Surrey · England
Funeral and wake catering in Headley, Surrey
Hot, crisp and cooked while you wait: fish and chips for the wake in Headley and across Surrey.
- Celebrations of life
- A tribute meal
- Family gatherings after a burial or cremation
A chip van near Headley
Funeral and wake catering for your wake in Headley
Services often run over, and we will work around the service and the family. We serve gravy, pie and chips and mushy peas, and we’re regularly asked to cater small family memorials and family meals after the service.
Near Headley, wakes are frequently at home or in the hall. Tell us about lanes and the ground. We keep the menu short: a few classics done properly keeps the food fresh and the queue moving.
Your questions about fish and chips for the wake in Headley
Do you come to venues in the Surrey Hills National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles and ground, so check with yours. We’ll follow the site rules.
We are gathering after a service at Church of St Mary the Virgin: can you come?
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 typically elsewhere. Tell us where you’ll gather.
How long are you on site?
That depends on your numbers and timings. We agree arrival, serving and finishing times with you before the day.
Can our funeral director book for us?
Of course. We’re happy to deal with the funeral director or a family friend.
Do you clear up afterwards?
The pitch is left as we found it. Bins for guests are worth planning.
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.
Is the food cooked at the event?
Yes. Everything is fried fresh in the van, then handed over hot from the hatch.
Can the van park on the street?
Only in a legal space, or with the council’s permission. Ask your council early.
Prices and what affects them
We’ll give you a clear quote. The main things that affect it are:
- Distance and any road charges
- Peak dates such as summer Saturdays
- Whether a minimum applies
- Parking and the way in
Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu and timing to match. A short menu is frequently the best value.
Getting an accurate quote
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- Rough numbers for adults and children
- The venue or postcode
- Where you’d like the van to go
- The date and time of the event
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the parking spot, access, numbers and serving time. A picture of the spot helps too. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
A closer look at the menu
Pie and chips
Pie and chips gives people a filling alternative to fish.
Gravy
In the north and the Midlands, gravy is the side of choice, and it’s lovely with a pie.
Should I sort the food myself?
Ordering from a local shop? Call ahead and collect at the last minute. For anything more than a handful of people, a van is normally the easier option.
Some hosts try a takeaway order. Large orders are slow, and the food cools in the bags. A van solves that by cooking on site.
How it works
The van turns up at the agreed time, pulls onto the spot you’ve chosen. Once the oil is hot, the first portions go out right on schedule. Summer evenings in Headley stay light until about 9:20pm, while winter afternoons darken by about 3:55pm.
- We start with a few details about your wake.
- We check the date and where the van will park, then send a quote.
- We agree timings, access and the parking spot.
- On the day, we park up and fry fresh for family and friends.
- We serve from the hatch, then leave the pitch tidy.
Before we arrive
- Think about a gazebo by the van in case of rain
- Give us your final numbers and allergies
- Name one person we can call on the day
Get a quote
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and serving time. We’ll send a clear quote that says what’s included.
Read more
What the van needs
Most drives, car parks, yards and firm lawns can take the van, but there are a few things to check:
- A clear way in, with no low branches, cables or narrow gates
- A clear area by the serving hatch
- Permission from the venue or landowner for the van
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and the way in, and we’ll say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Haddock and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Gravy
- Cod and chips
- Pie and chips
- Mushy peas
For planners, venues and organisers
Parks, greens and streets typically need permission for a catering van. Ask the council or landowner early.
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
After a funeral in Headley
Headley is about 2 miles south-east of Ashtead, in Surrey. Give us the address of your wake in Headley, and we’ll plan access and set-up before the day. Headley is one of 395 towns and villages in Surrey where we bring the van. You can also see our page for Guildford, about 13 miles away.
If the funeral is at a church such as Church of St Mary the Virgin, a hall or home nearby keeps the journey to the wake short. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 3 miles of Headley, and rural venues there may have narrow lanes, so tell us about access.
Wherever your wake is in KT18, we can fry fresh for your guests. From Tilley Lane, Cunliffe Close and Lee Green or anywhere nearby, we can park up and fry there. For wakes just outside Headley, we cover Walton on the Hill (2 miles east), Tadworth (2 miles north-east), Box Hill (2 miles south), Lower Kingswood (3 miles east) and Kingswood (3 miles east). Larger places within reach include Guildford (13 miles west), Woking (13 miles west), Epsom (4 miles north), Horley (9 miles south-east), Redhill (6 miles south-east) and Ewell (5 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Headley Court (0.5 miles north) and The Ashley Centre (3.3 miles north). The countryside around Headley includes Box Hill and Reigate Heath.
Planning for dietary needs
We need to know about dietary needs and allergies in advance, and we’ll tell you honestly what we can offer. To get it right:
- Funeral directors can help with numbers
- Have chairs for those who need them
- Choose a friend to be our contact
- Confirm the van can park at the hall
Give us a contact for the day who isn’t a close family member.
A favourite cake can be a lovely touch.
Also in Headley
Is a fish and chip van right for your wake?
A pub or venue may cater a wake themselves. A van works where they don’t, or at home. Many fish and chip vans set a minimum, since getting the van there costs the same however many eat. We will tell you up front.
Why Headley hosts choose us
- Served hot, straight from the hatch
- No surprises in your quote
- A menu almost everyone likes
- All the chip-shop extras
- 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