West Sussex · England
Funeral and Wake Catering in Horsted Keynes
Hot, crisp and cooked while you wait: fish and chips for the wake in Horsted Keynes and the surrounding area.
- Memorial gatherings
- Remembering a loved one’s favourite food
- A wake at the family home
Funeral and wake catering in Horsted Keynes
How our funeral and wake catering works in Horsted Keynes
Someone else can make the booking for you, so you have one less thing to do. We serve mushy peas, sausage and chips and haddock and chips, and typical bookings are for remembering a loved one’s favourite food and wakes at church halls and clubs.
In a small place like Horsted Keynes, a wake might be at home, in a barn or at the village hall. Tell us about lanes and the ground. Everything is fried fresh at your wake, never cooked in advance and left in a hot cabinet, and served the moment it comes out of the fryer.
- Where
- Horsted Keynes (RH17)
- County
- West Sussex
- Menu
- Fish and chips, sausages, pies
- On the side
- Mushy peas, curry sauce, gravy
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Last updated
- 24 October 2026
Wakes in Horsted Keynes: venues and practical details
Horsted Keynes is about 4 miles north-east of Haywards Heath, in West Sussex. People in Horsted Keynes book us for all sorts of reasons, but it always starts the same way: a level spot for the van, a time to eat and food fried to order. Horsted Keynes is one of 371 towns and villages in West Sussex we cover. Our bookings stretch from Horsted Keynes to Brighton (15 miles away).
For anyone coming to the funeral by train, Haywards Heath station, about 4 miles south-west, is the nearest station. Horsted Keynes is within about 5 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, and rural venues there may have narrow lanes, so tell us about access.
Here we cover the RH17 postcode area, and we can serve your wake anywhere in it. Whether your wake is on Station Road, Rixons Orchard and Leighton Road or anywhere nearby, we can park up and fry there. Other places close to Horsted Keynes we cover include Danehill (1 mile east), Birchgrove (2 miles north-east), Highbrook (2 miles north-west), Chelwood Common (2 miles east) and Furner's Green (2 miles south-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (9 miles north-west), Horsham (13 miles west), Haywards Heath (4 miles south-west), Burgess Hill (7 miles south-west), East Grinstead (6 miles north) and Broadfield (9 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Waterbury Castle (less than half a mile north-west) and Princess Royal Hospital (4.1 miles south-west). The countryside around Horsted Keynes includes Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow.
- Pubs nearby include The Green Man pub (under half a mile north-east)
Towns and villages near Horsted Keynes
More for events in Horsted Keynes
Looking after everyone
A little planning helps everyone eat safely. Here are a few tips:
- Choose a friend to be our contact
- Build in time for delays
- Check the hall has an urn
- Funeral directors can help with numbers
We serve when people are ready.
A tea table run by a friend is a comfort.
Working with your venue
Parks, greens and streets normally need permission for a catering van. The council or landowner will tell you what they need.
For big groups, the service window matters, so we can plan how to keep the queue short. Sending people up in groups helps.
Cannot we just order from the chip shop?
Ordering from a local shop? Call ahead and collect at the last minute. For a crowd, a van is typically simpler.
Doing the food yourself saves money, but the host ends up running around. With a fish and chip van, you get hot food without the work.
Planning the van’s spot
Most drives, car parks, yards and firm lawns can take the van, but there are a few things to check:
- A level, firm spot the van can drive onto
- Permission from the venue or landowner for the van
- Somewhere close to where people will eat
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Popular choices
- Mushy peas
- Cod and chips
- Gravy
- Haddock and chips
- Pie and chips
- Sausage and chips
How it works
Expect a friendly, organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up where we’ve agreed, and get on with frying and serving. Summer evenings in Horsted Keynes stay light until about 9:20pm, while winter afternoons darken by about 3:55pm.
- Send us your date, numbers and address.
- We check access for the van and quote.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- Everything is fried to order as the queue moves.
- We serve hot from the hatch and pack up when we’re done.
Before we arrive
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Give us your final numbers and allergies
- Think about a gazebo by the van in case of rain
Get a quote
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and serving time. We’ll come back with a clear quote.
Read more
The menu, dish by dish
Curry sauce
Chip-shop curry sauce is a mild, slightly sweet British classic, perfect with chips or a sausage.
Cod and chips
For many people, cod and chips is the definitive version. Cooked fresh at the hatch, it’s hot, crisp and generous.
What a fish and chip van costs
Each booking is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- Access and parking
- Travel, tolls and road charges
- Your choice of menu
- Numbers
The price depends on numbers, the menu and how long we serve, plus travel and access. Every booking gets its own quote.
Getting an accurate quote
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- The date and time of the event
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A picture of the space and the way in
- The venue or postcode
Thinking about fish and chips for the wake for your wake in Horsted Keynes? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a clear price. Just use our quote form.
Questions from Horsted Keynes
Is Horsted Keynes too small for a chip van?
Not at all. We serve villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and the ground.
Which station is closest to Horsted Keynes?
The closest is Haywards Heath station, roughly 4 miles away.
Does the batter contain gluten?
No, not as standard: batter is usually made with wheat flour. Tell us about any coeliac guests and we’ll explain the options before booking.
How do you handle allergies?
Tell us about allergies when you book, and we will tell you what’s in each item.
Can you park on the road outside?
It depends on the road. A drive, car park or yard is typically easier; for the street, check the council’s rules.
What does it cost to hire the van?
The price depends on numbers, menu, service time and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
How long are you on site?
We arrive well before service to park and heat the fryers. We’ll agree arrival and serving times with you so food is ready when you want it.
Is grass a problem?
Generally, if it’s firm and dry. After heavy rain, soft grass can be a problem for any vehicle, so plan a back-up spot.
Events we cater in Horsted Keynes
It takes one job off a very long list at a difficult time.
Here are some of the occasions we serve:
- Family gatherings after a burial or cremation
- Anniversary memorials
- A favourite meal in someone’s memory
- Gatherings at a village hall or club
After a service at St Giles' Church, a wake at a hall or home close by means less travelling for everyone.
Before you book anyone
- Whether travel is included
- Whether VAT is included
- How much space the van takes up
- The service time, and the cost of running over
- 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