Surrey · England
Festivals, fêtes and school events in Parkgate, Surrey
Looking for a fish and chip van for your event in Parkgate? The van comes to your venue, home or workplace and fry fresh while your visitors queue at the hatch.
- Community open days
- Festivals
- Horse and dog shows
A chip van near Parkgate
About our fish and chip van for events in Parkgate
A chip van suits school fairs and sports days, once the school agrees where the van goes. For club open days and church fêtes and fish and chip suppers, we can cook sausage and chips, haddock and chips and chips.
A fête near Parkgate might be on a field with no mains power; let us know and we will plan for it. Everything is fried fresh at your event, never cooked in advance and left in a hot cabinet, and handed over as soon as it’s ready.
Organising for someone else?
Parks, greens and streets normally need permission for a catering van. The council or landowner will tell you what they need.
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a fête committee, we will work directly with you and the venue. It keeps things simple.
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.
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.
Planning for dietary needs
We need to know about dietary needs and allergies in advance, and we will tell you honestly what we can offer. To get it right:
- Have other stalls for special diets
- Arrange bins and waste collection
- Agree when volunteers will eat
- Agree how we will be paid: pitch fee, share of takings or minimum
Have a hard-standing back-up pitch in case the ground is soft.
Pre-selling meal tickets helps us plan.
What comes out of the fryer
Cod and chips
Cod and chips is the meal most people picture when they think of a chip shop. Fried to order in the van, it goes out hot and crisp.
Sausage and chips
Sausage and chips is the go-to for anyone who isn’t a fish fan, especially with curry sauce.
Events we cater in Parkgate
It is low-maintenance for organisers.
If you are planning any of these, we can help:
- Sports tournaments
- Church fêtes
- Charity fundraisers and community events
- School fairs and sports days
If visitors are coming by train, Holmwood station is about 2.1 miles away.
Comparing caterers
- Allergen information for each item
- The service time, and the cost of running over
- The van’s size and access needs
- Any travel, parking or access charges
What happens on the day
Because we cook inside the van, rain doesn’t stop us. It is worth thinking about cover for the queue, though. December events in Parkgate lose the light at about 3:55pm, so we need a lit pitch; spring events have light until about 8:50pm by late May.
- First, tell us about your event.
- You get an availability check and a clear quote.
- Timings and the van’s spot are agreed in advance.
- On the day, we park up and fry fresh for your visitors.
- Everything goes out hot from the hatch, and we pack up afterwards.
Getting ready for the day
- Ensure the van can get in
- Get permission for the van from the venue
- Have a level parking spot ready
How to get a price
Not sure of numbers yet? That is fine: tell us the basics about your event, and we’ll quote on that. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
Event catering near Parkgate
Parkgate is about 4 miles south-east of Dorking, in Surrey. We park up at homes, halls, workplaces and venues in Parkgate and the surrounding area. Parkgate is one of 395 places in Surrey we cover. We serve events right across the region, from Parkgate to Guildford (14 miles away).
Events in parks such as Newdigate Brickworks need permission from the council or landowner, and the van needs a firm route onto the pitch. Within about 5 miles is the Surrey Hills National Landscape, where events may have extra rules on vehicles and waste; we will follow the site’s requirements.
Anywhere in RH5, we can bring the van to you. Streets in the area include Broad Lane, Mill Lane and Becket Wood, and the van can serve an event on any of them with a suitable parking spot. For events just outside Parkgate, we cover Shellwood Cross (1 mile north), Newdigate (1 mile south-west), Cudworth (2 miles south), Nalderswood (2 miles north-east) and Norwood Hill (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Guildford (14 miles west), Epsom (11 miles north), Horley (5 miles east), Redhill (6 miles north-east), Ewell (12 miles north) and Reigate (5 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Langley Green Hospital (5.1 miles south-east) and Betchworth Castle (3.8 miles north). The countryside around Parkgate includes Reigate Heath and Leith Hill.
Why choose a fish and chip van in Parkgate?
Next to a volunteer barbecue, a chip van frees your helpers. 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.
Why book with us
- Fried fresh, not kept warm
- Bookings across Surrey, including Parkgate
- We cook inside the van, whatever the weather
- Hot food handed straight over
Read our pricing or our guide to van hire costs.
What a fish and chip van costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- How long we serve
- The day of the week
- Your choice of menu
- How many people are eating
The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, since the van and set-up are much the same for any size. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Getting an accurate quote
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- A picture of the parking spot
- Anything awkward about the way in
- Where you’d like the van to go
- The date and time of the event
Send us the date, the address or RH5 postcode and rough numbers, plus when you’d like to eat, and we will reply with a quote. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Questions from Parkgate
Which station is closest to Parkgate?
Holmwood station, about 2.1 miles west of the centre.
Is Parkgate close to London?
Roughly 23 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Is grass a problem?
Usually, if it is firm and dry. After heavy rain, soft grass can be a problem for any vehicle, so plan a back-up spot.
Do you trade at schools?
Yes, with the school’s permission for the van on site. Send us the date and the spot.
How much space do you need?
Not much: a hard surface or firm, dry grass, with a clear way in. If in doubt, send a photo.
How soon do we need to book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends and December. Ask about your date even if it is soon.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take the van and everything with it, and leave the spot tidy. It helps to have bins near the hatch.
Do you have allergen information?
Tell us about allergies when you book, and we will give you the allergen information and what we can offer.
Towns and villages near Parkgate
More for events in Parkgate
- 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