Wokingham · England
Fish and chip van hire in California, Wokingham
Fish and chip van hire in California: cod, haddock and chips fried to order, then handed over hot from the hatch at the time you choose.
- Birthday celebrations
- Wakes and celebrations of life
- Evening wedding food
Book the van in California
About our fish and chip van hire in California
The van needs no kitchen, no hall and no crockery. It needs a level, firm spot to park and a clear way in, which suits drives, yards, car parks and firm lawns. Whether it is evening wedding food and garden parties and summer get-togethers, we can cook curry sauce, cod and chips and pie and chips.
In a rural place like California, fish and chips in a field feels just right. Let us know about access and ground conditions. The fryers are in the van, so the cooking happens right there at your event, so the batter is still crisp when it’s handed over.
About the food
Pie and chips
Pie and chips is hearty and filling, and it’s especially welcome on a cold day.
Cod and chips
Cod is the classic: mild, white and flaky, and it’s the favourite in much of the south. It is battered and fried to order, so it is crisp when it reaches you.
Towns and villages near California
Other occasions in California
Bringing the van to California
California is about 3 miles south-west of Wokingham, in Wokingham. In and around California, the van can serve from a drive, a yard, a car park or a firm field, close to your guests. California is one of 35 places in Wokingham we cover. We serve events right across the region, from California to Reading (7 miles away).
Coming by train? The nearest station is Crowthorne station, about 2.4 miles east. If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like Gorse Ride Junior School, a chip van is a crowd-pleaser.
Wherever your event is in RG40, we can bring the van to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Local streets include Warren Lane, White Horse Lane and Fernbank; an event on any of them works well with a drive or nearby car park. If your venue is just outside California, we also cover Arborfield Garrison (1 mile west), Finchampstead (1 mile south-east), Barkham (1 mile north), Langley Common (1 mile north-west) and Eversley (1 mile south-west). Larger places within reach include Reading (7 miles north-west), Wokingham (3 miles north-east), Woodley (5 miles north), Earley (5 miles north-west), Crowthorne (3 miles east) and Lower Earley (4 miles north-west).
Nearby you will also find Beaumys Castle (4.7 miles west) and Wokingham Hospital (2.6 miles north-east). Open spaces near California include Horseshoe Lake and Holt Copse & Joel Park.
- Schools near California include Bohunt School Wokingham (1 mile west)
- Local pubs include The Queen's Oak pub (0.7 miles south-east)
What a fish and chip van costs
These are the factors that matter most:
- Your choice of menu
- Peak dates such as summer Saturdays
- Numbers
- Whether a minimum applies
The price depends on numbers, the menu and how long we serve, plus travel and access. We quote for each booking individually.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Your date and serving time
- Where you’d like the van to go
- Access details such as gates and narrow lanes
- A photo of the space and the way in
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Tell us about your event in California, and we’ll come back with availability and a quote.
Space, access and the venue
We’ll be honest if a spot won’t work, and help find another. The main points are:
- Space for people to queue at the hatch
- Lighting nearby for evening events
- A clear way in, with no low branches, cables or narrow gates
Not sure about the spot? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in California
- Sausage and chips
- Cod and chips
- Pie and chips
- Gravy
- Curry sauce
- Chips
- Haddock and chips
- Mushy peas
Organising for someone else?
Parks, greens and streets normally need permission for a catering van. Ask the council or landowner early.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in California? Fish and chips is a reliable crowd-pleaser. Give us the details and we’ll suggest how it could work.
What happens on the day
From set-up to the last portion, we look after the food, so you can get on with your event. In California, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. In December it’s dark by about 3:55pm, so winter events need lighting by the van.
- Tell us what you’re planning and when you’d like to eat.
- We come back with availability and a clear price.
- We agree exactly where the van parks, and how it gets in.
- Batter, fish and chips all go into the fryer as people come up.
- The pitch is left tidy when we go.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm the van is allowed on site
- Share the timings for the day
- Plan where the queue will stand
Ask for a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: where the van would park, how to get in, numbers and timings. A picture of the spot helps too. When you are ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Common questions in California
Could you trade in Shepperlands Farm Nature Reserve?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, typically the council. Check with them first.
Is California close to London?
About 35 miles from central London.
What does the van need?
Less than you might think: a drive, a car park, a yard or a firm lawn, with a clear way in. If in doubt, send a photo.
Is everything cooked fresh?
Yes. We fry to order in the van at your venue, and serve straight from the hatch.
Is there a non-fish option?
Sausage and chips and pie and chips are on the menu. Tell us about other diets and we’ll tell you what we can offer.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain doesn’t stop the fryers: the cooking is inside the van. Guests will appreciate cover near the hatch.
Do you have allergen information?
Let us know about allergies in advance, and we will tell you what’s in each item and what we can offer.
Is there something for children?
Yes. Sausage and chips is a favourite with children. Include children in your numbers.
Should I sort the food myself?
Some hosts try a takeaway order. The problem is timing: big orders take a long time, and the food is cooling while it travels. A van solves that by cooking on site.
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.
Occasions we serve in California
It’s ideal for relaxed, sociable occasions, where people can wander up when they’re ready.
The van suits big events and small ones. Common bookings include:
- Wakes and gatherings after a funeral
- Village fêtes and school fairs
- Milestone birthday parties
- Work Christmas parties
Thinking of using Shepperlands Farm Nature Reserve? Parks normally need the owner’s permission, often the council’s, before a catering van can park or trade.
Before you book anyone
- The service time, and the cost of running over
- Whether VAT is included
- When final numbers are due
- The deposit and payment dates
A fish and chip van or other catering?
Cold buffets are easy but forgettable, and nothing’s hot on a cool evening. A chip van cooks to order and serves hot. Travel, tolls and charges such as ULEZ can affect the price, so it helps to give us the postcode.
Why book with us
- Cod, haddock, sausages and pies
- We cover California and the whole of Wokingham
- All the chip-shop extras
- No kitchen needed
- 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