Surrey · England
Care home fish and chip visits in Parkgate, Surrey
From the smell of the fryers to the last chip in the paper, a fish and chip van visit makes the food a highlight of your care home visit in Parkgate.
- Lunch clubs
- Summer fêtes and open days
- Seaside-themed afternoons
Planning an event in Parkgate?
Fish and chip days near Parkgate
Parkgate is about 4 miles south-east of Dorking, in Surrey. Whether your care home visit is in the middle of Parkgate or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: fish and chips fried to order, served hot and quoted clearly. Parkgate is one of 395 places in Surrey where we bring the van. Our nearest city page is Guildford, about 14 miles away.
Old photos of Reigate Heath can spark conversation during a van visit. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Parkgate, a nice prompt for residents’ memories of days out.
Care home visits anywhere in RH5 start with a parking spot for the van and roughly how many residents. Whether your care home visit is on Broad Lane, Mill Lane and Becket Wood or a nearby road, we will bring the van to you. If your venue is just outside Parkgate, we also cover Shellwood Cross (1 mile north), Newdigate (1 mile south-west), Cudworth (2 miles south), Nalderswood (2 miles north-east) and Norwood Hill (2 miles east). We also serve nearby towns such as Guildford (14 miles west), Epsom (11 miles north), Horley (5 miles east), Redhill (6 miles north-east), Ewell (12 miles north) and Reigate (5 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Langley Green Hospital (5.1 miles south-east) and Betchworth Castle (3.8 miles north). Within reach you will find Reigate Heath and Leith Hill.
How our care home fish and chips works in Parkgate
Residents can watch from the window or come out to the hatch, and families can join in. We’re often asked to cater residents’ birthdays and anniversaries and day centre treats, with mushy peas, gravy and pie and chips.
For a care home near Parkgate, tell us about lanes and the drive so we can plan the route. We cook inside the van, right where your residents are, so the batter is still crisp when it is handed over.
DIY versus a fish and chip van
Ordering from a local shop? Call ahead and collect at the last minute. For anything more than a handful of people, a van is generally the easier option.
Doing the food yourself saves money, but the host ends up running around. With a fish and chip van, you get hot food without the work.
What happens on the day
The first sign we’ve arrived is usually the smell. After that, it’s a steady flow to the hatch. In summer, Parkgate has 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.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and roughly how many.
- Show us where the van would go, and we will confirm it works.
- Closer to the day, we confirm the arrival time and serving time.
- The van rolls up, the hatch opens and the fryers get going for residents.
- Once the last portion is out, we pack up and go.
Preparing for the day
- Arrange somewhere dry for the queue
- Check the way in for low branches, cables and narrow gates
- Give us a contact for the day
Getting a price
Every booking is quoted individually, based on your numbers, timings and travel. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Read more
Allergies and dietary needs
We need to know about dietary needs and allergies in advance, and we’ll tell you honestly what we can offer. To make it work smoothly:
- Plan IDDSI-level meals with your own team
- Plan how food reaches residents indoors
- Keep the van clear of emergency access
- Share residents’ diets and allergies with us
We set up before the mealtime.
Families love being included.
What a fish and chip van costs
Every booking is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Travel, tolls and road charges
- How many people are eating
- Cod, haddock or both
- The length of service
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will suggest how to make it work. Keeping the menu short is normally the best value.
Getting an accurate quote
To speed things up, tell us:
- Dietary needs, with numbers
- Where the event is
- How to get in: gates, lanes and ground
- A photo of the space and the way in
Each quote is put together for your care home visit. Give us your date first, and we will check availability right away.
Places near Parkgate
What else we do in Parkgate
What the van needs
The right spot keeps everyone safe and the service smooth. We need:
- A lit spot for evening service
- Away from emergency access
- Access the van can manage
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and the way in, and we’ll say what we think.
From the hatch
- Sausage and chips
- Pie and chips
- Gravy
- Haddock and chips
- Cod and chips
- Mushy peas
A closer look at the menu
Curry sauce
Some people will not eat chips without curry sauce and it is on the menu.
Sausage and chips
For anyone who does not fancy fish, there’s sausage and chips, and children love it.
Why fried-to-order beats a buffet
Compared with a takeaway delivery, a van serves hot food on site, so it isn’t lukewarm by the time it’s plated. Many fish and chip vans set a minimum, since getting the van there costs the same however many eat. We’ll tell you up front.
Why book with us
- Hot food handed straight over
- The queue at the hatch gets people talking
- Fish and chips fried fresh on site
- A clear quote before booking
Read our pricing and what a fish and chip van costs.
Why choose care home fish and chips in Parkgate?
It is easy to arrange and a plan for residents’ diets.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Day centres and lunch clubs
- Retirement village events
- Themed afternoons
- Visiting days
Families coming by rail can use the station: the nearest station is Holmwood station, about 2.1 miles west.
Before booking anyone
- How many hours the van serves
- What the price includes, item by item
- How late numbers can change
- The deposit and payment dates
Your questions about a fish and chip van visit in Parkgate
Can the van park in Newdigate Brickworks?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Check with them first.
Do you come out to small places like Parkgate?
Not at all. We serve villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and the ground.
Do you do residents’ portions?
Tell us what you need and we’ll plan portion sizes with your team.
What does it cost to hire the van?
The price depends on numbers, menu, service time and travel. Tell us about your care home visit and we’ll send a quote.
What does the van need?
A level, firm spot it can drive onto, close to where people will eat, and space for a queue. Mention any narrow gates or soft ground.
Can you serve children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers, and we will plan for them.
Do you fry it on site?
It is. The fryers are in the van, so it is fried on the spot, rather than made in advance.
Does the batter contain gluten?
Standard batter is made with wheat flour, so battered fish contains gluten. Tell us about coeliac residents when you enquire, and we’ll tell you honestly what we can offer.
- 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