West Sussex · England
Festivals, fêtes and school events in Mackerel's Common, West Sussex
Treat your visitors to fresh fish and chips at your event in Mackerel's Common. The van arrives, the fryers go on and everything is cooked to order, so nothing sits waiting in a tray.
- Summer fairs
- Feeding event crew
- Sports club events and race days
Book the van in Mackerel's Common
Is a fish and chip van right for your event?
For a stall visitors will queue for, a chip van is hard to beat in Mackerel's Common. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: hours, menu, travel, minimum charge and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
What you get with us
- The classic sides: peas, curry sauce and gravy
- A menu almost everyone likes
- Bookings across West Sussex, including Mackerel's Common
- Hot food handed straight over
Fish and chip van for events for your event in Mackerel's Common
We bring the van and everything we need to cook, so we need little help from busy volunteers. We’re frequently asked to cater country shows and village fêtes and summer fairs, serving chips, curry sauce and cod and chips.
At a fête or show near Mackerel's Common, a chip van brings hot food to a rural site. Tell us about the ground and the way in. We plan the timings around your day, so the food is ready when you want to eat.
- Area
- Mackerel's Common (RH14)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- On the menu
- Cod and haddock, chips, sausages and pies
- Sides
- Curry sauce, mushy peas and gravy
- Quotes
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 24 October 2026
Mackerel's Common questions
Is Mackerel's Common too small for a chip van?
Not at all. We serve villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Which station is closest to Mackerel's Common?
Billingshurst station, about 4.8 miles south-east of the centre.
What does it cost to hire the van?
The price depends on numbers, menu, service time and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
Do you trade at schools?
We do. We will agree access before the children arrive.
How fast is service?
A short menu and staggered groups keep things moving. We will talk it through when we quote.
How long are you on site?
It depends on numbers and the service time. We agree arrival, serving and finishing times with you before the day.
Do you pay a pitch fee?
Tell us how your event generally works with traders, and we will agree terms.
What do you bring?
All the cooking happens in the van. Let us know what’s available at the site and we will confirm what we need.
How it works
We do not cook ahead. Each portion is battered and fried as it is ordered, so it is as fresh as from any chip shop. For an evening event in Mackerel's Common, sunset is about 8:50pm in late May and 9:20pm in late June; after dark, we need a lit pitch.
- Send us your date, numbers and address.
- We check access for the van and quote.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- Everything is fried to order as the queue moves.
- Service is straight from the hatch, then we pack up.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Check the way in for low branches, cables and narrow gates
- Think about a gazebo by the van in case of rain
Getting a price
Send us the date, the address or RH14 postcode and rough numbers, plus when you’d like to eat, and you will get a clear price. Just use our quote form.
Read more
Towns and villages near Mackerel's Common
More for events in Mackerel's Common
The menu, dish by dish
Pie and chips
For a heartier option, there is pie and chips, perfect with gravy.
Gravy
In the north and the Midlands, gravy is the side of choice, and it goes perfectly with a pie.
Prices and what affects them
These are the factors that matter most:
- Peak dates such as summer Saturdays
- Whether a minimum applies
- How many people are eating
- Travel, tolls and road charges
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. We set everything out in your quote.
What to tell us
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but it helps to know:
- How to get in: gates, lanes and ground
- The address or venue name
- The date and when you’d like to eat
- Roughly how many people, including children
It’s easy to get a price: share your date, address, rough numbers and when you’d like to eat. We’ll send a clear quote that says what’s included.
Why choose fish and chip van for events in Mackerel's Common?
It needs little from volunteers.
Here are some of the occasions we serve around Mackerel's Common:
- Sports days
- Horse and dog shows
- Summer fairs
- Church fêtes
For a church fête or fundraiser, at a church such as The Parish Church of St John the Baptist, a chip van adds hot food to the cakes and tombola.
What to look for in a quote
- The cancellation terms
- How much space the van takes up
- Any minimum charge
- The service time, and the cost of running over
Event catering near Mackerel's Common
Mackerel's Common is about 10 miles west of Horsham, in West Sussex. Bookings in Mackerel's Common come in all shapes and sizes, but it always starts the same way: a level spot for the van, a time to eat and food fried to order. Mackerel's Common is one of 371 places in West Sussex we cover. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 14 miles away.
For visitors coming by rail, the nearest station is Billingshurst station, about 4.8 miles south-east.
Anywhere in RH14, we can bring the van to you. We also bring the van to events in Kirdford (1 mile south), Plaistow (2 miles north), Ifold (2 miles north), Balls Cross (2 miles south-west) and Wisborough Green (2 miles south-east). We also serve nearby towns such as Horsham (10 miles east), Broadfield (15 miles east), Storrington (9 miles south-east), Billingshurst (5 miles east), Bewbush (15 miles east) and Angmering (15 miles south).
The countryside around Mackerel's Common includes The Mens and Shillinglee Lake.
For event organisers in Mackerel's Common
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Mackerel's Common? Fish and chips is a reliable crowd-pleaser. Give us the details and we’ll suggest how it could work.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep everyone informed on the day.
Before you choose a spot
A fish and chip van is a vehicle, so the spot matters, so a few things need checking. Here’s what we look for:
- Details of any power or water on site
- Access that avoids crowds
- Agreement from the site for a catering van
Not sure about the spot? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
From the hatch
- Sausage and chips
- Cod and chips
- Chips
- Haddock and chips
- Curry sauce
- Mushy peas
Allergies and dietary needs
With a little notice, diets are easier to plan for. Our advice:
- Set a time for helpers’ food
- Plan bins near food stalls
- Let us know about allergy rules on site
- Display allergens for each stall
Crew food is served at the agreed time.
Tables and seating nearby help families eat.
- 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