Christmas Day lunch from £57.95 to £115 and festive menus from £19.95: twelve Mid Sussex pubs and hotels with 2026 prices and deposits, checked 2 November.

For Christmas dinner in Mid Sussex, the cheapest Christmas Day lunch is at The Burrell Arms by Haywards Heath station, £57.95 for three courses, followed by the Red Lion in Lindfield at £74.95. In East Grinstead, the Ship Inn charges £98, and The Bull at Ditchling £115. For December parties, the Burrell Arms starts at £19.95. Every entry checked against the venue’s own website and menus on 2 November 2026.

We have not eaten any of these Christmas menus, and nothing here is a review. Each entry gives what the pub or hotel publishes: its 2026 festive prices, the dates its menu runs, and its deposit and pre-order rules where it states them. We have added each one’s Food Standards Agency hygiene rating. Christmas Day tables go first, and one of the best-known, the Bolney Stage, was already full when we checked.

Christmas Day lunch

1. The Burrell Arms, Haywards Heath

The Burrell Arms is the Greene King pub on Commercial Square, next to Haywards Heath station, and the cheapest Christmas Day lunch in this guide. Its Christmas Day menu is £57.95 for three courses and “only available on the 25th December 2026”, with a hand-carved turkey dinner on the children’s version at £27.95 for under-12s.

The Festive Fayre menu runs from 12 November to 3 January, except Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, at £19.95 for two courses or £22.95 for three.

Price Christmas Day £57.95, children under 12 £27.95; Festive Fayre £19.95 for two courses, £22.95 for three
Booking Christmas Day £10 deposit a head, menu choices online, full payment by 1 December 2026; deposits non-refundable from 11 December. Festive Fayre £5 deposit a head
Call 01444 453214
Address Commercial Square, Haywards Heath, RH16 1EA
Hygiene rating 4, Food Standards Agency, 27 February 2026
Website greeneking.co.uk/pubs/west-sussex/burrell-arms/christmas
Listing Our listing
Good for by the station, children's menu, breakfast with Santa

2. Red Lion, Lindfield

The Red Lion is the Ember Inns pub at 60 High Street in Lindfield. Its Christmas page lists a three-course Christmas Day lunch at £74.95 for adults and £37.50 for children.

The festive set menu is £22.99 for two courses, £9.99 for children, and there is a three-course Boxing Day menu at £32.50, £11.99 for children. Breakfast with Santa, with a gift for each child, is £12.99 a head.

Price Christmas Day £74.95, children £37.50; festive menu £22.99 for two courses, children £9.99; Boxing Day £32.50, children £11.99
Booking Christmas Day £10 deposit a head, full payment and pre-order by 1 December; festive menu and Boxing Day £5 a head; deposits non-refundable within 14 days of dining
Address 60 High Street, Lindfield, RH16 2HL
Hygiene rating 5, Food Standards Agency, 24 August 2024
Website emberinns.co.uk/nationalsearch/southeast/the-red-lion-lindfield/christmas
Listing Our listing
Good for children's prices, Boxing Day, breakfast with Santa

3. Ship Inn, East Grinstead

The Ship Inn on Ship Street is a Young’s pub, and it says its “halls are decked in true traditional Christmas style” for the season. The Christmas Day menu is £98, and the children’s Christmas Day menu £55.

The festive menu is £42 for three courses, with pigs in blankets and stuffing as £7 sides. For parties, the Sussex Room takes 30 and the Ashdown Room 40 seated or 60 standing.

Under Young’s Christmas terms, Christmas Day is paid in full in advance, choices are due by 1 December, and a 12.5% discretionary service charge is added on the day.

Open Mon to Sat 11am to 11pm; Sun 11am to 10.30pm
Food Mon to Sat 12pm to 9pm; Sun 12pm to 8pm
Price Christmas Day £98, children £55; festive menu £42 for three courses
Booking Christmas Day paid in full in advance, menu choices by 1 December
Call 01342 830822
Address Ship Street, East Grinstead, RH19 4EG
Hygiene rating 5, Food Standards Agency, 27 April 2026
Website shipinneastgrinstead.co.uk/christmas
Listing Our listing
Good for town centre, children's menu, private rooms, office parties

4. The Gardeners Arms, Ardingly

The Gardeners Arms on Selsfield Road is a Hall & Woodhouse pub, and its Christmas page promises “crackling fires” and says four-legged guests are looked after too. The Christmas Day menu is £112.50 for three courses, with a children’s version for ages 10 and under at £35.

The Celebration menu runs from 18 November, except Christmas Day, at £38.50 for three courses, with festive sides at £5.95 and a plant-based option.

