Kent · England
Festivals, fêtes and school events in Preston, Kent
From the smell of the fryers to the last chip in the paper, a fish and chip van for your event makes the food a highlight of your event in Preston.
- Sports tournaments
- Summer fairs
- School summer fairs
Fish and chip van for events for Preston events
How our fish and chip van for events works in Preston
When there’s hot food, people stay longer. For community open days and agricultural and country shows, we can cook sausage and chips, cod and chips and curry sauce for your guests.
At a fête or show near Preston, we can bring hot food to a field. Tell us about the ground and the way in. The menu is short on purpose: a few classics done properly keeps the food fresh and the queue moving.
How we price a fish and chip van for your event
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Any minimum charge
- Distance and any road charges
- Your choice of menu
- Parking and the way in
Most vans have a minimum charge, since getting the van there costs the same however many eat. We will tell you up front.
Getting an accurate quote
These details help us quote quickly:
- Dietary needs, with numbers
- The venue or postcode
- A picture of the space and the way in
- Your date and serving time
Not sure of numbers yet? No problem: give us a rough idea and the date, and we’ll firm it up nearer the time. To start, fill in our quote form.
A chip van compared with other options
At a small fête, one good trader may be all you need, with cakes and teas alongside. A chip van often compares well with a plated meal, because it needs no kitchen and no crockery hire. Ask us for a quote.
What you get with us
- Rain doesn’t stop the fryers
- The queue at the hatch gets people talking
- Bookings across Kent, including Preston
- No kitchen needed
Planners, venues and businesses
Many venues set rules for catering vans: where a van can park, access times and the paperwork they want. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll confirm what we can provide.
For repeat bookings, such as regular staff lunches or annual fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Your questions about a fish and chip van for your event in Preston
Can you come to a school fair in Preston?
Yes, with the school’s permission. Send us the date and where the van would go.
Can the van park in Grove Ferry Picnic Area?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Ask them first, and tell us what they say.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Children are very welcome. Let us know numbers, and we’ll plan for them.
What can visitors choose from?
Proper fish and chips, with sausages and pies for anyone who doesn’t want fish. The sides are mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy.
Is grass a problem?
Usually, if it is firm and dry. After heavy rain, soft grass can be a problem for any vehicle, so have a hard-surface back-up.
How fast is service?
That depends on numbers, menu and timing. Tell us your numbers and how long you have for food, and we will plan to keep the queue moving.
What do we need to supply?
A suitable spot for the van and permission to park there. Mention any power or water available and we will take it from there.
Can the van come to Preston?
Yes, we do. We serve events in Preston and across Kent. Send us your date to check availability.
Looking after everyone
With a bit of planning, dietary needs are easier to handle. Here are a few tips:
- Agree who removes waste
- Ask traders for allergen information to display
- Give us an idea of numbers
- Agree how we’ll be paid: pitch fee, share of takings or minimum
Crew food is served at the agreed time.
Pre-sold meal tickets can help at fundraisers.
Step by step
We don’t cook ahead. Each portion is battered and fried as it is ordered, so it is as fresh as from any chip shop. In Preston, a midsummer event stays light until about 9:15pm, while a late-September show is dark by about 7:00pm, so evening trading may need lights.
- Send us your date, numbers and address.
- We check access for the van and quote.
- We arrive early to park and heat the fryers.
- Everything is fried to order as the queue moves.
- We serve hot from the hatch and pack up when we’re done.
How to prepare
- Leave room in front of the hatch for a queue
- Check the way in for low branches, cables and narrow gates
- Have a level parking spot ready
How to get a price
We only need a few details to quote: the date, where the van would park, roughly how many people and when you’d like to eat. You can use our quote form.
Planning help
Towns and villages near Preston
More for events in Preston
Planning the van’s spot
Plenty of places work for the van, but there are a few things to check:
- A clear route onto the pitch
- The landowner’s or organiser’s permission for the van
- A hard-standing or firm grass pitch
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and the way in, and we will say what we think before booking.
Events we cater in Preston
A chip van is reliably one of the busiest pitches.
In Preston and nearby, the van turns up at all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- School summer fairs
- Festivals
- Fish and chip supper nights
- Community open days
A school like Preston Primary School can book the van for a fair, fun run or sports day.
Before booking anyone
- VAT, if it applies
- When payment is due
- How long service runs, and what happens if you overrun
- The van’s size and access needs
Takeaway run or book a van?
Collecting fish and chips for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s hard work. Long waits and a drive home mean food arrives lukewarm and soggy. With a van, it is fried on the spot.
A DIY buffet works for small groups. For larger numbers, or when you want hot food, a van takes the pressure off, and you get to enjoy the day.
Running an event in Preston
Preston is about 6 miles south-east of Herne Bay, in Kent. Give us the address of your event in Preston, and we’ll plan the route and the parking spot before the day. We serve 922 places in Kent. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 6 miles away.
A summer fête at Church of St Mildred is the classic setting for a fish and chip van. Events in parks such as Grove Ferry Picnic Area need permission from the council or landowner, and the van needs a firm route onto the pitch.
We serve events across CT3. From The Street, The Forstal and Park Lane or a nearby road, we can park up and fry there. For events just outside Preston, we cover Grove (1 mile north-west), West Stourmouth (1 mile north), East Stourmouth (1 mile north-east), Upstreet (2 miles north-west) and Ware (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Canterbury (6 miles west), Margate (9 miles north-east), Dover (12 miles south), Folkestone (15 miles south), Ramsgate (8 miles east) and Broadstairs (10 miles north-east).
Nearby you will also find St Martins Hospital (5.3 miles west). Within reach you will find Monk's Wall nature reserve.
- 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