West Sussex · England
Funeral and Wake Catering in Danehill
Fried to order and served hot: fish and chips for the wake in Danehill and across West Sussex.
- A wake at the family home
- Memorial gatherings
- Remembering a loved one’s favourite food
Funeral and wake catering for Danehill events
Funeral and wake catering in Danehill, cooked to order
Some families choose it because it was a loved one’s favourite, which makes it a fitting tribute. We’re frequently asked to cater a tribute meal and a wake at the family home, with sausage and chips, haddock and chips and mushy peas.
In rural Danehill, home or the hall is usual, with the van in the yard or car park. Everything we need comes with the van, and we pack up and leave the spot as we found it.
- Area
- Danehill (RH17)
- County
- West Sussex
- From the fryer
- Fish and chips, sausages, pies
- Extras
- Gravy, mushy peas, curry sauce
- Quotes
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 24 October 2026
Wakes in Danehill: venues and practical details
Danehill is about 5 miles north-east of Haywards Heath, in West Sussex. For wakes in Danehill, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, an agreed spot for the van and food fried fresh on the day. Danehill is one of 371 places in West Sussex where we bring the van. Our bookings stretch from Danehill to Brighton (about 15 miles away).
If relatives are coming by rail, the closest railway station is Haywards Heath station, roughly 5 miles west of the centre. Danehill is within about 5 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, and rural venues there may have narrow lanes, so tell us about access.
We cover wakes in every part of RH17 and the streets around it. Streets in the area include London Road, Lewes Road and Oaktree Cottages, and the van can serve a wake on any of them with a suitable parking spot. For wakes just outside Danehill, we cover Chelwood Common (1 mile north-east), Furner's Green (1 mile south), Horsted Keynes (1 mile west), Birchgrove (1 mile north) and Chelwood Gate (2 miles north-east). We also serve nearby towns such as Crawley (10 miles north-west), Horsham (14 miles west), Haywards Heath (5 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (8 miles south-west), East Grinstead (7 miles north) and Broadfield (10 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Waterbury Castle (1.7 miles west) and Princess Royal Hospital (4.8 miles south-west). The countryside around Danehill includes Brickfield Meadow.
Allergies and dietary needs
With a bit of planning, dietary needs are easier to handle. Here are a few tips:
- Ask your funeral director to help estimate numbers
- Keep the serving time flexible
- Choose a friend to be our contact
- Plan for a few extra people
Ensure older relatives can sit to eat.
Have napkins and bins ready.
Danehill questions
Is Danehill too small for a chip van?
No, we come to small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Which station is closest to Danehill?
Haywards Heath station, about 5 miles west of the centre.
Can you serve children?
Of course. Children typically love sausage and chips. Tell us how many are coming.
What does it cost to hire the van?
The price depends on numbers, menu, service time and travel. Tell us about your wake and we will send a quote.
How do you handle allergies?
Tell us about allergies when you book, and we’ll give you the allergen information and what we can offer.
Do you do anything other than fish?
There is: sausages and pies, with chips. Tell us roughly how many to expect.
How much space do you need?
Less than you might think: a hard surface or firm, dry grass, with a clear way in. If in doubt, send a picture.
Do you fry it on site?
Yes, always. Everything is fried fresh in the van, and serve straight from the hatch.
Organising for someone else?
Many venues set rules for catering vans: parking spots, arrival times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work through them with you.
If your event is in a public place, such as a park or a street, check what permission you need first. The council or landowner will tell you what they need.
A chip van compared with other options
Next to a buffet, a van gives everyone a hot meal, which helps when numbers are hard to predict. Cost depends on numbers, menu and service time, plus travel and access. We quote for each booking individually.
Why us?
- No kitchen needed
- We cook inside the van, whatever the weather
- A quote that spells everything out
- We cover Danehill and the whole of West Sussex
Take a look at our pricing and our guide to van hire costs.
What the van needs
Plenty of places work for the van, but there are a few things to check:
- A level, firm spot the van can drive onto
- Room in front of the hatch for a queue
- Light near the van and the queue for evening service
Not sure about the spot? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Danehill
- Pie and chips
- Cod and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Haddock and chips
- Mushy peas
- Gravy
Towns and villages near Danehill
Also in Danehill
Takeaway run or book a van?
Some hosts try a takeaway order. The problem is timing: big orders take a long time, and the food is cooling while it travels. A van solves that by cooking on site.
If you do order from a chip shop, ring well ahead and collect as close to eating time as you can. For a crowd, a van is usually simpler.
What comes out of the fryer
Sausage and chips
A sausage and chips is the chip-shop classic for younger guests and fish-dodgers, especially with curry sauce.
Gravy
Chips and gravy is a favourite in the north and the Midlands, and it is lovely with a pie.
Why choose funeral and wake catering in Danehill?
Nothing is wasted on an uncertain number of guests.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Danehill and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Village hall wakes
- Remembering a loved one’s favourite food
- Wakes at venues
- Memorial events and anniversaries
Families holding a service at The Parish Church of All Saints frequently gather afterwards at a nearby hall, where the van can park.
What your quote should include
- How many hours the van serves
- Whether VAT is included
- How late numbers can change
- Whether travel is included
What happens on the day
From set-up to the last portion, we look after the food, so you can enjoy your wake. In summer, a wake in Danehill has light until about 9:20pm, while winter afternoons darken by about 3:55pm, so plan lighting near the door.
- Start with three things: the date, the place and a rough headcount.
- Show us where the van would go, and we’ll confirm it works.
- Closer to the day, we confirm the arrival time and serving time.
- The van rolls up, the hatch opens and the fryers get going for family and friends.
- Once the last portion is out, we pack up and go.
Before we arrive
- Send us final numbers and any allergies in good time
- Leave room in front of the hatch for a queue
- Name one person we can call on the day
How to get a price
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the van would park, roughly how many people and when you’d like to eat. You can use our quote form.
Read more
- Fried fresh to order in the van at your event
- Cod, haddock and chips, sausages and pies
- The van comes to you: homes, venues, workplaces and fields
- Served at the time you choose, from the hatch