Reading · England
Festivals, fêtes and school events in Horncastle, Reading
Fish and chip van for events in Horncastle: fish and chips cooked fresh in the van, then handed over hot from the hatch at the time you choose.
- Village fêtes
- Country shows
- Festivals
Fresh fish and chips in Horncastle
Can’t we just order from the chip shop?
Not sure whether to order in or book a van? Consider your numbers and how fresh you want it. Ask us for a quote and compare.
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. A van fries it right there, so it is crisp.
About our fish and chip van for events in Horncastle
Food is fried to order, so nothing sits waiting. Popular choices include cod and chips, mushy peas and haddock and chips, and we’re often booked for school fairs and sports days and feeding event crew.
Village fêtes and summer fairs around Horncastle are made for a chip van. Tell us about the pitch, ground and access. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is a first dance, a lunch break or a service time.
Also near Horncastle
More for events in Horncastle
What happens on the day
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, park on the agreed spot, and get on with frying and serving. In Horncastle, a midsummer event stays light until about 9:25pm, but by late September the light goes at about 7:10pm.
- First, tell us about your event.
- 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 your visitors.
- We serve from the hatch, then leave the pitch tidy.
Preparing for the day
- Get permission for the van from the venue
- Plan where the queue will stand
- Give us your final numbers and allergies
Getting a price
Send us the date, the address or RG30 postcode and rough numbers, along with your serving time, and you will get a clear price. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Looking after everyone
Dietary needs are easiest to plan with some notice. Our advice:
- Display allergens for each stall
- Share last year’s numbers if you have them
- Arrange bins and waste collection
- Offer a choice of traders where you can
Have a hard-standing back-up pitch in case the ground is soft.
Pre-sold meal tickets can help at fundraisers.
Planning the van’s spot
Most drives, car parks, yards and firm lawns can take the van, but a few things matter:
- A back-up spot if the ground is soft
- A clear route onto the pitch
- Details of any power or water on site
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and the way in, and we will say what we think.
What we serve
- Chips
- Haddock and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Cod and chips
- Curry sauce
- Mushy peas
Planners, venues and businesses
Hosting at home? Send us a picture of the drive or the spot and the way in, and we will let you know if the van will fit.
If you’re organising for someone else, whether you’re a planner, a facilities manager or an organiser, we’re happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Horncastle questions
Can the van park in Calcot Park?
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 Horncastle?
Reading West station, about 1.6 miles north-east of the centre.
Who clears up?
We clear the van’s area after service. Let us know about bins for visitors.
What happens if it rains?
We cook inside the van, so rain doesn’t stop us. It’s worth planning some cover for the queue.
How soon do we need to book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so get in touch early.
Do you do crew food?
Yes. Give us numbers and a time.
What does the pitch need?
Tell us the pitch size and ground, and we will confirm.
Is there a non-fish option?
Yes: sausages and pies, with chips. Tell us roughly how many to expect.
Events we cater in Horncastle
It needs little from volunteers.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Horncastle and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Fish and chip supper nights
- Food for volunteers
- Agricultural and country shows
- Festivals
For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as Church of St Michael, a chip van adds hot food to the cakes and tombola.
What to look for in a quote
- What the van needs: space, access, power
- What happens if the event is cancelled or moved
- How long service runs, and what happens if you overrun
- Travel, tolls and road charges
Why fried-to-order beats a buffet
Cold food stalls are fine on a hot day, but hot food brings people in on cooler days. Fish and chip van prices depend on the booking. A short service and a long afternoon’s trading are very different bookings. We set everything out in your quote.
What you get with us
- All the chip-shop extras
- Served hot, straight from the hatch
- Nothing for you to cook or clear
- Rain doesn’t stop the fryers
Fairs, fêtes and events in Horncastle
Horncastle is about 2 miles west of Reading, in Reading. For events in Horncastle, we can park on a drive, a car park, a yard or firm, dry grass in and around Horncastle. Horncastle is one of 34 towns and villages in Reading where we bring the van.
PTAs at schools such as Kennet Valley Primary School frequently want one reliable hot-food stall. For visitors coming by rail, the closest railway station is Reading West station, roughly 1.6 miles north-east of the centre.
Events anywhere in RG30 and RG31 start with a parking spot for the van and a serving time. From Low Lane, Usk Road and Mill Lane or a nearby road, we can park up and fry there. Close by, we cover events in Fords Farm (1 mile south), Southcote (1 mile east), Tilehurst Within (1 mile north), Beansheaf Farm (1 mile south-west) and Burghfield Bridge (1 mile south). We also serve nearby towns such as Caversham (3 miles north-east), Shinfield (4 miles south-east), Arborfield Garrison (7 miles south-east), Caversham Heights (3 miles north-east), Whitley Wood (3 miles south-east) and Sonning Common (5 miles north). Being one of Reading’s larger places, Horncastle has lots of places where the van can park.
Well-known places in the area include Battle Hospital (1.5 miles north-east) and Broad Street Mall (2.2 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Fobney Island Wetland Reserve and South Lake.
- Nearby schools include Prospect School (less than half a mile north-east) and Elvian School (1.1 miles east)
- Pubs nearby include The Happy Prospect pub (0.7 miles east)
The menu, dish by dish
Gravy
A pot of gravy turns chips into comfort food, especially in winter.
Sausage and chips
For anyone who doesn’t fancy fish, there’s sausage and chips, and children love it.
- 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