Surrey · England
Care home fish and chip visits in Abinger Hammer, Surrey
We bring a fish and chip van visit to Abinger Hammer and nearby, cooking to order on site and serving from the hatch.
- Visiting days
- Care staff treats
- Retirement village events
Book the van in Abinger Hammer
Space, access and the venue
The van has to be able to get in and park safely, and a little planning goes a long way. Here’s what we look for:
- With the serving side away from windows
- A clear way in for the van
- Away from emergency access
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and the way in, and we’ll say what we think.
What we serve
- Cod and chips
- Mushy peas
- Gravy
- Haddock and chips
- Pie and chips
- Sausage and chips
How our care home fish and chips works in Abinger Hammer
Care homes, retirement housing and day centres all book visits, for one-off events and regular visits. We are frequently asked to cater residents’ celebrations and day centre treats, with pie and chips, gravy and sausage and chips.
Rural care homes near Abinger Hammer can feel a long way from the seaside, so a chip van visit is a special day. Your quote spells out what’s included: serving times, the menu and anything else agreed.
Places near Abinger Hammer
What else we do in Abinger Hammer
Your questions about a fish and chip van visit in Abinger Hammer
Do you come to venues in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles and ground, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Can the van park in Colekitchen Down?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Check with them first, and tell us what they say.
How long does set-up take?
We get there in good time to set up. Timings are agreed in advance so food is ready when you want it.
Does the batter contain gluten?
No, not as standard: the batter contains wheat. Let us know and we’ll tell you what we can do.
Is the food cooked at the event?
Yes, always. Everything is fried fresh in the van, and serve straight from the hatch.
Do we need to provide anything?
Somewhere suitable to park, with permission. Mention any power or water available and we will confirm the rest.
Where should the van go?
Wherever suits the home, as long as it is level and safe; we will check access.
Can residents with special diets join in?
Yes: residents on soft diets can share the occasion with meals from your kitchen, following their care plans.
Should I sort the food myself?
If you do order from a chip shop, ring well ahead and collect as close to eating time as you can. For anything more than a handful of people, a van is generally the easier option.
DIY food keeps costs down, but the host spends the event serving. With a fish and chip van, you get hot food without the work.
What comes out of the fryer
Gravy
Gravy brings a bit of warmth to the meal.
Curry sauce
Some people will not eat chips without curry sauce, so we bring it along.
For event organisers in Abinger Hammer
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers and vehicles: where a van can park, access times and the paperwork they want. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll work through them with you.
Parks, greens and streets usually need permission for a catering van. The council or landowner will tell you what they need.
Why fried-to-order beats a buffet
Next to a delivery order, the van cooks on site, so food is hot when it reaches residents. A chip van frequently compares well with a plated meal, because it needs no kitchen and no crockery hire. We will send you a quote.
Why Abinger Hammer hosts choose us
- A menu almost everyone likes
- No kitchen, no crockery, no washing up
- A clear quote before you book
- Fried fresh, not kept warm
See how we price and the cost guide.
What affects the price in Abinger Hammer
Your quote will be clear. The main things that affect it are:
- How many people are eating
- Any minimum charge
- How far we travel
- How long we serve
Most vans have a minimum charge, since getting the van there costs the same however many eat. We will tell you up front.
What to tell us
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- Expected numbers
- How to get in: gates, lanes and ground
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- The date and time of the event
Send us the date, the address or RH5 postcode and rough numbers, plus when you’d like to eat, and we will reply with a quote. Just use our quote form.
The process
A typical booking goes like this: we arrive, park up and set up, the oil comes up to temperature, and food goes out hot at the agreed time. For a summer visit in Abinger Hammer, residents can enjoy the garden in daylight until about 9:20pm, so an early-evening garden visit works well. In winter, dark by about 3:55pm, a lunchtime visit is better.
- First, the plan: what, where and what time.
- We come back with availability and a clear price.
- We agree exactly where the van parks, and how it gets in.
- Batter, fish and chips all go into the fryer as people come up.
- We leave the spot as we found it.
Preparing for the day
- Have a level parking spot ready
- Send us final numbers and any allergies in good time
- Confirm the van is allowed on site
Getting a price
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your care home visit, and we’ll check the date and send a price.
Planning help
Allergies and dietary needs
With a bit of planning, dietary needs are easier to handle. A few tips:
- Arrange texture-modified meals from your own kitchen
- Choose a spot away from ambulance routes
- Plan it with your catering manager
- Choose a time around meals and medication
When everyone has eaten, we pack up.
Seaside photos give people something to talk about.
Planning a van visit in Abinger Hammer
Abinger Hammer is about 5 miles west of Dorking, in Surrey. For a care home visit in Abinger Hammer, the van can park on drives, in car parks and yards, and on firm lawns and fields. Abinger Hammer is one of 395 places in Surrey where we bring the van. Our nearest city page is Guildford, about 6 miles away.
Residents who remember days out at Combe Bottom may enjoy talking about it over fish and chips. Abinger Hammer is within about 2 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape, a nice prompt for residents’ memories of days out.
Wherever your care home visit is in RH5, we can fry fresh for your residents. Local streets include Guildford Road, Hackhurst Lane and Felday Road; a care home visit on any of them works well with a drive or nearby car park. Close by, we cover care home visits in Gomshall (1 mile west), Hoe (1 mile south), Sutton Abinger (1 mile south), Abinger (1 mile south-east) and Shere (1 mile west). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (6 miles west), Woking (9 miles north-west), Camberley (15 miles north-west), Epsom (11 miles north-east), Horley (12 miles east) and Redhill (12 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include St. Luke’s Hospital (5.7 miles west) and Shere Museum (1.3 miles west). Green spaces nearby include Leith Hill and Combe Bottom.
- Local pubs include Abinger Arms (under half a mile north-west)
- 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