Open Mon to Thu 11am to 9pm; Fri and Sat 11am to 9.30pm; Sun 11.30am to 9pm
Food Mon to Thu 11.30am to 7.30pm; Fri and Sat 11.30am to 8pm; Sun 11.30am to 7.30pm
Price Christmas Day £112.50, children 10 and under £35; Celebration menu £38.50 for three courses from 18 November
Booking online through the pub's Christmas page
Call 01444 892328
Address Selsfield Road, Ardingly, RH17 6TJ
Hygiene rating 5, Food Standards Agency, 24 August 2024
Website gardenersarmsardingly.co.uk/christmas
Listing Our listing
Good for dogs welcome, children's menu, real fires, plant-based options

5. The Bull, Ditchling

The Bull is a Young’s pub on Ditchling High Street, just over the East Sussex border from Hassocks, and calls itself an “olde-worlde pub” with open fires and six bedrooms. Its Christmas Day menu is £115, with five starters and mains served with a double egg Yorkshire pudding and goose fat roast potatoes.

The children’s Christmas Day menu is £65, and the festive menu £48 for three courses. On Christmas Day the pub is open from 12pm to 6pm.

Young’s terms apply: full payment in advance and a 12.5% service charge on the day.

Price Christmas Day £115, children £65; festive menu £48 for three courses
Booking Christmas Day paid in full in advance, menu choices by 1 December
Call 01273 843147
Address 2 High Street, Ditchling, BN6 8TA
Hygiene rating 5, Food Standards Agency, 23 October 2025
Website thebullditchling.com/christmas
Listing Our listing
Good for bedrooms, real fires, children's menu, near Hassocks station

6. The Bolney Stage, Bolney

Brunning & Price’s own walk leaflet says the Bolney Stage “dates from about 1600”, with inglenook fireplaces, flagstones and crooked beams. Its Christmas Day menu at £109.95 was marked fully booked on 2 November.

The Christmas Fayre menu runs from 27 November to 24 December at £33.95 for two courses or £39.95 for three. Tables of 10 or fewer can instead order from the December daily menu, turkey dinner included, with no pre-order.

Breakfast with Santa is on 18 and 19 December.

Price Christmas Day £109.95 (fully booked); Christmas Fayre £33.95 for two courses, £39.95 for three
Booking set menu for tables over 10; smaller tables book a table and order on the day
Call 01444 881200
Address London Road, Bolney, RH17 5RL
Hygiene rating 5, Food Standards Agency, 10 July 2026
Website brunningandprice.co.uk/bolneystage/christmas
Listing Our listing
Good for historic building, breakfast with Santa, Boxing Day, large groups

Festive menus and Christmas parties

7. The Friar’s Oak, Hassocks

The Friar’s Oak is the Vintage Inns pub on London Road, Hassocks. Its festive menu is £35.50.

The pub also serves Christmas Day, but the Christmas Day page showed no price when we checked, so ask when you book. Its deposit page sets £10 a head for Christmas Day, with full payment and pre-orders by 8 December and a 10% discretionary service charge for tables of seven or more.

Price festive menu £35.50; Christmas Day price not published online on 2 November
Booking festive menu £5 deposit a head for tables of 7 or more from 16 to 24 December; Christmas Day £10 a head, paid in full with pre-orders by 8 December
Address London Road, Hassocks, BN6 9NA
Hygiene rating 5, Food Standards Agency, 19 June 2026
Website vintageinn.co.uk/restaurants/south-east/thefriarsoakhassocks/christmas
Listing Our listing
Good for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, large tables

8. The Talbot, Cuckfield

The Talbot is on Cuckfield High Street, and its Christmas menu by head chef Danny O’Shea comes with a glass of Prosecco on arrival, mince pies, chocolates and crackers. The 2026 menu is £34 for two courses or £39.50 for three, available from 1 to 23 December, with selected wine at £11 a head.

The website says it runs for lunch and dinner except Sundays. Upstairs, the Hayloft takes private parties of up to 80, with festive buffets from £18.50 a head.

Price £34 for two courses, £39.50 for three; Hayloft buffets from £18.50 a head
Booking pre-order and deposit required
Call 01444 455898
Address High Street, Cuckfield, RH17 5JX
Hygiene rating 5, Food Standards Agency, 29 October 2025
Website thetalbotcuckfield.co.uk/christmas.html
Listing Our listing
Good for village centre, function room, office parties

9. The Bent Arms, Lindfield

The Bent Arms at 98 High Street describes itself as “a traditional country pub in the heart of Lindfield village”. Its Christmas menu is £31.50 for two courses or £36.50 for three, Monday to Saturday through December, for parties of six or more.

Mains include roast turkey with a bacon-wrapped chipolata, medallions of beef, salmon and a butternut squash and sage tart. It is pre-order only, with the form back 10 days ahead, but there is no deposit: you pay on the day.

