge
- Rear and side masking available where the stage sits in open room
Working with a videographer or a photographer? Tell us. Skirt and masking choices change when there are cameras in the room.
Stages we build most often
DJ stages
Typically 4 m × 2 m at 400–600 mm, sized to take a booth, controller and a pair of tops on poles. Enough depth behind the booth for the DJ to move and for cables to run tidily out of the way.
Band stages
4 m × 3 m is the working minimum for a function band; 6 m × 4 m if there is a horn section, keys or a second guitar. A drum riser on the back line lifts the kit and cleans up the sightlines.
Corporate presentation stages
Wide and shallow, usually 6 m × 3 m, with an LED wall or projection screen behind and a lectern to one side. Steps both ends so award winners and panellists can cross without crowding.
Festival stages
Larger footprints at 800–1000 mm, on spreader plates or a bearer grid where the ground is soft. Barrier line, wings, cable management and a roof system where the programme runs whatever the weather.
Indoor and outdoor use
Indoors
- Village halls, hotel function rooms, barns, marquees and sports halls
- Legs sit on protective pads on sprung, sealed or polished floors
- Height worked back from the lowest ceiling beam or light fitting
- Skirting and cable dressing so the stage reads as part of the room
Outdoors
- Grass, hardstanding and tarmac — including sloping ground within reason
- Spreader plates or timber bearers under every leg on soft ground
- Stage levelled across the full footprint, not just the front edge
- Weather cover quoted separately as a roof or marquee (see below)
- Wind loading assessed on the day, with a documented plan for anything with a roof or a backdrop
Waterlogged ground is the one thing that stops an outdoor build. If the field has been under water in the week before, tell us early — we would rather move the position than fail on the day.
Are roofs included?
No. Stage roofs are quoted separately from the decking, because they are a different structure with different requirements.
What a roof adds
- A site survey and ground assessment before the quote is issued
- Ballast or ground anchors sized to the structure
- A wind management plan with defined trigger speeds and an action to take at each one
- Longer build and derig, and a larger crew
- Structural documentation for the venue or the licensing authority
The alternatives
For many outdoor events a marquee or a stretch tent over the stage position is faster, cheaper and easier to license than a dedicated stage roof. We will tell you honestly which route suits your site.
If you already have a marquee supplier, we can build the stage inside their structure — just get us the internal dimensions and the pole positions before we quote.
We build it, you do not
Stage hire from MAV Hire is supplied installed as standard. Our crew delivers, builds, levels, skirts and dresses the stage, then returns to derig. Dry hire of decking is available for experienced production companies on request.
Delivery
From our base near Diss, covering Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Delivery is charged by distance and included in your written quote — no surprises on the invoice.
Build time
A 4 m × 2 m stage takes around 45 minutes with two crew. A 6 m × 4 m with steps, skirting and edge protection takes around two hours. Add time for outdoor levelling.
Scheduling
We build to your venue's access window and work around caterers, florists and dressers. Overnight derig or next-morning collection where the venue allows it.
Paperwork
Public liability insurance, RAMS and PAT certification supplied for your venue as standard. Send us their supplier form and we will complete it.
Floor loading and access
Two questions decide whether a stage can go where you want it: can the floor take it, and can we get it in? Worth checking before you book.
Floor loading
- Weight goes through the legs, not spread evenly across the floor — so point loading matters more than total tonnage
- Load-spreading pads fitted where the venue requires them, or where the floor is timber, sprung or historic
- Suspended and upper floors need the venue's stated loading limit before we quote — mezzanines, galleries and first-floor function rooms especially
- Listed and historic venues often restrict fixings and floor loadings; we work to their conditions
- Backline, LED walls and rigging all add to the figure — tell us what is going on the stage
Access
- Doorway width — decks are 2 m long and need a clear route in
- Lifts must take a 2 m deck; if not, the stage cannot go upstairs
- Stairs, thresholds and tight turns add crew time — flag them early
- Vehicle access and parking as close to the door as possible; long pushes add cost
- Ground conditions for outdoor builds — gravel, grass, gradient, recent flooding
Not sure about any of this? Send us the venue name. We have worked in most rooms across Norfolk and Suffolk, and if we have not, we will call them.
Stage hire across Norfolk
Based at Roydon near Diss, we deliver stages throughout Norfolk and into Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
- Norwich
- Diss
- Great Yarmouth
- King's Lynn
- Thetford
- Dereham
- Wymondham
- Attleborough
- Cromer
- Fakenham
- North Walsham
- Aylsham
- Swaffham
- Watton
- Harleston
- Bungay
Outside this list? We travel. Ask us — most of Norfolk is within an hour of the warehouse.
Stage hire FAQs
What size stage do I need for a band?
4 m × 3 m suits a standard four-piece function band with a drum kit. Step up to 6 m × 4 m if there is a horn section, keyboards, a second guitarist or a drum riser. Send us the band's stage plan and we will size it properly.
Do you deliver and build the stage, or is it dry hire?
Installed as standard. Our crew delivers, builds, levels, fits steps and skirting, and returns to derig. Dry hire of decking is available to experienced production companies on request.
Is a roof included with an outdoor stage?
No. Roofs are quoted separately because they need a site survey, ballast or anchoring, a wind management plan and a larger crew. For many events a marquee over the stage position works out simpler and cheaper.
How much weight can the stage take?
Our decks are rated to 750 kg/m² uniformly distributed. That covers a full band with backline comfortably. If you are putting an LED wall, a heavy set piece or rigging on the stage, tell us the weights at quote stage and we will confirm against the specific stock supplied.
Can you build on grass or sloping ground?
Yes. Legs are adjustable so we level across the full footprint, and we use spreader plates or timber bearers on soft ground. Waterlogged ground is the exception — if the field has been under water recently, let us know so we can reposition.
What heights are available?
200 mm to 1000 mm. 600 mm is the usual choice for weddings and functions. Low ceilings push you lower; big outdoor crowds push you higher. Measure floor to the lowest beam and we will work back from it.
Do you supply steps and handrails?
Yes, with every stage, at no extra charge. Steps are sized to the deck height and fitted with handrails and anti-slip nosings. We fit steps to both sides on wider stages.
Can you supply sound and lighting with the stage?
Yes — that is our main business. Most stage bookings come with a PA, lighting rig and an engineer. Ask for a combined quote and it will work out better than hiring separately.
Tell us the venue and the act
That is usually all we need to size the stage, pick a height and quote the build. Same-day response on most enquiries.