West Sussex · England
Film Set Catering in Small Dole
Something for almost everyone: cod or haddock in batter, chips, sausages and pies, with mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy. Book a fish and chip van for the crew in Small Dole.
- Crew lunches at base
- Seaside shoots
- Stills shoots
Planning an event in Small Dole?
The process
You do not need to do much on the day: point us to the spot and get on with your shoot. We handle the cooking and serving. In December, daylight in Small Dole ends around 3:55pm, so the unit base needs lighting for late service. Summer shoots have daylight until about 9:20pm.
- First, tell us about your shoot.
- We check the date and where the van will park, then send a quote.
- Timings and the van’s spot are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we park up and fry fresh for the crew.
- Everything goes out hot from the hatch, and we pack up afterwards.
Before we arrive
- Give us a contact for the day
- Clear the route for the van
- Send us final numbers and any allergies in good time
Get a quote
Send us the date, the address or BN5 postcode and rough numbers, along with your serving time, and we’ll reply with a quote. Just use our quote form.
Read more
Film set catering for your shoot in Small Dole
Food is fried to order, so lunch is hot and fresh. On the menu are mushy peas, cod and chips and sausage and chips, and we’re often booked for location filming and fashion shoots on location.
Rural locations near Small Dole can be a long way from food, so lunch at base matters. We serve from the hatch, so it is hot and generous, and service is quick once we’re up and running.
- Where
- Small Dole (BN5)
- County
- West Sussex
- Menu
- Fish and chips, sausages, pies
- Sides
- Gravy, mushy peas, curry sauce
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 24 October 2026
Takeaway run or book a van?
DIY food keeps costs down, but the host spends the event serving. Booking the van means hot food and no stress.
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. A van fries it right there, so it is crisp.
Small Dole questions
Could you trade in Tottington Wood?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, usually the council. Ask them first, and tell us what they say.
Which station is closest to Small Dole?
The closest is Shoreham-By-Sea station, roughly 4.8 miles away.
Can the van park on grass?
Often, 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.
Where do you take the van?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
How quickly can you serve everyone?
It depends on numbers, the menu and how people arrive. Tell us your numbers and how long you have for food, and we’ll plan to keep the queue moving.
Where does the van go on location?
Yes, on level ground at base; we’ll check the route.
Do you bring everything you need?
All the cooking happens in the van. Let us know what’s available at the site.
Can you work to the call sheet?
We can. Give us a contact for changes, and we will adjust where possible.
Why choose film set catering in Small Dole?
It lifts the crew.
We can help if you’re planning any of the following:
- Seaside and period locations
- Wrap parties
- Location shoots
- Ad shoots
Among the historic houses close to Small Dole are Portslade Manor (4.8 miles south-east). Period locations like these normally keep vehicles well away from the house, so agree the base early.
Before you book anyone
- VAT, if it applies
- What the van needs: space, access, power
- When payment is due
- Whether travel is included
Allergies and dietary needs
A little planning helps everyone eat safely. A few tips:
- Share the base location and route
- Give us a contact for call-time changes
- Send final numbers the day before
- Plan an alternative for anyone we can’t cater for
Fewer choices mean faster service in a lunch break.
End the shoot with a chip van wrap.
For planners, venues and organisers
Many venues set rules for catering vans: where a van can park, access times and the paperwork they want. Tell us what your venue needs and we’ll confirm what we can provide.
For big groups, the service window matters, so we can plan how to keep the queue short. Sending people up in groups helps.
Small Dole for film and TV crews
Small Dole is about 5 miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea, in West Sussex. From the centre of Small Dole to the outskirts, we offer the same service: fish and chips fried to order, served hot and quoted clearly. We take the van to all 371 towns and villages across West Sussex. Our bookings stretch from Small Dole to Brighton (about 8 miles away).
For crew arriving by train, the closest railway station is Shoreham-By-Sea station, roughly 4.8 miles south of the centre. Small Dole is roughly 42 miles from central London, within easy reach for London-based crews. The South Downs National Park is within about 7 miles of Small Dole, so check vehicle rules with locations. With the sea within about 6 miles, coastal shoots need a sheltered base, so plan where crew will queue.
We cover shoots in every part of BN5 and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Downsview, Tottington Drive and Orchard Close, and the van can serve a shoot on any of them with a suitable parking spot. Neighbouring places where we serve shoots include Woodmancote (2 miles north-east), Henfield (2 miles north), Blackstone (2 miles north-east), Albourne (3 miles north-east) and High Cross (3 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Crawley (15 miles north), Horsham (11 miles north), Worthing (8 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (10 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (7 miles north-east) and Littlehampton (13 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Southlands Hospital (4.4 miles south) and Steyning Museum (2.6 miles south-west). Within reach you will find Woods Mill and Truleigh Hill.
Is a fish and chip van right for your shoot?
Next to a sandwich lunch, hot fish and chips is a real lunch. There is no one-size-fits-all price for a fish and chip van. A one-hour staff lunch is a different job from serving all afternoon at a fête. We set everything out in your quote.
Why book our van in Small Dole
- Bookings across West Sussex, including Small Dole
- Rain does not stop the fryers
- All the chip-shop extras
- The queue at the hatch gets people talking
See our prices page and the cost guide.
Nearby places to Small Dole
More for events in Small Dole
A closer look at the menu
Cod and chips
Cod has big, soft white flakes and a mild flavour, and it’s what most people in the south ask for. It’s battered and fried to order, so it is crisp when it reaches you.
Pie and chips
Pie and chips gives people a filling alternative to fish, perfect with gravy.
Prices and what affects them
There’s nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Cod, haddock or both
- How easy the site is to reach
- How far we travel
- Service time
The cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, since the van and set-up are much the same for any size. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- The date and when you’d like to eat
- A picture of the parking spot
- Allergies and diets you know about
- Where the van would park
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, address, rough numbers and when you’d like to eat. We’ll come back with a clear quote.
- 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