Open Mon to Thu 10am to 11pm; Fri and Sat 10am to midnight; Sun 10am to 9pm
Food Mon to Fri 12pm to 2.30pm and 6pm to 9pm; Sat 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 9pm; Sun 12pm to 3pm
Price £31.50 for two courses, £36.50 for three; optional 10% service charge
Booking parties of 6 or more, pre-order 10 days ahead, no deposit
Call 01444 483146
Address 98 High Street, Lindfield, RH16 2HP
Hygiene rating 5, Food Standards Agency, 18 March 2026
Website thebentarms.co.uk/christmas
Listing Our listing
Good for no deposit, function room, bedrooms, vegan option

10. The Cat Inn, West Hoathly

The Cat Inn on North Lane does not serve food on Christmas Day; it opens from 12pm to 2pm for drinks. Its December menu is à la carte, priced per dish, with the 2026 menu listing starters at £9 to £12.50 and mains at £22.50 to £28, including free-range turkey at £26.50.

The pub offers it to tables of over eight through December and asks any table wanting turkey to pre-order. Its Christmas page says 24 December is fully booked; Boxing Day lunch runs from 12pm to 3.30pm.

Price starters £9 to £12.50; mains £22.50 to £28; puddings £11 to £12
Booking essential for lunch and dinner; pre-order for turkey
Call 01342 810369
Address North Lane, West Hoathly, RH19 4PP
Hygiene rating 5, Food Standards Agency, 13 November 2025
Website catinn.co.uk/christmas
Listing Our listing
Good for bedrooms, Boxing Day lunch, electric car charging

11. Coach and Horses, Danehill

The Coach and Horses on School Lane, Danehill, sits just over the Wealden border and says it concentrates on local breweries such as Harveys, Long Man and Larkins. Its Christmas 2026 party menu is £34 for two courses or £39 for three, Wednesday to Saturday from 3 to 19 December.

Mains are roast turkey, a braised pork and cranberry roll, cod or butternut squash with goats’ cheese, and the Sussex cheeseboard is a £2.50 supplement. The pub is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Price £34 for two courses, £39 for three; optional 10% service charge for 8 or more
Booking pre-order and deposit required
Call 01825 740369
Address School Lane, Danehill, RH17 7JF
Hygiene rating 4, Food Standards Agency, 24 July 2026
Website coachandhorses.co/christmas-menu
Listing Our listing
Good for Sussex ales, dogs welcome, gluten-free options

12. Ockenden Manor, Cuckfield

Ockenden Manor is the Hand Picked Hotels country house hotel and spa on Ockenden Lane, Cuckfield. For Christmas parties it offers a festive lunch or dinner from £69 a head: a set Christmas menu by head chef Steve Crane in a private room, with crackers and coffee included, for groups of up to 40.

Its three-night Christmas stay, from £1,335 a person, was fully booked in every room category when we checked.

Price festive lunch or dinner in a private room from £69 a head
Booking by enquiry
Call 01444 416111
Address Ockenden Lane, Cuckfield, RH17 5LD
Hygiene rating 4, Food Standards Agency, 12 May 2026
Website hshotels.co.uk/ockenden-manor/special-occasions/christmas
Good for private dining, hotel, spa

How we chose

We picked pubs and hotels across Mid Sussex and just over its borders that people search for at Christmas and that publish a 2026 festive menu with prices. We read each one’s Christmas page and menus on 2 November 2026, added its Food Standards Agency hygiene rating, and left out anywhere rated below 3. Pubs whose Christmas pages showed no 2026 prices were left out for now. Prices and booking rules change, so check with the venue before you pay.

Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@midsussexnews.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@midsussexnews.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.

More for December: Mid Sussex Christmas markets, the Haywards Heath Christmas festival, the Burgess Hill Christmas festival, Orla in Lindfield and the Michelin Guide, what’s on in Mid Sussex this month, things to do in Mid Sussex and our local business directory.

Frequently asked questions

How much is Christmas Day lunch in Mid Sussex in 2026?

The Burrell Arms by Haywards Heath station charges £57.95 for three courses and the Red Lion in Lindfield £74.95. The Ship Inn in East Grinstead is £98, the Gardeners Arms in Ardingly £112.50 and The Bull in Ditchling £115. The Bolney Stage (£109.95) was fully booked for Christmas Day when we checked on 2 November. Every one of them publishes a lower children’s price except the Bolney Stage, whose page gives none.

Where can I get a Christmas party meal in Mid Sussex for under £40?

The Burrell Arms in Haywards Heath charges £19.95 for two courses and £22.95 for three, the Red Lion in Lindfield £22.99 for two. The Bolney Stage is £33.95 and £39.95, the Talbot in Cuckfield £34 and £39.50, the Coach and Horses at Danehill £34 and £39, the Friar’s Oak at Hassocks £35.50, the Bent Arms in Lindfield £31.50 and £36.50, and the Gardeners Arms in Ardingly £38.50 for three courses.

Do I have to pay a deposit for Christmas Day lunch?

Usually yes. The Burrell Arms, Red Lion and Friar’s Oak take £10 a head, then want full payment and pre-orders by 1 December (8 December at the Friar’s Oak). Young’s pubs, which include The Bull at Ditchling and the Ship Inn in East Grinstead, take the full menu price in advance. The Bent Arms is the exception for its December party menu: no deposit, pay on the day.