Kent · England
Funeral and wake catering in Cross-at-Hand, Kent
From the smell of the fryers to the last chip in the paper, fish and chips for the wake makes the food a highlight of your wake in Cross-at-Hand.
- Family gatherings after a burial or cremation
- Village hall wakes
- Wakes at a pub or venue with outside space
A chip van near Cross-at-Hand
DIY versus a fish and chip van
If you do order from a chip shop, ring well ahead and collect as close to eating time as you can. For a crowd, a van is usually simpler.
Collecting fish and chips for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s hard work. By the time you’ve queued, paid and driven back, the batter has gone soft. A van fries it right there, so it is crisp.
Funeral and wake catering in Cross-at-Hand, cooked to order
It’s an informal meal, which suits a gathering where people mingle. Whether it is gatherings at home after a funeral and gatherings after scattering ashes, we’ll put together a menu of cod and chips, mushy peas and haddock and chips.
For a wake near Cross-at-Hand, a farmhouse or village hall often works well. We keep the menu short: fewer choices means fresher food and shorter queues.
Places near Cross-at-Hand
Also in Cross-at-Hand
Cross-at-Hand: halls, homes and travel
Cross-at-Hand is about 5 miles south of Maidstone, in Kent. For wakes in Cross-at-Hand, the van can park on drives, in car parks and yards, and on firm lawns and fields. We take the van to all 922 towns and villages across Kent. Our bookings stretch from Cross-at-Hand to Canterbury (24 miles away).
The High Weald National Landscape is within about 7 miles of Cross-at-Hand; tell us about access if the wake is somewhere rural.
Wakes anywhere in TN12 start with a parking spot for the van and roughly how many guests. Whether your wake is on Staplehurst Road and Woodford Park or a nearby road, we will bring the van to you. Neighbouring places where we serve wakes include Rabbit's Cross (1 mile north), Devil's Den (1 mile east), Wanshurst Green (1 mile south-west), St Ann's Green (1 mile west) and Underling Green (1 mile west). Larger places within reach include Maidstone (5 miles north), Ashford (14 miles east), Sittingbourne (13 miles north-east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (13 miles west), Tonbridge (12 miles west) and Kings Hill (8 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Sutton Valence Castle (2.8 miles north-east) and South East Romany Museum (1.8 miles south-west).
Is a fish and chip van right for your wake?
A formal meal doesn’t always suit. Fish and chips lets people mingle. Larger groups typically cost less per head, because the van, travel and set-up cost much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why Cross-at-Hand hosts choose us
- We cook inside the van, whatever the weather
- Mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy on the side
- Classic food your guests already know
- Served hot, straight from the hatch
Read our pricing or the cost guide.
For planners, venues and organisers
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
If your event is in a public place, such as a park or a street, check what permission you need first. Ask the council or landowner early.
Planning for dietary needs
With a little notice, diets are easier to plan for. We suggest:
- Choose a friend to be our contact
- Plan seating for older guests
- Plan for a few extra people
- Funeral directors can help with numbers
Ensure older relatives can sit to eat.
A favourite cake can be a lovely touch.
Perfect for your wake in Cross-at-Hand
It suits all ages.
Whatever the occasion in Cross-at-Hand, fish and chips from the hatch goes down well. We regularly serve:
- Gatherings at a village hall or club
- Anniversary memorials
- Small family memorials
- Family meals after the service
Relatives arriving by train should know that the nearest station is Staplehurst station, about 1.2 miles south.
Comparing caterers
- What the price includes, item by item
- The cancellation terms
- When final numbers are due
- How allergens are handled
The menu, dish by dish
Haddock and chips
Haddock has loyal fans: sweeter and a touch firmer than cod. Ask us about offering haddock alongside or instead of cod.
Pie and chips
A pie and chips is proper comfort food, and it’s especially welcome on a cold day.
What happens on the day
We work to your timings. If things run late, we hold off cooking until you’re ready, so the food is still fresh when it is served. In winter, it is dark in Cross-at-Hand by about 3:50pm, so for an afternoon wake, light near the van and the door helps. Summer wakes have daylight well into the evening.
- Send us your date, numbers and address.
- We check the route in and send a price.
- We arrive early to park and heat the fryers.
- Everything is fried to order as the queue moves.
- Service is straight from the hatch, then we pack up.
Before we arrive
- Get permission for the van from the venue
- Plan a bit of cover near the hatch if rain is likely
- Name one person we can call on the day
Ask for a quote
Thinking about fish and chips for the wake for your wake in Cross-at-Hand? Send us the details and we will reply with a clear price. Just fill in our quote form.
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FAQs for Cross-at-Hand
Can the van go to venues in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles and ground, so check with yours. We will follow the site rules.
Do you come out to small places like Cross-at-Hand?
Not at all. We serve villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and the ground.
What can guests choose from?
Proper fish and chips, with sausages and pies for anyone who does not want fish. Mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy go on the side.
Is the food cooked at the event?
Yes, always. We fry to order in the van at your venue, then handed over hot from the hatch.
What if timings change?
We allow for it. We’ll work to your contact on the day.
Where do you take the van?
We take the van across London and the South East, including Kent. Find your area.
Do you clear up afterwards?
The pitch is left as we found it. Bins for guests are worth planning.
How much space do you 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 picture.
Prices and what affects them
Fish and chip van pricing is simple once we know the basics:
- The day of the week
- How far we travel
- Any minimum charge
- How long we serve
Compared with a sit-down meal, a fish and chip van is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and no crockery hire. We’ll send you a quote.
What to tell us
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- Where the event is
- Anything awkward about the way in
- The date and time of the event
- A photo of the parking spot
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many people, along with your serving time, and we’ll reply with a quote. Just use our quote form.
- 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