Reading · England
Film Set Catering for Sonning events
A menu everybody knows: fish and chips, sausages and pies, with mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy. Film set catering in Sonning.
- Treat days on a long shoot
- Lunch at the unit base
- End-of-shoot parties
Film set catering in Sonning
Looking after everyone
A little planning helps everyone eat safely. A few tips:
- Plan bins and waste at base
- Ensure we can reach locations on the day
- Update numbers if they change
- Send allergies to us in writing
A short menu keeps the line moving.
Tables or a marquee at base make lunch comfortable.
About our film set catering in Sonning
We need a level, firm spot at base, and a route the van can manage. Typical bookings include shoots on location and live events and broadcasts, serving haddock and chips, cod and chips and pie and chips.
Near Sonning, check tracks and ground for the van. Let us know about allergies and dietary needs in advance, and we’ll tell you honestly what we can offer before you book.
Your questions about a fish and chip van for the crew in Sonning
Is Sonning too small for a chip van?
No, we come to small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Can the van park in Ali's Pond Local Nature Reserve?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Ask them first.
Who clears up?
We clear the van’s area after service. Tell us where bins can go for people’s paper and trays.
How fast is service?
Keeping choices simple and sending people up in groups helps. We will talk it through when we quote.
Can you cater for allergies?
Tell us about allergies when you book, and we will tell you what’s in each item and what we can offer.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain does not stop the fryers: the cooking is inside the van. Crew will appreciate cover near the hatch.
When do you arrive?
We arrive well before service to park and heat the fryers. Timings are agreed in advance so food is ready when you want it.
Can you park at the unit base?
Normally, with a level spot. We’ll agree the spot with your location manager.
Prices and what affects them
Every booking is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- How many people are eating
- Travel, tolls and road charges
- How long we serve
- The day of the week
Larger groups generally cost less per head, since the van and set-up are much the same for any size. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
Getting an accurate quote
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Where you’d like the van to go
- Your date and serving time
- The venue or postcode
- Expected numbers
We only need a few details to quote: date, address, numbers and serving time. You can send us your details through our quote form.
What comes out of the fryer
Curry sauce
Curry sauce divides opinion and it is on the menu.
Cod and chips
Cod is the classic: mild, white and flaky, and it’s what most people in the south ask for. It is battered and fried to order, so it is crisp when it reaches you.
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.
If you do order from a chip shop, ring well ahead and collect as close to eating time as you can. For anything more than a handful of people, a van is normally the easier option.
Planning the van’s spot
We’ll be honest if a spot will not work, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- A route in the van can manage, with no low branches or tight lanes
- Permission for the van at base
- A lit spot for dark mornings or evenings
Not sure about the spot? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Haddock and chips
- Pie and chips
- Mushy peas
- Crew lunches
- Sausage and chips
- Cod and chips
Working with your venue
Parks, greens and streets normally need permission for a catering van. Ask the council or landowner early.
For big groups, the service window matters, so we can plan how to keep the queue short. Staggering groups helps a lot.
Location catering around Sonning
Sonning is about 1 mile north-west of Woodley, in Reading. Give us the address of your shoot in Sonning, and we will plan the route and the parking spot. Sonning is one of 34 places in Reading where we bring the van.
Central London is about 35 miles from Sonning, within easy reach for London-based crews. Crew coming by rail can use the station: the closest railway station is Twyford station, roughly 1.9 miles east of the centre.
This part of Reading takes in RG4. That could mean a shoot at a home on High Street, Parkway Drive and Pound Lane or the roads around them, wherever the van can park. Sonning is on the B478 and B4446, so it’s easy for us to reach with the van. For shoots just outside Sonning, we cover Play Hatch (1 mile north-west), Dunsden Green (2 miles north-west), Newtown (2 miles south-west), Caversham Park Village (2 miles north-west) and Littlestead Green (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Caversham (3 miles west), Norcot (5 miles west), West Reading (4 miles west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles west), Shinfield (5 miles south-west) and Arborfield Garrison (6 miles south).
Other landmarks nearby include Berkshire Medical Heritage Centre Museum (2.5 miles south-west) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.6 miles south-west). The countryside around Sonning includes Sonning Hill and South Lake.
- Schools near Sonning include Reading Blue Coat School (under half a mile west) and Waingels College (0.8 miles east)
- Nearby, you will find Bull Inn (under half a mile north-west)
How it works
Expect a friendly, organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, park on the agreed spot, and cook and serve without fuss. Light in Sonning lasts until about 9:25pm at midsummer; for early or late service, base needs lighting.
- We start with the location, call times and crew numbers.
- You get an access check and a quote.
- We arrange the van’s spot at the unit base with locations.
- We set up at the unit base and fry to order for the lunch break.
- We pack up straight after service and leave the base tidy.
Before we arrive
- Get permission for the van from the venue
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Keep space clear for crew at the hatch
Ask for a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the parking spot, access, numbers and serving time. Photos of the spot and the way in help. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
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Perfect for your shoot in Sonning
Service is quick from the hatch with a short menu.
Whatever the occasion in Sonning, fish and chips from the hatch goes down well. We’re often booked for:
- End-of-shoot parties
- Location shoots
- Crew treats on long shoot days
- Seaside shoots
With the B478 and B4446 nearby, Sonning is easy for the van and the trucks to reach.
Questions to ask before booking
- What happens if the event is cancelled or moved
- Allergen information for each item
- Any minimum charge
- Payment terms and deposit
- 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