We have a waste problem – an electrical and textile waste problem.
The UK is the 2nd largest producer of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) per capita in the world. In 2019, the UK produced a total of 1.6 million tonnes of e-waste in, equating to approximately 23.9kg of waste per person.
We have fallen in love with fast fashion with the average lifespan of an item of clothing in the UK lasting only 3.3 years before its discarded. In 2021/22 West Sussex residents threw away nearly 5,800 tonnes of unwanted clothes, towels, blankets and sheets into their general rubbish, even though most of these textiles could have been repaired, reused or recycled.
One solution is visiting a repair cafe. There are approx. 170 repair cafes in the UK and growing, and over 2,000 across the world. Repair cafes are run by volunteers who look to mend electrical, mechanical and textile items, preventing them from being thrown away.
Repair Cafes in Sussex
Repair Cafes in Sussex
These are all the repair cafes we know about in Sussex and some over the Hampshire and Surrey border.
If you do not see one near to you, carry out an internet search as you might find a new one or visit the Repair Cafe HQ website here:
West Sussex
Adur Repair Cafe The Circular Space, Shoreham by Sea. Sessions are on the 1st Saturday of each month 10am – 12pm. Find out more HERE
Amberley Repair Cafe at the Amberley Eco Hub – St Michael’s Church Hall, Church Street, Amberley, BN18 9ND. 4th Saturday of the month 10- 12 noon. Refills and recycling too. Contact:
Arundel Repair Cafe The Norfolk Centre, Mill Road, Arundel, BN18 9PA. 3rd Saturday of each month 10am – 12.30pm
Ashington Repair Cafe Ashington Church, London Road, Ashington, RH20 3JR. 1st Saturday of every other month 10am – 12pm
BN44 Repair Cafe, Steyning, Bramber and Upper Beeding Beeding & Bramber Village Hall, High Street, Upper Beeding, BN44 3WN 2nd Saturday of the month. 2-4pm
Burgess Hill Repair Cafe The Kiln Community space (opposite Burgess Hill Library in the Martlets Shopping Centre), Burgess Hill, RH15 9NN. 2nd Saturday of every month 10am – 1pm
Chichester Repair Cafe The Earth Cafe, The Guide Hall, 29 Whyke Lane, PO19 7US. 4th Friday of the month (except August)
Crawley Down & Turners Hill Repair Cafe Hophurst Lane, Crawley Down, RH10 4LJ. 4th Saturday of the month, 10.30am – 12.30pm. Find out more HERE
Hassocks Repair Cafe URC Church Hall in Hassocks. 4th Saturday (Hassocks Market day) of every month (apart from December and August) 10am -1pm
Henfield Repair Cafe Henfield Haven, Hewitts, Henfield, BN5 9RL. 3rd Saturday of the month, 10am – 12 noon. Contact:.
Horsham Repair Cafe which we run, takes place within our Sussex Green Hub, United Reformed Church, 45 Springfield Rd, Horsham, RH12 2RG. Last Saturday of each month repairs 10am – 2.30pm. Learn more here
Lindfield Repair Cafe United Reformed Church, 52 High Street, Lindfield, West Sussex, RH16 2HL. 1st Saturday of each month 10 – 1pm
Partridge Green Repair Cafe -Partridge Green Village Hall, High Street, Partridge Green, RH13 8HX. 3rd Saturday of the month 2-4pm. For more information, email – launch May 2023 thanks to our work using Horsham District Community Climate Fund
Pulborough Repair Cafe (part of the monthly village market), Village Hall, Swan View, Pulborough, RH20 2BF. 4th Saturday of the month 9am – 12 noon
Shipley Repair Cafe Within the Shipley Community Hub, The Andrew Hall, Shipley, RH13 8PH. 1st Tuesday of every month 11am – 4pm
Storrington Repair Cafe The Village Hub, The Square, Storrington, RH20 4DJ. 3rd Saturday of each month, 10am – 12noon
Worthing Repair Cafe Friends/Quaker Meeting House, 34 Mill Rd, Worthing, BN11 5DR. Last Saturday of each month 10am – 4pm
