Reading · England
Christmas Party Fish and Chips for Play Hatch events
Something for almost everyone: fish and chips, sausages and pies, plus mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy on the side. Christmas party fish and chips in Play Hatch.
- Christmas socials for clubs
- PTA Christmas events
- Christmas lunches for shift teams
Planning an event in Play Hatch?
About the food
Sausage and chips
Sausage and chips is the go-to for anyone who isn’t a fish fan, especially with curry sauce.
Mushy peas
Mushy peas are made from dried marrowfat peas, soaked and cooked until soft. They’re the side most people expect.
Christmas party fish and chips in Play Hatch, cooked to order
The cooking is inside the van, so rain and cold don’t stop us. For school and PTA Christmas fairs and end-of-year customer events, we will put together a menu of pie and chips, sausage and chips and haddock and chips.
In winter near Play Hatch, we need firm ground and light. Food is served straight from the hatch, so every portion is hot, and the queue keeps moving.
Perfect for your Christmas party in Play Hatch
By December, many people have had several Christmas dinners, so a chip van makes a nice change.
Almost any gathering works with a fish and chip van. In Play Hatch, people book us for events such as:
- Christmas socials for clubs
- Family Christmas get-togethers
- Warehouse and depot Christmas lunches
- Work Christmas parties
PTA Christmas fairs, for a school such as St Martin's Catholic Primary School, suit a chip van.
What to look for in a quote
- Any minimum charge
- If the price includes VAT
- How allergens are handled
- What happens if plans change
Prices and what affects them
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- How easy the site is to reach
- The date and time of year
- Your choice of menu
- How many people are eating
The cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, because the van, travel and set-up cost much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What to tell us
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- The spot you have in mind for the van
- Your date and serving time
- Dietary needs, with numbers
- How to get in: gates, lanes and ground
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the parking spot, access, numbers and serving time. A photo of the spot helps too. To send your details, fill in our quote form.
Before you choose a spot
Most drives, car parks, yards and firm lawns can take the van, but there are a few things to check:
- A route in without tight gates or low branches
- The site’s agreement to a catering van
- Somewhere close to where people will eat
Not sure about the spot? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
From the hatch
- Haddock and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Pie and chips
- Mushy peas
- Curry sauce
- Cod and chips
- Gravy
Takeaway run or book a van?
Weighing up a takeaway order against booking a van? Think about numbers, timing and how hot you want the food. We are happy to send a quote so you can compare.
You could do a chip-shop run for everyone yourself, but it rarely works for a crowd. Long waits and a drive home mean food arrives lukewarm and soggy. With a van, it’s fried on the spot.
Why choose a fish and chip van in Play Hatch?
A cold buffet in December is not much of a treat. Hot fish and chips is. Many fish and chip vans set a minimum, because the van, fuel and travel cost the same for a small group. Ask us what applies to your Christmas party.
Why book our van in Play Hatch
- Fish and chips fried fresh on site
- A menu almost everyone likes
- All the chip-shop extras
- Nothing for you to cook or clear
Step by step
Serving is straightforward: everything is handed over hot from the hatch, and people can eat where they like. Afterwards we pack up. By about 3:55pm in late December, it is dark in Play Hatch; park the van where there is good light, and keep the walk short.
- You tell us the date, the venue or site, rough numbers and when you’d like to eat.
- We check the spot for the van and send a quote.
- We agree arrival, lighting and the serving spot with you or the venue.
- We park up, heat the fryers and serve hot food on a cold day.
- We pack up when service ends and leave the pitch tidy.
Before we arrive
- Leave room in front of the hatch for a queue
- Ensure the van can get in
- Have a level parking spot ready
How to get a price
We only need a few details to quote: the date, where the van would park, roughly how many people and when you’d like to eat. You can fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Common questions in Play Hatch
Is Play Hatch close to London?
Roughly 36 miles from the centre of London.
Do you come out to small places like Play Hatch?
Not at all. We serve villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Is there something for children?
Yes. Sausage and chips is a favourite with children. Include children in your numbers.
What time should the van serve at a Christmas party?
At the time you choose. Remember it’s dark by about 4pm in December.
Do you cover Play Hatch?
Yes, we do. Play Hatch is one of the places we cover. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Can you cook in the rain?
Rain doesn’t stop the fryers: the cooking is inside the van. Guests will appreciate cover near the hatch.
Do you bring everything you need?
Everything is cooked in the van. Let us know what’s available at the site.
How fast is service?
Keeping choices simple and sending people up in groups helps. We’ll talk it through when we quote.
Looking after everyone
With a little notice, diets are easier to plan for. We suggest:
- Have a back-up for special diets
- Choose a lit spot for the van
- Ask about your date in the autumn, or earlier
- Let us know about coeliac disease
When service is finished, we pack up and leave you to the party.
A bit of festive music by the van helps.
Places near Play Hatch
Also in Play Hatch
Christmas catering near Play Hatch
Play Hatch is about 1 mile east of Caversham, in Reading. People in Play Hatch book us for all sorts of reasons, but the plan is always the same: a level spot for the van, a time to eat and food fried to order. We cover all 34 towns and villages across Reading.
If a church like St Andrew's Church is running a Christmas fair, a chip van is a welcome sight on a cold evening. For anyone getting the train home after the party, the closest railway station is Reading station, roughly 2.2 miles south-west of the centre.
Wherever your Christmas party is in RG4, we can fry fresh for your guests. We can serve a Christmas party on streets such as Dene Close, Henley Road and Foxhill Lane or the roads around them, as long as there’s somewhere for the van. If your venue is just outside Play Hatch, we also cover Dunsden Green (1 mile north), Caversham Park Village (1 mile west), Littlestead Green (1 mile north-west), Emmer Green (1 mile west) and Sonning (1 mile south-east). We also serve nearby towns such as Norcot (4 miles west), West Reading (3 miles south-west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles west), Shinfield (5 miles south), Arborfield Garrison (7 miles south) and Horncastle (5 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include The Oracle (2.4 miles south-west) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.3 miles south-west). Open spaces near Play Hatch include Alder Moors and South Lake.
- Schools near Play Hatch include Reading Blue Coat School (1 mile south-east) and Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre (1.8 miles west)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Shoulder of Mutton pub (less than half a mile south-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