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How to Set Up Sinks in a Mobile Catering Gazebo

by Joe
(Dorset)

Yellow catering gazebo and market stall at a UK outdoor food market

Yellow catering gazebo and market stall at a UK outdoor food market

Hi all,

I’ve been preparing to apply for my food hygiene rating and the last thing I need to do is sort my sink set up out. I’ve seen a lot of the small plastic foldable sinks from tasty trotter and Teal but I’ve been advised that I need a warm water supply for 2 separate sinks, one for hands and one for equipment and utensils… being a gazebo setup I really need the space to be thought out properly and a double sink isn’t ideal.

If anyone has come across this or has a suggestion then that would be very much appreciated indeed!

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Jul 06, 2026
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by: MobCater

Joe, this is the exact bit that trips up nearly everyone running from a gazebo, so you're right to get it sorted before the EHO turns up. The good news is your plan sounds fine, it's just been explained to you in a way that makes it feel more complicated than it really is.

What the officer actually wants to see is a dedicated hand wash basin that is used for nothing else, with warm running water, soap and paper towels, plus a separate sink for washing your equipment and utensils. They don't want you rinsing your hands in the same bowl you've just scrubbed a chopping board in, and that's the whole reason for keeping them apart. It isn't about bolting in a big double sink, which is why a gazebo setup throws people. You just need two distinct water points doing two distinct jobs.

Those portable units you've seen from Teal and Tasty Trotter are exactly what most gazebo traders use, and they pass inspections all the time. I'd run one self-contained hand wash unit purely for hands, the type with a small heater or a hot flask feeding it so you've got genuinely warm water at the tap and not just cold. Then for equipment, a second container sink or a collapsible bowl fed with warm water from an urn or a boiler does the job nicely. Keep the two physically separated on your bench so it's obvious which is which, and label the hand wash one. That little bit of clarity goes a long way on inspection day.

The one thing I'd do before buying anything is ring your local Environmental Health Officer and describe your exact gazebo plan. Every officer has slightly different expectations on water temperature and layout, and a two minute phone call now can save you failing the visit and having to reapply. In my experience they're far more helpful when you ask first than when you guess and hope for the best.

Get those two water points right and spotlessly clean, and you'll sail through the hygiene rating.

Best wishes

David

Disclaimer: Food safety rules are updated from time to time. Always check the latest FSA guidance and speak to your local EHO for the most current requirements in your area.

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