 | Our History And The Story So Far  Many summers ago, on an almost tropical day in North London, two guys surveyed the DJ scene. It was 1978, disco was at its height and RnB had begun to take full effect. These two young guys decided to make a bold move into a territory that hadn’t been explored, an untapped gap in the market for DJ’s and events that had yet to be seen. DJ decks at the time were very basic; 2 belt-drive decks and a mixer in a heavy, and we mean heavy wooden box was the pinnacle of technology, which meant that while they were basic, they were expensive, not everybody could afford to buy a setup just for a party. So these two guys decided to start hiring out DJ equipment, then soon after it became lighting as well, then after that came staging, and before they knew it, they were putting on full blown events. Powerhouse Hire is, as far as we know, the longest established Hire Company in the UK. The expertise we have acquired over the past 44 years is second to none. From humble beginnings in our first shop in 1981, to larger spaces in the 90s, then to an even larger space in the mid 2000s, we finally found the perfect site in 2018 to offer our help, knowledge and skills to the public. We now operate from an industrial facility in New Barnet, perfectly sized for our staff, vehicles, and most importantly for our large stock list of equipment. We can’t wait to write the rest of this story as time and technology progress, and we can’t wait to tell it to you! |
 | Our Current Facility In New Barnet  Since September 2018 we have called this site on Hazel Green Works home. In an ideal position for providing delivery services to London and surrounding counties, with excellent links to the M25, A406, A1 and A10, our site is in the best spot for affordability and accessibility. We can be in Mayfair in 45 minutes with a fully loaded van, or in deep East or West London in an hour with the kit that is needed for your event. Under one roof in New Barnet we offer a comprehensive service that takes your event to the next level, every time. |
Decades of experience have led us to procure a bespoke repertoire of equipment, highly tailored to what the market desires. We update our equipment regularly, often on a continual basis. We do this to assure that the equipment that goes to your event is of the highest standard. We stock major brands such as L’Acoustic, Yamaha, Chauvet Pro, Elation and ChamSys.
When you come to us, we don’t just give you the cream of the crop, we give you peace of mind. Our dedicated and highly skilled team are available and on hand to assist you with any queries or information you desire. We offer manuals at the bottom of our website for those who want an in-depth knowledge of their equipment, and we offer friendly spoken advice in-person when you collect, or when we set-up your equipment.
You can even count on us past the usual 9:30 to 5:30 office times, as our phone system diverts to a mobile, meaning that we always have a technician on hand to assist you with any help you may need.
 | Delivery & Setup Service  You can come to us to collect equipment, or you can take your mind off the traffic and the hassle and allow us to take care of the hard work by letting us deliver to you. We have specialist delivery teams who are at the pinnacle of experience within the events industry, and can rig the equipment you need in a timely, safe and professional manner. We often work in many famous venues throughout Central London, but also deliver to residences throughout London and Hertfordshire. We bring extras and spares to every job to make sure that the unique problems that often arise can be dealt with effectively. We also operate a drop-off delivery service for those who wish to set-up the equipment themselves. Enquire with us today, and we will do everything in our power to make your event as pain-free and easy as possible. |
The Powerhouse Hire team have been rigorously selected to give our clients the highest level of professionalism and safety in the industry. We have a multi-talented team of employees who each possess unique skills that make our business and your event run smoothly.
We continually review our standards and practices to improve our service on every front where possible – we truly strive for perfection in every situation. So please do offer constructive feedback after your event!
You can spot our team members by the distinctive white logo on our uniforms, so you can always spot us in a crowd! We also carry high-vis in every vehicle, so when necessary please let our crew know if they need to wear it.
See below for information on our team, and if you’ve already met them, why not get in contact and let us know how they did?
 | Fred (Office Manager) Fred is without a doubt everyone’s favourite team member. There is no question about it; Fred has a knowledge on not just the industry, but people as well. He can sense danger a mile away (or the door knocking), and can even sniff out broken capacitors in our mixing desk (or maybe it’s our lunches?). Either way, when you walk through our doors, Fred is always the first to greet you. |
 | Matt Hawkins (Director) Matt is not just one of our company directors, but also the person behind the scenes who tirelessly spends his time perfecting your event. From its conception, to the logistics, to the actual running of the event itself, Matt has an eye for perfection like no other – often designing custom stages and lighting rigs for clients, Matt can be found on our larger jobs, directing our crews with a detail that only an expert has. You may even see him behind the lighting desk, creating light shows that keep the crowd moving. Matt is, without a doubt, one of the most integral parts of Powerhouse. |
 | Michelle Hawkins (Director) Michelle joined the Powerhouse Hire team in July 2011. After a successful high-level managerial role in a high-street retail fashion chain, Michelle came to us with a perseverance and dedication that only the brightest can bring. Her knowledge in sales, marketing and management has allowed us to grow Powerhouse Hire into new heights. As a director of the company she is also responsible for financial decisions, payroll and accounts, an extremely time consuming and intricate task that she undertakes with professionalism and ease. |
 | Joe (Warehouse Manager) Joe is an extremely experienced member of our team. He joined us in 2016, and has grown with us, and alongside us to become our warehouse manager. Joe has a complex knowledge of the ins and outs of all of our equipment. When not in the warehouse ensuring all equipment is in perfect working condition you can find Joe assisting on our large scale events. |
 | Brandon (Project Manager) Brandon is an integral member of our office and production team. Working as one of our project managers Brandon has the expertise and skill to assist with designing your event, He is prolific on our Cad software and also an accomplished lighting operator, Brandon also works on the technical side of productions, he possesses the determination and patience to rig our equipment, safely and professionally into the most prestigious London venues. |