Library of Things Share Haywards Heath, 1st Lindfield Scout Hut, Eastern Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 2LP – rather than buy, borrow a wide variety of home and garden items you may only need for a short period of time – Tuesdays 9.30am-11am and Saturdays 9am-10am
East Sussex
Forest Row Repair Cafe Community Centre, Hartfield Road, Forest Row, RH18 5DZ. 3rd Saturday of each month
Lewes Repair Cafe Landport Community Hub, Landport Road, Lewes, BN7 2SU. 1st Saturday of each month 2 – 5pm
Patcham Repair Cafe, Patcham Community Centre , Ladies Mile Road, Patcham, Brighton, BN18EA. 2nd Saturday of each month 10.30.an -1pm
Brighton Repair Café 33 Southover St, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 9UD
Chailey Repair Café Chailey Green, BN8 4DA
Crowborough Repair Café Ashdown Junior School, Herne Road, Crowborough, TN6 2NT
Hollingdean Repair Café (Brighton) Hollingdean Community Centre, Thompson Rd, Brighton BN1 7BH
Mayfield Mayfield & Five Ashes Repair Café Merrieweathers Farm, East Street, Mayfield TN20 6RJ
Newhaven Green Centre Repair Café 2A Fort Rd, Newhaven BN9 9QQ
Prestonville Repair Café – Brighton Exeter Street Hall, Brighton BN1 5PG
Robertsbridge and Brightling Repair Café 11-23 Station Rd, Robertsbridge TN32 5DG
Seaford Repair Café Mercread Youth Centre, Mercread Rd, Seaford BN25 1AB
Uckfield Repair Café Victoria Pavilion, Victoria Pleasure Ground, Uckfield, , Uckfield TN22 5DJ, UK
Just over the border in Surrey
Bletchingley Repair Café Church House, Church Walk, Bletchingley, Redhill RH1 4PD, first Saturday every month 10am – 1pm, https://www.facebook.com/bletchingley.repair.shop
Caterham Repair Cafe, The Westway Centre, 25 Chaldon Road, Caterham, CR3 5PG, second Saturday every month 10.30am -1.00pm https://www.facebook.com/caterham.repair.cafe/
Haslemere Repair Cafe Haslemere Town Hall, High Street, Haselmere, GU27 2HG. 1st Saturday of the month 10am – 1pm
Dorking Repair Café Church Street, Dorking RH4 1DW, first Saturday every month 10.30am – 1pm. https://www.facebook.com/dorkingrepaircafe
Merstham Repair Café 2b Portland Drive, Merstham, RH1 3HY, first Wednesday every month 3-5pm https://www.facebook.com/groups/mersthamrepaircafe
Reigate Repair Café, 3a The Facade, Holmesdale Road, Reigate, RH2 0BB, last Saturday every month 11-2pm https://www.facebook.com/reigaterepaircafe
Library of Things
What is a Library of Things? It is an organisation which loans out items to members of its local community, often items which are rarely needed. By borrowing, renting or sharing products instead of buying new ones, we can protect our fragile ecosystems and help keep the fossil fuels in the ground.
There is a Library of Things in these towns: Morden, Bromley, Crystal Palace, Sutton, Pimlico, Woolwich, Canada Water, Wandsworth learn more here
We are keen to set up some of these in Sussex!
With lots of volunteers we run the Horsham Repair Café. It takes place on the last Saturday every month, 10am to 2.30pm at the United Reformed Church as part of Sussex Green Hub.
We repair small household electrical, mechanical items, ornaments, toys, clothes and bikes. We ask you to sit with the volunteer repairer while they try and fix your item, they will happily talk you through what they are doing. You may go away with a fixed item and a new skill! Voluntary donations are welcome.
The Horsham Repair Cafe was the first repair cafe in West Sussex and opened its doors in October 2017, there are now about 19 in West Sussex. There is a big demand so we ask that you book an appointment for the Horsham Repair Cafe. Some repair cafes operate on a first come first served basis.
Live in another area?
Many Repair Cafes can be found via the Repair Cafe International’s website, take a look. Bear in mind that not all of them register on this site, so if you don’t find one on this page or the Repair Cafe site, you could carry out an internet search of your area.