Portsmouth · England
Film Set Catering for Hilsea events
Film set catering in Hilsea: cod, haddock and chips fried to order, then handed over hot from the hatch at the time you choose.
- Crew treats on long shoot days
- Lunch at the unit base
- Live events and broadcasts
Book the van in Hilsea
Film set catering in Hilsea, fried fresh
Shoot days are long, and a hot lunch on time matters. We park at the unit base and cook to order. Whether it’s event crews and wrap celebrations, we’ll put together a menu of pie and chips, haddock and chips and cod and chips and more.
For a location shoot near Hilsea, base might be in a field or farmyard. We serve from the hatch, so every portion is hot, and service is quick once we are up and running.
- Area
- Hilsea (PO2, PO3, PO6)
- County
- Portsmouth
- Menu
- Cod and haddock, chips, sausages and pies
- On the side
- Gravy, mushy peas, curry sauce
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 24 October 2026
What a fish and chip van costs
Every booking is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- How long we serve
- The minimum booking
- Distance and any road charges
- Access and parking
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: hours, menu, travel, minimum charge and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
What we need to know
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Rough numbers for adults and children
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Your date and serving time
- A picture of where the van would go
Thinking about a fish and chip van for the crew for your shoot in Hilsea? Tell us what you have in mind and we will come back with a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Crew catering near Hilsea
Hilsea is about 2 miles north of Portsmouth, in Portsmouth. Hilsea is well within our area, so all we need is your date, a parking spot and a time to serve. We serve 19 places in Portsmouth, from the larger towns to small villages. Our bookings stretch from Hilsea to Southampton (about 15 miles away).
Central London is about 63 miles from Hilsea. For cast and crew travelling by train, the closest railway station is Hilsea station, roughly 0.5 miles east of the centre. The coast is within about 4 miles of Hilsea, and coastal unit bases can be exposed, so plan where crew will queue.
We cover shoots in every part of the PO2, PO3 and PO6 postcode area. Streets in the area include Vita Road, Conan Road and Arras Road, and the van can serve a shoot on any of them with a suitable parking spot. If your venue is just outside Hilsea, we also cover Cosham (1 mile north), North End (1 mile south-west), Tipner (1 mile south-west), Wymering (1 mile north) and Rudmore (1 mile south-west). Further out, we also take the van to Southsea (3 miles south), Portsea (3 miles south-west) and Portsmouth Point (3 miles south-west).
Well-known places in the area include World War I Remembrance Centre (0.8 miles east) and Tricorn Centre (2.1 miles south-west). Open spaces near Hilsea include Milton Locks and Portsdown Hill.
- Nearby schools include Trafalgar School (within half a mile north-west) and Springfield School (1.3 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you will find Coach and Horses pub (under half a mile north)
Working with your venue
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.
Organising a club, school or community event in Hilsea? A fish and chip van draws people in and almost everyone likes it. Give us the details and we will suggest how it could work.
Planning for dietary needs
Dietary needs are easiest to plan with some notice. Our advice:
- Arrange something for anyone with needs we can’t meet
- Share the base location and route
- Name a contact in the production office
- Confirm numbers the day before
We set up at the unit base ahead of lunch, out of the way.
Bins at base keep the location clean.
About the food
Curry sauce
Curry sauce divides opinion, so we bring it along.
Mushy peas
Mushy peas are made from dried marrowfat peas, soaked and cooked until soft. They’re the classic side with fish and chips.
Cannot we just order from the chip shop?
Ordering in from a local chip shop is an option. Large orders are slow, and the food cools in the bags. A van cooks in front of your crew instead.
You could do a chip-shop run for everyone yourself, but it rarely works for a crowd. By the time you’ve queued, paid and driven back, the batter has gone soft. With a van, it’s fried on the spot.
A fish and chip van or other catering?
Ordering takeaway to a location is unreliable. The van cooks on site. The cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, because the van, travel and set-up cost much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why Hilsea hosts choose us
- A clear quote before you book
- Served hot, straight from the hatch
- Fish and chips fried fresh on site
- Works on wet days as well as sunny ones
Take a look at our pricing and the cost guide.
Occasions we serve in Hilsea
It’s self-contained, just a spot at the unit base.
A fish and chip van suits almost any gathering. In Hilsea, people book us for occasions like:
- Unit base lunches
- Seaside and period locations
- Event crews
- Treat days on a long shoot
Within reach of Hilsea are historic houses such as Warblington Castle (4.7 miles east). If you’re shooting at a historic house, the van will need a base agreed with the property.
Comparing caterers
- The deadline for final numbers
- Travel, tolls and road charges
- What they can offer for dietary needs
- The deposit and payment dates
Hilsea: your questions answered
Can the van park in Alexandra Park?
Only if the landowner, typically the council, allows it. Check with them first, and tell us what they say.
What’s the nearest station to Hilsea?
The closest is Hilsea station, roughly 0.5 miles away.
Can you cook in the rain?
The weather does not stop the van, because the cooking happens inside. Very soft ground can be a problem, so plan a back-up spot on a hard surface.
How fast is service?
A short menu and staggered groups keep things moving. We’ll talk it through when we quote.
What areas do you cover?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
What if we only have street parking?
That depends on local parking rules. A drive, car park or yard is generally easier; if it has to be the street, check with the council.
How do you handle allergies?
Let us know about allergies in advance, and we’ll give you the allergen information and what we can offer.
What does the van need?
Not much: a drive, a car park, a yard or a firm lawn, that the van can reach easily. If in doubt, send a photo.
How it works
We take care of the food from arrival to the last chip, so you can get on with your shoot. Light in Hilsea lasts until about 9:20pm at midsummer; for dawn calls or late wraps, plan lighting at base.
- The production office sends us the location, dates, numbers and lunch time.
- We check the route and the unit base and send a price.
- Parking and arrival are agreed with locations.
- We cook to order through the crew’s lunch break.
- We pack up straight after service and leave the base tidy.
Before we arrive
- Share the timings for the day
- Leave room in front of the hatch for a queue
- Get permission for the van from the venue
How to get a price
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: where the van would park, how to get in, numbers and timings. Photos of the spot and the way in help. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Also in Hilsea
- 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