East Sussex · England
Hog Roast Hire for Shortgate
From the first smell of roasting pork to the last piece of crackling, a hog roast turns the food into a centrepiece of your event in Shortgate.
- Fêtes, fairs and shows
- Sports clubs and societies
- Weddings and receptions
Book a hog roast in Shortgate
Planning a hog roast in Shortgate
Shortgate is about 4 miles south of Uckfield, in East Sussex. Shortgate and the surrounding area are covered for events. Shortgate is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we cater. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 12 miles away.
Coming by train? The nearest station is Uckfield station, about 3.9 miles north. Shortgate is within about 6 miles of the South Downs National Park. Ask your venue about gas cooking and access.
Events anywhere in BN8 start with an outdoor spot for the roaster and roughly how many guests. Other places close to Shortgate we cover include Halland (1 mile north-east), East Hoathly (2 miles east), Whitesmith (2 miles east), Chiddingly (3 miles east) and Framfield (4 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (12 miles south-east), Seaford (10 miles south), Lewes (6 miles south-west), Hailsham (7 miles south-east), Crowborough (10 miles north) and Newhaven (9 miles south).
Nearby you will also find Uckfield Community Hospital (3.6 miles north) and Tickerage Castle (4.1 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Cliffe Hill and Malling Down.
How our hog roast hire works in Shortgate
We provide a fully catered hog roast: we roast, our chef carves and our staff serve. For confident cooks, the machine can be hired on its own. For christmas fairs and sports clubs and societies, we can cook halloumi skewers, salads and new potatoes and more.
Somewhere as small as Shortgate, a field, yard or garden is frequently the spot. Tell us about narrow lanes or long drives, and firm, level ground matters most. Timings are planned around your event, working back from when you want to eat, so the food is ready at the right moment.
- Location
- Shortgate (BN8)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Menu
- Roast pork rolls with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling
- Also available
- Chicken, lamb, halloumi skewers and a vegan option
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
How the day works
Expect a calm, organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, use the cooking spot you’ve chosen, and get on with roasting and serving. By late September, sunset in Shortgate is around 7:05pm, and in December it’s nearer 3:55pm. After dark, a lit path to the food makes a difference.
- First, tell us about your event.
- We check the date and the cooking spot, then send a quote.
- We agree timings and where the roaster goes.
- On the day we roast for hours, then carve to order.
- Our staff serve and clear, then we pack away.
Getting ready for the day
- Think about shelter for your guests
- Plan a step-free way in for the equipment
- Choose someone to meet us on arrival
How to get a price
If you’re comparing hog roast caterers for Shortgate, check what each quote actually includes. We spell it out in ours. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Read more
Why a carved hog roast beats a buffet
Next to a formal plated meal, a hog roast needs no kitchen and fewer staff, which usually keeps the cost down. For larger numbers, a hog roast is typically good value, since one roast goes a long way. The menu, extras such as china and the serving time all affect the final price.
What you get with us
- Choices for people who do not eat pork
- Served at the time you choose
- Roasted on site, slowly, for hours
- Salads, potatoes and coleslaw to go with it
Read our pricing and what a hog roast costs.
What we serve, dish by dish
Roast pork
We carve as we serve, which keeps it hot and moist.
Stuffing and apple sauce
Stuffing and a dollop of apple sauce turn a pork roll into a hog roast roll, just as they should.
Allergies and dietary needs
A little planning helps everyone eat safely. A few tips:
- Stuffing normally contains gluten, so check the allergen information
- Tell guests what’s on the menu in advance
- We do not offer halal meat, so arrange that separately if it is needed
- Find out who does not eat pork, and order an alternative for them
Slow roasting needs attention, and that is what we are there for. You can get on with your event.
Prefer to cook yourself? Ask about DIY machine hire.
Shortgate: your questions answered
How far is Shortgate from London?
Roughly 41 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Can you do a hog roast at a venue in the South Downs National Park?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about cooking and vehicles, so check with yours. We’ll follow the site rules.
Can we hire the machine and cook it ourselves?
We do, if you are happy to roast and carve yourself. We’ll explain the details with your quote.
What happens in bad weather?
Rain doesn’t stop the cooking. Somewhere covered for people to eat helps.
How long does a hog roast take to cook?
Several hours, depending on the size and the weather, so we arrive well before you want to eat. We plan the timings from when you want to eat.
Will people get crackling?
It is: the skin turns to crackling and everyone gets some.
Can you be flexible on serving time?
Because the roast takes hours, we plan from your serving time, and we can hold the roast for a while if the day runs behind.
Can the hog roast be cooked indoors?
The roaster always stays outside, under cover, away from buildings and marquee walls. Serving inside is often possible, with the venue’s agreement.
Planners, venues and businesses
Some venues add a fee for outside caterers, so check before you book. We’ll liaise with them on access and set-up.
For workplace bookings, check with facilities about gas equipment and vehicle access. We work to the site’s rules.
Also near Shortgate
Also in Shortgate
What a hog roast costs
A few things make the biggest difference to the price:
- Numbers
- Busy dates such as summer Saturdays
- Site access
- Time on site
Distance is part of the price: we include travel in the quote, with any London charges listed. Tell us the exact address for an accurate figure.
What we need to know
Here’s what we will ask:
- Which meats and sides you’d like
- An estimate of numbers
- The address or postcode
- A photo of the cooking area
We price every booking individually, because numbers, menu, serving time and travel vary. Ask us for a quote for your event: send us your details through our quote form.
DIY versus a catered hog roast
Roasting a whole hog yourself is possible, but it takes hours of attention, from setting up and lighting the roaster to carving. With us catering, you get to be a host, not a cook.
A DIY hog roast suits a relaxed party where someone enjoys cooking. For weddings and bigger events, a catered roast is generally easier.
Where the roaster can go in Shortgate
Most gardens, car parks, yards and fields work with a little planning. Here’s what helps:
- Nothing overhead that could catch the heat
- Somewhere nearby to park our vehicle
- Cover for your guests in bad weather
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and the way in, and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Shortgate
- Vegan burger or sausage (Ve)
- Crackling
- Apple sauce
- Halloumi skewers (V)
- Hog roast rolls
- Coleslaw
- Roast or jacket potatoes
- Rotisserie chicken
- New potatoes
- Salads
- Spit-roast lamb
- Stuffing
- Roasted slowly at your venue, outdoors and under cover
- Carved by our chef into rolls with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling
- Not just pork: spit-roast lamb, chicken and vegetarian choices
- Our team serves at your chosen time and clears up afterwards