Surrey · England
Film Set Catering for Merle Common events
Something for almost everyone: fish and chips, sausages and pies, plus mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy on the side. Film set catering in Merle Common.
- Live events and broadcasts
- Stills shoots
- Location shoots
A chip van near Merle Common
The process
On the day, we park up on the agreed spot, set up and heat the fryers. Once we are hot, we cook to order, so we time it to your schedule. In December, daylight in Merle Common ends around 3:55pm, so the unit base needs lighting for late service. Summer shoots have daylight until about 9:20pm.
- The production office sends us the location, dates, numbers and lunch time.
- We check the route and the unit base and send a price.
- We arrange the van’s spot at the unit base with locations.
- We cook to order through the crew’s lunch break.
- We pack up straight after service and leave the base tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Have a level parking spot ready
- Plan where the queue will stand
- Send us final numbers and any allergies in good time
Ask for a quote
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many people, plus when you’d like to eat, and we will reply with a quote. Just fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Film set catering in Merle Common, fried fresh
Call times change, so a contact on the day helps and we’ll work around it. On the menu are cod and chips, mushy peas and sausage and chips, and we’re frequently booked for treat days on a long shoot and event crews.
For a shoot in a place like Merle Common, tracks and soft ground need checking with locations. We keep the menu short: a few classics done properly keeps the food fresh and the queue moving.
What a fish and chip van costs
Each booking is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- The length of service
- The menu and how many choices
- Numbers
- Parking and the way in
The price depends on numbers, the menu and how long we serve, along with distance and access to the site. We quote for each booking individually.
Getting an accurate quote
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- Expected numbers
- The date and time of the event
- Where the van would park
- Dietary needs, with numbers
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. To send them, use our quote form.
About the food
Curry sauce
Chip-shop curry sauce is a mild, slightly sweet British classic, great with chips and sausages.
Cod and chips
Cod has big, soft white flakes and a mild flavour, and it’s the favourite in much of the south. We batter it and fry it to order.
Places near Merle Common
Other occasions in Merle Common
Planners, venues and businesses
Organising a club, school or community event in Merle Common? Fish and chips is a reliable crowd-pleaser. Tell us about the event and we’ll take it from there.
Many venues set rules for catering vans: parking spots, arrival times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll confirm what we can provide.
Merle Common questions
Do you come out to small places like Merle Common?
No, we come to small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and the ground.
Which station is closest to Merle Common?
The closest is Hurst Green station, roughly 1.4 miles away.
What can crew choose from?
Fish and chips, of course, plus sausage or pie and chips. The sides are mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We pack up and leave the pitch tidy when service is finished. Tell us where bins can go for people’s paper and trays.
How much is fish and chip van hire?
The price depends on numbers, menu, service time and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
What about crew who don’t eat fish?
There is: sausage and chips or pie and chips. Give us a rough idea of numbers.
Is grass a problem?
That depends on the weather and the ground. Let us know what the ground is like, and send a picture if you can.
Where do you take the van?
We cover London and the South East, Surrey included. See all areas.
Who books film set catering in Merle Common?
Rain doesn’t stop the fryers, which matters on location.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Seaside shoots
- Crew treats on long shoot days
- Event crews
- Unit base lunches
Historic houses near Merle Common include Chartwell (3.3 miles north-east) and Titsey Place (3.6 miles north). If you’re shooting at a historic house, the van will need a base agreed with the property.
Before you book anyone
- How allergens are handled
- The deposit and payment dates
- How much space the van takes up
- How late numbers can change
Takeaway run or book a van?
Weighing up a takeaway order against booking a van? Consider your numbers and how fresh you want it. We are happy to send a quote so you can compare.
For a small group, making your own food can work. For larger numbers, or when you want hot food, a van takes the pressure off, and nobody has to miss the shoot.
Planning for dietary needs
We need to know about dietary needs and allergies in advance, and we will be straight with you about what’s possible. To get it right:
- Ask for dietary needs on the crew info form
- Confirm allergies by email
- Agree how the base is left
- Have a back-up for special diets
Lunch is planned around the call sheet, and a contact keeps us updated.
A chip van wrap party is a great way to finish a shoot.
Planning a shoot in Merle Common
Merle Common is about 6 miles south-east of Caterham, in Surrey. From the centre of Merle Common to the outskirts, the service works the same way: fresh frying, hot food from the hatch and a clear price. We cover 395 places in Surrey, from the larger towns to small villages. Our bookings stretch from Merle Common to London (about 19 miles away).
Crew coming by rail can use the station: Hurst Green station is about 1.4 miles away. Merle Common is roughly 19 miles from central London.
Anywhere in RH8, we can fry fresh for your crew. Other places close to Merle Common we cover include Crowhurst (1 mile south-west), Troy Town (2 miles south-east), Hurst Green (2 miles north-west), Pains-Hill (2 miles north) and Crowhurst Lane End (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also take the van to Epsom (14 miles north-west), Horley (8 miles west), Redhill (8 miles west), Ewell (15 miles north-west), Reigate (9 miles west) and Caterham (6 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Tandridge Priory (2.1 miles north) and Haxted Watermill Museum (2.5 miles south). Open spaces near Merle Common include Botley Hill and Bay Pond.
- Local schools include Oxted School (2.4 miles north)
Is a fish and chip van right for your shoot?
Wrap parties add up. A van makes a relaxed wrap. Fish and chip van prices depend on the booking. A one-hour staff lunch is a different job from serving all afternoon at a fête. Your quote spells it all out.
What you get with us
- A quote that spells everything out
- Rain doesn’t stop the fryers
- Hot food handed straight over
- All the chip-shop extras
- 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