Kent · England
Funeral and Wake Catering in Fordcombe
Fried to order and served hot: fish and chips for the wake in Fordcombe and the surrounding area.
- Memorial events and anniversaries
- Small family memorials
- Memorial gatherings
Planning an event in Fordcombe?
How our funeral and wake catering works in Fordcombe
It is an informal meal, which suits a wake where people move around and talk. Typical bookings include anniversary memorials and wakes at a pub or venue with outside space, serving mushy peas, cod and chips and haddock and chips.
Near Fordcombe, wakes are often at home or in the hall. Let us know about access. Every portion is cooked to order on the day, never cooked in advance and left in a hot cabinet.
Wake catering near Fordcombe
Fordcombe is about 4 miles west of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. Around Fordcombe, we park wherever there’s level, firm ground, close to your guests. We serve 922 places across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. We serve events right across the region, from Fordcombe to Brighton (25 miles away).
Relatives arriving by train should know that the closest railway station is Ashurst Kent station, roughly 1.4 miles south-west of the centre. Fordcombe is within about 7 miles of the High Weald National Landscape; tell us about access if the wake is somewhere rural.
Wherever your wake is in TN3, we can bring the van to you. Streets in the area include Spring Hill, St Peters Row and Chafford Lane, and the van can serve a wake on any of them with a suitable parking spot. For wakes just outside Fordcombe, we cover Walter's Green (1 mile north-west), Stone Cross (1 mile south), Ashurst (1 mile south-west), Teasley Mead (1 mile west) and Penshurst (2 miles north). We also serve nearby towns such as Sevenoaks (10 miles north), Royal Tunbridge Wells (4 miles east), Tonbridge (6 miles north-east), Kings Hill (13 miles north-east), Paddock Wood (10 miles east) and Southborough (4 miles east).
A little further out are Bolebroke Castle (3.4 miles south-west) and Kent and Sussex Hospital (3.6 miles east). The countryside around Fordcombe includes Broadwater Warren RSPB Reserve and Barden Lake.
- Nearby, you’ll find Chafford Arms (within half a mile east)
The menu, dish by dish
Curry sauce
Chip-shop curry sauce is a mild, slightly sweet British classic, great with chips and sausages.
Mushy peas
Mushy peas are a must for plenty of fish and chip fans, and they’re on the menu.
Organising for someone else?
If you’re booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will talk you through the process. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on parking and timings.
For big groups, the service window matters, so we can plan service to match. Sending people up in groups helps.
Takeaway run or book a van?
Ordering in from a local chip shop is an option. Large orders are slow, and the food cools in the bags. A van solves that by cooking on site.
DIY food keeps costs down, but the host spends the event serving. With a fish and chip van, you get hot food without the work.
Places near Fordcombe
More for events in Fordcombe
Perfect for your wake in Fordcombe
It suits all ages, from children to older relatives.
In Fordcombe and nearby, the van turns up at all sorts of events. Some of the most common are:
- Wakes at venues
- Scattering of ashes gatherings
- Memorial events and anniversaries
- A favourite meal in someone’s memory
If the funeral is at a church such as Church of St Peter, a hall or home nearby keeps the journey to the wake short.
Before you book anyone
- The deadline for final numbers
- When payment is due
- What the price includes, item by item
- Whether VAT is included
Is a fish and chip van right for your wake?
Compared with a buffet, fish and chips is hot and simple, and there’s less waste when numbers are uncertain. The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, since the van and set-up are much the same for any size. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why us?
- We cook inside the van, whatever the weather
- The classic sides: peas, curry sauce and gravy
- Classic food your guests already know
- A clear quote before you book
Take a look at how we price and our guide to van hire costs.
What affects the price in Fordcombe
Your quote will be clear. The main things that affect it are:
- Parking and the way in
- The minimum booking
- Cod, haddock or both
- The number of meals
A chip van often compares well with a plated meal, because it needs no kitchen and no crockery hire. We will send you a quote.
What we need to know
You don’t need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- The address or venue name
- How to get in: gates, lanes and ground
- Where you’d like the van to go
- A picture of the space and the way in
It is easy to get a price: share your date, address, rough numbers and when you’d like to eat. We will come back with a clear quote.
FAQs for Fordcombe
Is Fordcombe close to London?
About 27 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Which station is closest to Fordcombe?
The closest is Ashurst Kent station, roughly 1.4 miles away.
What happens if it rains?
We carry on in the rain, because the cooking happens inside. Soft ground after heavy rain is the bigger issue, so have a hard-surface spot in mind.
What if we do not know numbers?
Give us your best estimate, and we will plan with a little extra.
What does it cost to hire the van?
Every booking is quoted individually, based on your numbers and timings. Give us your date, numbers and serving time and we’ll reply with a price.
Is grass a problem?
Generally, if it is firm and dry. Soft, wet ground can trap any vehicle, so have a hard-surface back-up.
Does the batter contain gluten?
Not as standard: the batter contains wheat. Let us know and we will tell you what we can do before you book.
What if the service runs late?
Of course. We serve when people are ready.
Allergies and dietary needs
A little planning helps everyone eat safely. A few tips:
- Allow for the service running over
- Mention allergies you know about
- Name a contact for the day who isn’t close family
- Have chairs for those who need them
We start when you give the word, not to a rigid schedule.
A table of photos helps people talk.
The process
We don’t cook ahead. Each portion is battered and fried as it is ordered, which is why it tastes like it does at the seaside. Summer evenings in Fordcombe stay light until about 9:20pm, but in December it is dark 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 the spot for the van and send a quote.
- We plan a flexible serving time around the service.
- On the day we set up quietly and serve when guests are ready.
- We pack up when everyone has eaten and leave quietly.
Getting ready for the day
- Choose a level, firm spot for the van
- Send us final numbers and any allergies in good time
- Think about a gazebo by the van in case of rain
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, use our quote form.
Read more
- 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