Medway · England
Funeral and Wake Catering for Hempstead events
We bring fish and chips for the wake across Hempstead and Medway, frying fresh at your venue.
- Family meals after the service
- Wakes at church halls and clubs
- A wake at the family home
A chip van near Hempstead
Funeral and wake catering in Hempstead, fried fresh
The wake can be at home, at a village hall or club, or at a venue with space outside, wherever the van can park. For pub wakes and wakes at church halls and clubs, we’ll put together a menu of sausage and chips, mushy peas and pie and chips and more.
Around Hempstead, wakes are frequently at the village hall, a pub or home. Let us know where the van can go. Your quote spells out what’s included: serving times, the menu and anything else agreed.
Hempstead: your questions answered
What’s the nearest station to Hempstead?
Rainham (Kent) station, about 2.1 miles north-east of the centre.
How far is Hempstead from London?
Roughly 30 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
What do we need to supply?
A suitable spot for the van and permission to park there. Mention any power or water available and we will take it from there.
Can you serve children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many children, and we’ll plan for them.
Can the van come to Hempstead?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including Hempstead and the rest of Medway. To check your date, send us your details through our quote form.
What areas do you cover?
London and South East England: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Hempstead.
Can the wake be at home?
Often, yes. Send us a picture of the drive or the road outside.
Does the batter contain gluten?
Standard batter is made with wheat flour, so battered fish contains gluten. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance, and we’ll be straight with you about what’s possible.
How the day works
We need time before service to bring the fryers up to heat, so we are there in good time before you want to eat. Late-December sunset in Hempstead is about 3:50pm, so an afternoon wake in winter needs lighting near the van. In summer, there is daylight until about 9:15pm.
- You, or your funeral director, tell us the date, the place and rough numbers.
- You get an access check and a quote, without fuss.
- Timings allow for the service and travel from it.
- We serve calmly from the hatch when everyone is ready.
- When everyone has eaten, we clear up and go.
Getting ready for the day
- Make sure the van can get in
- Get permission for the van from the venue
- Share the timings for the day
Getting a price
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your wake in Hempstead, and we will check the date and send a price.
Read more
More for events in Hempstead
What comes out of the fryer
Curry sauce
Some people won’t eat chips without curry sauce, so we bring it along.
Haddock and chips
Haddock has a slightly sweeter flavour and a firmer flake. It is the traditional favourite in Scotland and much of the north.
Wake catering near Hempstead
Hempstead is about 2 miles south of Gillingham, in Medway. Wakes in Hempstead are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a parking spot and fresh frying on the day. Hempstead is one of 68 towns and villages in Medway we cover. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 23 miles away.
Relatives arriving by train should know that Rainham (Kent) station, about 2.1 miles north-east, is the nearest station. Relatives driving in can use the A278 to reach Hempstead. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 7 miles of Hempstead; tell us about access if the wake is somewhere rural.
We take the van to wakes all over ME7 and ME8 and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Harrow Road, Spekes Road and Capstone Road, and the van can serve a wake on any of them with a suitable parking spot. Being close to the A278, Hempstead is easy for us to reach with the van. Neighbouring places where we serve wakes include Capstone (1 mile north-west), Darland (1 mile north-west), Wigmore (1 mile east), Hale (1 mile north-west) and Park Wood (1 mile east). Within a short drive, we also cover Rochester (4 miles north-west), Strood (5 miles north-west), Hoo St Werburgh (5 miles north), Chatham Waterfront (3 miles north-west), Rochester Riverside (4 miles north-west) and Peters Village (5 miles west).
Other landmarks nearby include Pentagon Shopping Centre (3 miles north-west) and Medway megaliths (3.8 miles south-west). Open spaces near Hempstead include Burham Down and Boxley Hills.
- Schools near Hempstead include Rainham School for Girls (1.3 miles north-east) and Howard School (1.3 miles north-east)
What a fish and chip van costs
Each booking is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- How easy the site is to reach
- How long we serve
- The day of the week
- Cod, haddock or both
A chip van often compares well with a plated meal, because it needs no kitchen and no crockery hire. Ask us for a quote.
What to tell us
These details help us quote quickly:
- Rough numbers for adults and children
- How to get in: gates, lanes and ground
- The venue or postcode
- A picture of where the van would go
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the parking spot, access, numbers and serving time. A photo of the spot helps too. To send your details, use our quote form.
DIY versus a fish and chip van
Some hosts try a takeaway order. The problem is timing: big orders take a long time, and the food is cooling while it travels. A van solves that by cooking on site.
You could do a chip-shop run for everyone yourself, but it rarely works for a crowd. By the time you’ve queued, paid and driven back, the batter has gone soft. With a van, it is fried on the spot.
Before you choose a spot
A fish and chip van is a vehicle, so the spot matters, and a little planning goes a long way. These are the things we check:
- The site’s agreement to a catering van
- A clear way in, with no low branches, cables or narrow gates
- A spot near your guests
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
From the hatch
- Gravy
- Haddock and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Mushy peas
- Pie and chips
- Cod and chips
Why choose funeral and wake catering in Hempstead?
It’s one less thing to organise at a difficult time.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Hempstead and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Anniversary memorials
- A tribute meal
- Scattering of ashes gatherings
- Gatherings at home after a funeral
For a service at a church like All Saints Church, choosing a wake venue nearby helps older guests.
What to look for in a quote
- Travel, tolls and road charges
- How much space the van takes up
- How long service runs, and what happens if you overrun
- The deadline for final numbers
Why fried-to-order beats a buffet
For warm food after a funeral, a chip van is a gentle choice. Many fish and chip vans set a minimum, since getting the van there costs the same however many eat. Ask us what applies to your wake.
What you get with us
- Everything cooked to order at your event
- A menu almost everyone likes
- Bookings across Medway, including Hempstead
- Served hot, straight from the hatch
See how we price and the cost guide.
Allergies and dietary needs
Most events have a few guests with dietary needs. To plan for them:
- Keep the serving time flexible
- Make sure older relatives can sit
- Choose a friend to be our contact
- Mention allergies you know about
Seats for older guests near the hall or house help.
Photos or a memory book give people something to share.
- 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