Surrey · England
Funeral and wake catering in Dorking, Surrey
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 Dorking.
- A favourite meal in someone’s memory
- Pub wakes
- Anniversary memorials
Planning an event in Dorking?
The process
There’s very little for you to do on the day: point us to the spot and get on with your wake. We handle the cooking and serving. In Dorking, it is dark by about 7:05pm in late September and 3:55pm in December, so a lit path to the van is a kindness to older guests.
- We start with a few details about your wake.
- 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 family and friends.
- We serve from the hatch, then leave the pitch tidy.
How to prepare
- Have a level parking spot ready
- Clear the route for the van
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
Getting a price
Each quote is put together for your wake. Give us your date first, and we’ll confirm whether we are available that day.
Planning help
About our funeral and wake catering in Dorking
Your funeral director or a family friend can deal with us directly. We serve pie and chips, mushy peas and gravy, and typical bookings are for pub wakes and gatherings at a village hall or club.
For a wake in Dorking, somewhere close to the church or crematorium helps, with parking for the van. We bring the van and everything we need to cook, and we leave the pitch tidy when we go.
Also in Dorking
Planners, venues and businesses
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on parking and timings.
Parks, greens and streets usually need permission for a catering van. Ask the council or landowner early.
Is a fish and chip van right for your wake?
A pub or venue may cater a wake themselves. A van works at home or at a hall. Distance and any road charges make a difference, so it helps to give us the postcode.
Why book with us
- We cook inside the van, whatever the weather
- Hot food handed straight over
- Everything cooked to order at your event
- Cod, haddock, sausages and pies
See how we price or the cost guide.
What affects the price in Dorking
Each booking is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- How easy the site is to reach
- Your choice of menu
- Any minimum charge
- Service time
The cost per head normally falls as numbers rise, since the van and set-up are much the same for any size. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
What we need to know
To speed things up, tell us:
- A picture of the parking spot
- Expected numbers
- Where you’d like the van to go
- The date and when you’d like to eat
Still finalising the details? No problem: tell us the basics about your wake, and we will quote on that. To start, fill in our quote form.
Arranging a wake in Dorking
Dorking is about 10 miles north-west of Crawley, in Surrey. In and around Dorking, the van can serve from a drive, a yard, a car park or a firm field. Dorking is one of 395 towns and villages in Surrey we cover. Our bookings stretch from Dorking to Guildford (11 miles away).
Dorking is on or near the A24 and A25, handy for relatives driving in. For family travelling by train, the nearest station is Dorking Deepdene station, about 0.6 miles north. Dorking is within about 2 miles of the Surrey Hills National Landscape; tell us about access if the wake is somewhere rural.
We serve wakes across RH4 and RH5. Whether your wake is on High Street, Station Road and London Road or a nearby road, we can park up and fry there. Dorking is on the A24 and A25, so it’s easy for us to reach with the van. Close by, we cover wakes in Pixham (1 mile north-east), North Holmwood (1 mile south), Westhumble (2 miles north), Westcott (2 miles west) and Blackbrook (2 miles south-east). We also serve nearby towns such as Guildford (11 miles west), Woking (12 miles north-west), Epsom (8 miles north), Horley (8 miles south-east), Redhill (7 miles east) and Ewell (9 miles north).
Nearby you will also find Mesolithic Museum (3.9 miles south-west) and Headley Court (4.8 miles north-east). The countryside around Dorking includes Reigate Heath and Box Hill.
- Local schools include The Ashcombe School (0.6 miles north) and The Ashcombe School (0.6 miles north)
- Nearby, you’ll find The Wheatsheaf Public House (under half a mile north-west)
- Other local spots include Pippbrook House (0.5 miles north)
Allergies and dietary needs
A little planning makes sure everyone is looked after. Try these:
- Build in time for delays
- Choose a friend to be our contact
- Ask the venue about the van
- Cater for a few more than you expect
A friend or the funeral director can be our contact.
Have napkins and bins ready.
Space, access and the venue
Every site is different, so we ask about the spot and the way in before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Space for people to queue at the hatch
- Somewhere close to where people will eat
- Access wide and high enough for the van
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Popular choices
- Haddock and chips
- Mushy peas
- Sausage and chips
- Gravy
- Cod and chips
- Pie and chips
DIY versus a fish and chip van
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.
Ordering from a local shop? Call ahead and collect at the last minute. For a crowd, a van is usually simpler.
FAQs for Dorking
Which station is closest to Dorking?
Dorking Deepdene station, about 0.6 miles north of the centre.
Can the van park in Deepdene Terrace?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and tell us what they say.
Which areas do you serve?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight.
Who clears up?
We take the van and everything with it, and leave the spot tidy. Bins for guests are worth planning.
Can you serve children?
Of course. Children generally love sausage and chips. Include children in your numbers.
Do you fry it on site?
Yes. Everything is fried fresh in the van, then handed over hot from the hatch.
How long does set-up take?
It depends on numbers and the service time. We agree arrival, serving and finishing times with you before the day.
Do you need power or water?
Let us know about power and water at the site in your enquiry, and we will confirm what we need.
Events we cater in Dorking
It suits all ages.
Almost any gathering works with a fish and chip van. People in Dorking book the van for occasions like:
- Memorial events and anniversaries
- Wakes at a pub or venue with outside space
- Family meals after the service
- Small family memorials
If the funeral is at a church such as Church of St Paul, a hall or home nearby keeps the journey to the wake short.
Questions to ask before booking
- Any minimum charge
- If the price includes VAT
- Allergen information for each item
- The deadline for final numbers
- 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