Wokingham · England
Funeral and Wake Catering for Earley events
Looking for fish and chips for the wake in Earley? The van comes to your venue, home or workplace and fry everything fresh on the spot.
- Wakes at church halls and clubs
- Small family memorials
- Life celebrations
A chip van near Earley
About our funeral and wake catering in Earley
Someone else can make the booking for you. For village hall wakes and remembering a loved one’s favourite food, we can cook cod and chips, pie and chips and gravy.
In a town like Earley, a wake at the family home or the local hall is common. We park on the drive or in the hall car park. We keep the menu short: fewer choices means fresher food and shorter queues.
What happens on the day
The smell of the fryers does the inviting. Each piece of fish is battered and fried to order, with chips cooked in batches as the queue moves. In autumn and winter, it’s dark early in Earley; plan a lit path from the door to the van.
- 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.
- Fish goes into the batter and straight into the fryer, to order.
- We serve hot from the hatch and pack up when we’re done.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Plan where the queue will stand
- Get permission for the van from the venue
Getting 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 fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Prices and what affects them
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- The length of service
- The menu and how many choices
- Peak dates such as summer Saturdays
- Distance and any road charges
Larger groups usually cost less per head, since the van and set-up are much the same for any size. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
What to tell us
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- How to get in: gates, lanes and ground
- Where the van would park
- The date and when you’d like to eat
- Dietary needs, with numbers
We quote for each event separately, based on your numbers, timings and travel. For a quote, use our quote form.
Earley: halls, homes and travel
Earley is about 2 miles south-east of Reading, in Wokingham. Across the RG6 area, we’ll come to your venue, home or workplace. Earley is one of 35 places in Wokingham where we bring the van.
Relatives driving in can use the A327 and A3290 to reach Earley. Families holding a service at Trinity Church frequently gather afterwards at a nearby hall, where the van can park.
For wakes in RG6, RG2 and RG1, we just need to know where the van can park. From Elm Road, Elm Lane and Mays Lane or a nearby road, we can park up and fry there. Being close to the A327 and A3290, Earley is easy for us to reach for your wake. If your venue is just outside Earley, we also cover Lower Earley (1 mile south-east), Whitley (1 mile west), Newtown (2 miles north-west), Whitley Wood (2 miles south-west) and Shinfield (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Wokingham (4 miles south-east), Crowthorne (7 miles south-east), Woosehill (4 miles south-east), Emmbrook (3 miles east), Twyford (4 miles north-east) and Charvil (4 miles north-east). Earley is one of the larger places we cover in Wokingham, with lots of choice for wakes.
A little further out are Royal Berkshire Hospital (1.7 miles north-west) and Berkshire Medical Heritage Centre Museum (1.7 miles north-west). The countryside around Earley includes South Lake and Fobney Island Wetland Reserve.
- Schools near Earley include Maiden Erlegh School (0.5 miles north-east) and Leighton Park School (0.7 miles north-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Three Tuns pub (0.7 miles north)
- Local facilities include University of Reading library (0.7 miles north-west)
About the food
Haddock and chips
Haddock has loyal fans: a firmer flake and a sweeter taste. Tell us if you’d like to offer it.
Mushy peas
Mushy peas are a must for plenty of fish and chip fans.
Perfect for your wake in Earley
There is little waste, because food is cooked to order.
Big or small, the van works the same way. Typical bookings include:
- A wake at the family home
- Small family memorials
- Wakes at church halls and clubs
- Anniversary memorials
Relatives arriving by train should know that Earley station, about 0.9 miles north-east, is the nearest station.
What to look for in a quote
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- If the price includes VAT
- How long service runs, and what happens if you overrun
- What the van needs: space, access, power
DIY versus a fish and chip van
Ordering in from a local chip shop is an option. Large orders are slow, and the food cools in the bags. A van cooks in front of your guests instead.
For a small group, making your own food can work. For bigger numbers, a van makes life easier, and nobody has to miss the wake.
Looking after everyone
A little planning helps everyone eat safely. Here are a few tips:
- Plan seating for older guests
- Ask your funeral director to help estimate numbers
- Allow a little extra
- Keep the serving time flexible
When everyone has eaten, we pack up quietly.
Somewhere quiet to sit helps some guests.
Places near Earley
Other occasions in Earley
Questions from Earley
How far is Earley from London?
Roughly 36 miles from the centre of London.
Can you serve after a service at Trinity Church?
Yes, at a home, hall or venue nearby where the van can park. Churches rarely have space for a catering van, so the food is generally elsewhere. Send us the address.
Can the van park on the street?
Only where it is legal to park, or with a council parking suspension or road closure. Check with your council first.
Is short notice a problem?
Get in touch as soon as you can. We’ll let you know quickly.
What does the van need?
A level, firm spot it can drive onto, near your guests, and space for a queue. Tell us about gates, lanes and soft ground.
Can the wake be at home?
Yes, with a suitable spot for the van.
Can the van park on grass?
It depends on the ground. Let us know what the ground is like, and we will advise.
Is the fish gluten-free?
Not as standard: batter is usually made with wheat flour. Tell us about any coeliac guests and we will explain the options.
For event organisers in Earley
For larger numbers, tell us how long you have for food, so we can plan how to keep the queue short. Sending people up in groups helps.
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll talk you through the process. We are happy to liaise with facilities on parking and timings.
Why choose a fish and chip van in Earley?
A pub or venue may cater a wake themselves. A van works at home or at a hall. Comparing vans? Look at what each quote includes: hours, menu, travel, minimum charge and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why Earley hosts choose us
- No kitchen needed
- Fish and chips fried fresh on site
- The classic sides: peas, curry sauce and gravy
- Cod, haddock, sausages and pies
- 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