Reading · England
Film Set Catering for Whitley Wood events
From the smell of the fryers to the last chip in the paper, a fish and chip van for the crew turns food into part of your shoot in Whitley Wood.
- End-of-shoot parties
- Live events and broadcasts
- Ad shoots
Book the van in Whitley Wood
Whitley Wood: your questions answered
What’s the nearest station to Whitley Wood?
The closest is Reading Green Park station, roughly 1.9 miles away.
Is Whitley Wood close to London?
About 38 miles from central London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you clear up afterwards?
The pitch is left as we found it. It helps to have bins near the hatch.
Where can the van park?
Level, firm ground the van can reach, near your crew, and space for a queue. Mention any narrow gates or soft ground.
Can the van come to Whitley Wood?
Yes. We take the van across London and the South East, including Whitley Wood and the rest of Reading. To check your date, use our quote form.
Do numbers include extras?
Yes, if they’re in your numbers. Tell us the day before.
Do you do anything other than fish?
We serve sausages and pies as well as fish. Tell us about other diets and we’ll tell you what we can offer.
Do you cater wrap parties?
Yes, and crews love it. Tell us the details.
Film set catering in Whitley Wood, cooked to order
Locations and the production office can deal with us directly. On the menu are cod and chips, pie and chips and sausage and chips, and we’re regularly asked to cater lunch at the unit base and wrap celebrations.
Near Whitley Wood, base may be a field or yard, so ground conditions matter. We serve from the hatch, so every portion is hot, and the queue keeps moving.
Nearby places to Whitley Wood
What else we do in Whitley Wood
Space, access and the venue
Every site is different, so we’ll ask about yours before we confirm. In general, we need:
- Far enough from set to keep noise down
- A clear route to base
- Space in front of the hatch
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
From the hatch
- Mushy peas
- Cod and chips
- Pie and chips
- Haddock and chips
- Crew lunches
- Sausage and chips
Planning a shoot in Whitley Wood
Whitley Wood is about 2 miles south-west of Earley, in Reading. Wherever your shoot is in the RG2 area, we’ll come to your venue, home or workplace. Whitley Wood is one of 34 places in Reading where we bring the van.
With the M4 nearby, Whitley Wood is easy for the van and the trucks to reach. Central London is about 38 miles from Whitley Wood.
Shoots anywhere in RG2, RG7 and RG6 start with a parking spot for the van and a serving time. From Tidman Road, Church Lane and Spencer Road or anywhere nearby, we’ll bring the van to you. With the M4 close by, Whitley Wood is simple for us to get to for your shoot. Neighbouring places where we serve shoots include Whitley (1 mile north), Great Lea Common (1 mile south-west), Shinfield (1 mile south-east), Three Mile Cross (1 mile south-west) and Ryeish Green (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Caversham (4 miles north), Norcot (4 miles north-west), West Reading (3 miles north-west), Tilehurst Within (4 miles north-west), Arborfield Garrison (4 miles south-east) and Caversham Heights (4 miles north). Whitley Wood is one of the larger places we cover in Reading, with plenty of venues for shoots.
Well-known places in the area include Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.4 miles north) and The Oracle (2.6 miles north). Within reach you will find Sonning Hill and Longwater.
- Local schools include John Madejski Academy (0.6 miles north) and Crosfields School (0.7 miles north-east)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Six Bells pub (under half a mile south-east)
- Local facilities include University of Reading library (1.8 miles north-east)
A chip van compared with other options
Many locations are miles from shops. A van brings lunch to base. Larger groups usually cost less per head, since the van and set-up are much the same for any size. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why Whitley Wood hosts choose us
- Served hot, straight from the hatch
- Everything cooked to order at your event
- Nothing for you to cook or clear
- The queue at the hatch gets people talking
Why choose film set catering in Whitley Wood?
It works in any weather.
The van suits big events and small ones. Typical bookings include:
- Unit base lunches
- Treat days on a long shoot
- End-of-shoot parties
- Fashion shoots on location
Historic houses near Whitley Wood include Stratfield Saye House (4.9 miles south). Period locations like these normally keep vehicles well away from the house, so agree the base early.
Before booking anyone
- What happens if the event is cancelled or moved
- Whether VAT is included
- How late numbers can change
- Whether travel is included
How we price a fish and chip van for the crew
These are the factors that matter most:
- Service time
- Any minimum charge
- Travel, tolls and road charges
- Your choice of menu
A chip van frequently compares well with a plated meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and nothing to wash up. Ask us for a quote.
What we need to know
These details help us quote quickly:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A picture of where the van would go
- The date and when you’d like to eat
- Roughly how many people, including children
Still finalising the details? That is fine: tell us the basics about your shoot, and we will firm it up nearer the time. To start, use our quote form.
Should I sort the food myself?
Weighing up a takeaway order against booking a van? Think about numbers, timing and how hot you want the food. Ask us for a quote and compare.
Some hosts try a takeaway order. Large orders are slow, and the food cools in the bags. A van solves that by cooking on site.
Looking after everyone
A little planning makes sure everyone is looked after. Try these:
- Confirm numbers the day before
- Agree how the base is left
- Name a contact in the production office
- Give us a map or what3words for base
A short menu keeps the line moving.
Tables or a marquee at base make lunch comfortable.
About the food
Cod and chips
Cod has big, soft white flakes and a mild flavour, and it’s what most people in the south ask for. We batter it and fry it to order.
Haddock and chips
Some people swear by haddock: a firmer flake and a sweeter taste. Ask us about offering haddock alongside or instead of cod.
Step by step
You will know we’re ready when the smell of frying drifts over, about the time the first crew wander across. From then on, people come up as they’re ready. At midsummer, Whitley Wood has light until about 9:25pm.
- We start with a few details about your shoot.
- You get an availability check and a clear quote.
- We agree timings, access and the parking spot.
- We cook to order on the day for the crew.
- We serve from the hatch, then leave the pitch tidy.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Check the way in for low branches, cables and narrow gates
- Check the venue or landowner is happy for the van to park
Get a quote
Every booking is quoted individually, based on your numbers, timings and travel. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
- 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