West Sussex · England
Film and TV set catering in Ardingly, West Sussex
We bring a fish and chip van for the crew across Ardingly and West Sussex, frying fresh at your venue and serving from the hatch.
- Crew lunches at base
- Stills shoots
- Crew treats on long shoot days
Planning an event in Ardingly?
How the day works
The first sign we have arrived is typically the smell. After that, it is a steady flow to the hatch. Daylight is short on winter shoots near Ardingly: sunset is about 3:55pm, so lunch at base is frequently in daylight but a wrap meal is not.
- 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.
How to prepare
- Ensure the van can get in
- Get permission for the van from the venue
- Tell us when you want to eat
Get a quote
Still finalising the details? That’s fine: tell us the basics about your shoot, and we will quote on that. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
About our film set catering in Ardingly
On a long job, a chip van day is a morale boost. Popular choices include pie and chips, haddock and chips and sausage and chips, and we’re regularly asked to cater ad shoots and shoots on location.
Near Ardingly, crews may be miles from anywhere to eat, so lunch at base matters. Tell us about dietary needs and allergies when you enquire, and we will be straight with you about what we can do before booking.
- Location
- Ardingly (RH17)
- County
- West Sussex
- On the menu
- Cod and haddock, chips, sausages and pies
- Extras
- Gravy, mushy peas, curry sauce
- Quote
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 24 October 2026
Planning the van’s spot
No two venues are the same, so we will ask about yours when you contact us. Generally, we look for:
- Far enough from set to keep noise down
- Lighting for early or late service
- A clear route to base
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise before booking.
From the hatch
- Pie and chips
- Mushy peas
- Sausage and chips
- Crew lunches
- Cod and chips
- Haddock and chips
The menu, dish by dish
Haddock and chips
Haddock is a little sweeter than cod, with a finer, firmer flake. It is the traditional favourite in Scotland and much of the north.
Curry sauce
Some people won’t eat chips without curry sauce and it is on the menu.
Towns and villages near Ardingly
More for events in Ardingly
Questions from Ardingly
What’s the nearest station to Ardingly?
Balcombe station, about 2.5 miles west of the centre.
Do you come out to small places like Ardingly?
Not at all. We serve villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
How long are you on site?
It depends on numbers and the service time. We confirm all the timings beforehand.
Where do you take the van?
We cover London and the South East, including West Sussex. See all areas.
Is grass a problem?
Frequently, if the ground is firm and dry. After heavy rain, soft grass can be a problem for any vehicle, so have a hard-surface back-up.
What do we need to supply?
Let us know about power and water at the site when you enquire, and we’ll say what we need.
Who clears up?
We clear the van’s area after service. Let us know about bins for crew.
Can you work to the call sheet?
Schedules move, and we plan for it. Keep us updated and we will adapt.
What a fish and chip van costs
Two events with the same numbers can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Peak dates such as summer Saturdays
- Cod, haddock or both
- Service time
- Distance and any road charges
Distance and any road charges make a difference, so it helps to give us the postcode.
Details that help
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- Allergies and diets you know about
- Where you’d like the van to go
- A picture of the space and the way in
- The address or venue name
It is easy to get a price: share your date, address, rough numbers and when you’d like to eat. We will come back with a clear quote.
A chip van compared with other options
Some locations have nowhere to buy food. The van solves that. A chip van frequently compares well with a plated meal, as there’s no kitchen to hire and nothing to wash up. Ask us for a quote.
Why us?
- No surprises in your quote
- Rain does not stop the fryers
- All the chip-shop extras
- The queue at the hatch gets people talking
See how we price and our guide to van hire costs.
Crew catering near Ardingly
Ardingly is about 3 miles north of Haywards Heath, in West Sussex. From the centre of Ardingly to the outskirts, we offer the same service: fish and chips fried to order, served hot and quoted clearly. Ardingly is one of 371 towns and villages in West Sussex where we bring the van. Our bookings stretch from Ardingly to Brighton (about 15 miles away).
Ardingly is roughly 31 miles from central London, within easy reach for London-based crews. Among the historic houses close to Ardingly are Priest House (2.2 miles north-east) and Gravetye Manor (3.1 miles north). If you are shooting at a historic house, the van will need a base agreed with the property. Ardingly is within about 7 miles of the High Weald National Landscape, and locations in protected landscapes frequently have rules about vehicles.
We cover shoots in every part of the RH17 postcode area and the streets around it. Local streets include High Street, Munnion Road and Price Way; a shoot on any of them works well with a drive or nearby car park. For shoots just outside Ardingly, we cover Little London (1 mile north), Highbrook (1 mile north-east), Lindfield (2 miles south), Horsted Keynes (2 miles east) and West Hoathly (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also take the van to Crawley (6 miles north-west), Horsham (10 miles west), Haywards Heath (3 miles south), Burgess Hill (7 miles south), East Grinstead (6 miles north-east) and Broadfield (6 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Waterbury Castle (2 miles east) and Princess Royal Hospital (3.9 miles south). Within reach you’ll find Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow.
- Local pubs include The Ardingly Inn (less than half a mile north-east)
Who books film set catering in Ardingly?
It is quick to serve within a lunch break with a short menu.
These are some of the bookings we take in Ardingly and West Sussex:
- End-of-shoot parties
- Music video shoots
- Photo shoots
- Shoots on location
For cast and crew travelling by train, Balcombe station is about 2.5 miles away.
Comparing caterers
- The deadline for final numbers
- What happens if plans change
- Allergen information for each item
- Travel, tolls and road charges
Planners, venues and businesses
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers and vehicles: parking spots, arrival times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll work through them with you.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Ardingly? Fish and chips is a reliable crowd-pleaser. Tell us about the event and we will take it from there.
Allergies and dietary needs
Tell us about dietary needs and allergies early, and we will be straight with you about what’s possible. To make it work smoothly:
- Send the unit base address and directions
- Add an allergy question to crew forms
- Agree the waste plan with locations
- Plan an alternative for anyone we cannot cater for
A short menu keeps the line moving in a lunch break.
A quick pre-order speeds things up.
- 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