West Sussex · England
Funeral and Wake Catering in Crabtree
Something for almost everyone: fish and chips, sausages and pies, with mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy. Book fish and chips for the wake in Crabtree.
- Anniversary memorials
- Gatherings after the committal
- A tribute meal
Book the van in Crabtree
How our funeral and wake catering works in Crabtree
The wake can be at home, at a village hall or club, or at a venue with space outside, wherever the van can park. Whether it is pub wakes and small family memorials, we can cook cod and chips, sausage and chips and haddock and chips and more.
In rural Crabtree, home or the hall is usual, with the van in the yard or car park. Tell us about dietary needs and allergies when you enquire, and we will tell you honestly what we can offer.
- Area
- Crabtree (RH13)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- On the menu
- Fish and chips, sausages, pies
- Extras
- Gravy, mushy peas, curry sauce
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Updated
- 24 October 2026
Organising for someone else?
For larger numbers, tell us how long you have for food, so we can plan service to match. Sending people up in groups helps.
Parks, greens and streets generally need permission for a catering van. Ask the council or landowner early.
Nearby places to Crabtree
Also in Crabtree
Where the van can park in Crabtree
The van has to be able to get in and park safely, and a little planning goes a long way. These are the things we check:
- Room in front of the hatch for a queue
- Permission from the venue or landowner for the van
- Flat, firm ground for the van
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and the way in, and we will say what we think before booking.
Popular choices
- Sausage and chips
- Gravy
- Pie and chips
- Mushy peas
- Haddock and chips
- Cod and chips
Crabtree: halls, homes and travel
Crabtree is about 5 miles south-east of Horsham, in West Sussex. For wakes in Crabtree, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, an agreed spot for the van and food fried fresh on the day. Crabtree is one of 371 towns and villages in West Sussex we cover. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 14 miles away.
If relatives are coming by rail, the closest railway station is Horsham station, roughly 4.6 miles north-west of the centre.
This part of West Sussex takes in RH13, so your wake can be anywhere in it. We can serve a wake on streets such as Mill Lane, Peppersgate and Long Hill, wherever the van can park. If your venue is just outside Crabtree, we also cover Lower Beeding (1 mile north), Colwood (1 mile south-east), Monk's Gate (2 miles north-west), Plummers Plain (2 miles north-east) and Mannings Heath (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (7 miles north-east), Horsham (5 miles north-west), Worthing (14 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (7 miles east), Burgess Hill (7 miles south-east) and East Grinstead (13 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Horsham Hospital (4.9 miles north-west). Open spaces near Crabtree include Knepp Wildland.
Can’t we just order from the chip shop?
Ordering in from a local chip shop is an option. 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.
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. With a van, it’s fried on the spot.
Questions from Crabtree
Could you trade in Leonardslee?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Check with them first.
Is Crabtree 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.
How long does set-up take?
It depends on numbers and the service time. We confirm all the timings beforehand.
Can the van come to Crabtree?
Yes, we do. Crabtree is one of the places we cover. Send us your date to check availability.
What’s on the menu?
The classics: cod or haddock and chips, sausages and pies, plus mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy. See the menu.
Can you cater for allergies?
We provide allergen information for everything we serve. Battered fish contains fish and, in standard batter, gluten. Tell us about allergies in advance.
Can you come to the house?
Yes. Tell us about parking at the house.
Do you bring everything you need?
We bring the van and everything we need to cook. You provide a suitable spot and permission to park.
What comes out of the fryer
Gravy
In the north and the Midlands, gravy is the side of choice, and it’s lovely with a pie.
Haddock and chips
Some people swear by haddock: a firmer flake and a sweeter taste. Tell us if you’d like to offer it.
What affects the price in Crabtree
These are the factors that matter most:
- Any minimum charge
- Cod, haddock or both
- How long we serve
- Peak dates such as summer Saturdays
The price depends on numbers, the menu and how long we serve, plus travel and access. Every booking gets its own quote.
Details that help
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Where you’d like the van to go
- A photo of the space and the way in
- Rough numbers for adults and children
- The date and time of the event
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your wake, and we’ll check the date and send a price.
Is a fish and chip van right for your wake?
Next to a buffet, fish and chips is hot and simple, and there is less waste when numbers are uncertain. Distance and any road charges make a difference, so tell us exactly where your wake is.
Why Crabtree hosts choose us
- A clear quote before booking
- Bookings across West Sussex, including Crabtree
- Served hot, straight from the hatch
- We cook inside the van, whatever the weather
Read our pricing or our guide to van hire costs.
How the day works
Nothing gathers a crowd like the smell of fish and chips. Fish goes into the batter and straight into the fryer, and chips are fried in batches through service. In summer, a wake in Crabtree has light until about 9:20pm, while winter afternoons darken by about 3:55pm, so plan lighting near the door.
- It starts with the date, where the wake is and roughly how many.
- We check where the van can park and send a clear price.
- We plan a flexible serving time around the service.
- We park discreetly and fry fresh as people arrive.
- Afterwards we pack up quietly and leave the spot tidy.
Before we arrive
- Leave room in front of the hatch for a queue
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Plan a bit of cover near the hatch if rain is likely
Ask for a quote
Not sure of numbers yet? No problem: tell us the basics about your wake, and we will quote on that. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Who books funeral and wake catering in Crabtree?
Nothing is wasted on an uncertain number of guests.
Big or small, the van works the same way. Typical bookings include:
- Memorial events and anniversaries
- A favourite meal in someone’s memory
- Pub wakes
- Family gatherings after a burial or cremation
After a service at Old Church House the Glebe, a wake at a hall or home close by means less travelling for everyone.
What to look for in a quote
- How many hours the van serves
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- The deposit and payment dates
- What the van needs: space, access, power
- 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