 | Archie (Lighting Technician) Since joining us in 2018, Archie has excelled in many areas – we soon found him to be an adept lighting technician, and after a few test-trials as a lighting assistant, he soon gained enough experience to operate lighting rigs for Weddings, Bar Mitzvah’s and parties throughout Central London. These high pressure scenarios are navigated by Archie with professionalism and ease. When not behind a lighting desk, you can find Archie playing music throughout venues in West London, or in a quiet library, studying for his degree in Composition. |
 | Jorge Vano (Sound Technician) Jorge joined our team in 2021, not only is Jorge an accomplished studio engineer he is also a talented live music technician and can be found on our larger sound production, as well as assisting in our warehouse to prepare large RF systems and our digital mixing consoles. |
 | Grace (Set design – PM) Grace joined the team in January 2023, coming from a Tv a set production background she brings a host of new skills to our team, |
 | Olun (Sound Technician) Along with Joe, Olun is an Events Veteran, with experience dating back to 2016, Olun has the knowledge and skill to make sure any event goes off without a hitch. Often found in the warehouse, or at an event behind a mixing desk, Olun is one of the sound engineers on our roster that never fails to deliver. No matter how high the stakes are, Olun always remains calm and collected. |
 | Kevin (Driver) Kevin is our most skilled driver. With a deep experience of driving long wheelbase vehicles throughout Central London and the Home Counties, he can get our equipment to your job safely and on time. With over 8 years of experience with us, Kevin is a member of our team that never fails to do the job properly. From the finer details of carpet laying, to the more general team leadership skills that get your event set up professionally. Kevin is without a doubt, one of our most reliable employees. |
 | Abbas (Driver) Abbas is one of our drivers; having been with us since 2022, Abbas is often found on deliveries and collections throughout Central London. A safe driver with a vast knowledge of vehicles he also maintains our growing fleet, Abbas has quickly become an integral member of our team. |
 | Steve Jones (Driver) Steve Jones is a veteran in the sound and light industry, with a vast knowledge of the industry he has quickly become an important member of our driving and rigging team. |
 | Juan Rodriguez (Driver) Juan joined our team in late 2021 as one of our drivers. Another talented team member that can be found mostly on our night time de-rigs. Juan is also a keen studio technician with a huge passion for sound and music. |
 | Oscar Jolly (Rigger) Oscar joined our team in 2022 and can be found assisting in our warehouse as well as out on the road assisting with stage and set builds. |
 | Joe Donkin (Rigger) Joe joined our team in 2022 and can be found on many of our central London events, he assists the production team and makes sure everything looks and sounds perfect. |
 | Oli Ballantyne (Sound Tech / Rigger) Oli is one of our riggers as well as an accomplished sound and studio engineer, Oli can be found on some of our larger productions. |
 | Logan (Rigger) Logan joined our team in 2022, with a keen interest in sound, Logan can be found working on the rigging side of what we do, setting up and dismantling events. |
| Sophie McWalter (Warehouse assistant) Sophie joined us in 2022 and can be found in our second warehouse, she has a flair for perfection and spends her time covering and creating stage boards and Dj booths. |
 | Dave Johnson (Equipment Maintence) Since 2005 Dave has been our CTE (Chief Technical Engineer). This means that he knows the make and use of every gear, motor, pump, coil, chip, driver, tweeter or mechanism within each piece of equipment in our inventory. He has a library of knowledge that takes a lifetime to possess; from a career of engineering heart monitoring devices, Dave is the one that maintains all of our stock and any repairs that we may take on. Enquire with us if you need any audio or lighting repairs undertaken, and we can be sure to get your issues fixed at the most reasonable price around. |
 | Sonia Hawkins (Company Secretary) Sonia has been with us since 1991. Despite being semi-retirement, Sonia still gets stuck in with the administrative and managerial tasks that crop up, helping us quell the lists of office related tasks that constantly crop up. As a director of the company, Sonia has oversight over all areas of the business, and does so with a keen eye that only comes with decades of experience. |
 | Steve Hawkins (Owner) Steve is a founder of Powerhouse Hire, since 1978 he has developed and nurtured this company from a small shop hiring out belt-driven turntables and mixers, to what it is today. Steve has never been a stranger to hard work, even today, despite being semi-retired - when Steve is in the office he is often found with a tool or piece of equipment in hand, solving a problem or carrying out deliveries. A man with multi-faceted talents, from ensuring sales go correctly, to stock procurement and executive decisions, Steve makes sure that Powerhouse Hire grows even further. |
The future……… it’s impossible to predict with any certainty, just look at the weather forecast to prove that theory.
So where do we think we can go from here?
Well almost everything is getting smaller; if you go back 20 years DJ’s needed a small van just for their vinyl collection, let alone the gear to play it on. Then came the CD, you could get all those into a shoulder bag, now you don’t need anything larger than an i-pod to store 20,000 tunes . Mobile phones which were once the size of a house brick will now fit inside a cigarette packet & laptops have taken the place of a room full of computer hardware. LED’s are replacing the light bulb in every type of DJ lighting effect; in fact everything is getting smaller apart from the UK’s national debt, and of course the hire stock here at Powerhouse Hire, which is, and has been growing along with our business continually throughout the economic downturn, and that is thanks to our continual investment in new equipment, and the unwavering support of our loyal clientele; for which we thank you all…….
The next step was to increase the size of our warehouse space to accommodate all of our new hire equipment and this commenced from the start of September 2010. We then in 2018 increased our warehouse space further by moving into a brand new office and warehouse just across the road from our previous space. We also upgraded all aspects of our hire stock.
So, where will we go from there; we’ll just have to wait and see….
Enter your email to stay up to date with our latest products and offers.
