Kent · England
Funeral and Wake Catering for Henley Street events
Funeral and wake catering in Henley Street: cod, haddock and chips fried to order, and served hot from the hatch.
- Family gatherings after a burial or cremation
- A wake at the family home
- Life celebrations
Funeral and wake catering in Henley Street
Funeral and wake catering in Henley Street, cooked to order
Funerals are frequently arranged at short notice, so get in touch as soon as you can. Whether it’s pub wakes and gatherings at home after a funeral, we can cook gravy, mushy peas and haddock and chips and more.
In a small place like Henley Street, a wake might be at home, in a barn or at the village hall. Let us know about access. The menu is short on purpose: a few classics done properly keeps the food fresh and the queue moving.
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning helps everyone eat safely. Here are a few tips:
- Confirm the van can park at the hall
- Name a contact for the day who isn’t close family
- Allow a little extra
- Ask your funeral director to help estimate numbers
We start when you give the word.
Have napkins and bins ready.
For planners, venues and organisers
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
For larger numbers, tell us how long you have for food, so we can plan service to match. Sending people up in groups helps.
Before you choose a spot
The right spot keeps everyone safe and the service smooth. We look for:
- Somewhere close to where people will eat
- Lighting nearby for evening events
- A clear way in, with no low branches, cables or narrow gates
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and the way in, and we’ll say what we think before you book.
From the hatch
- Haddock and chips
- Gravy
- Cod and chips
- Pie and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Mushy peas
Cannot we just order from the chip shop?
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.
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.
What happens on the day
We arrive in good time before you want to eat, set up and bring the oil up to temperature. Guests generally gather round the hatch once service starts. Late-December sunset in Henley Street is about 3:50pm, so for an afternoon wake, light near the van and the door helps. In summer, there’s daylight until about 9:20pm.
- You, or your funeral director, tell us the date, the place and rough numbers.
- You get an access check and a quote, without fuss.
- We plan a flexible serving time around the service.
- We serve calmly from the hatch when everyone is ready.
- When everyone has eaten, we clear up and go.
Before we arrive
- Keep space clear for guests at the hatch
- Check the way in for low branches, cables and narrow gates
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
How to get a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many people, along with your serving time, and we will reply with a quote. To get started, use our quote form.
Read more
Arranging a wake in Henley Street
Henley Street is about 4 miles south of Gravesend, in Kent. Whether your wake is in the middle of Henley Street or on the outskirts, the service works the same way: fresh frying, hot food from the hatch and a clear price. We serve all 922 towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. Our bookings stretch from Henley Street to London (23 miles away).
For anyone coming to the funeral by train, Sole Street station is about 0.8 miles away.
For wakes in DA13, we just need to know where the van can park. Nearby, we also serve wakes in Luddesdown (1 mile south), Gold Street (1 mile north-west), Sole Street (1 mile north-west), Round Street (1 mile north-west) and Foxendown (1 mile south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (10 miles south-east), Sittingbourne (15 miles east), Dartford (9 miles north-west), Sevenoaks (11 miles south-west), Gravesend (4 miles north) and Tonbridge (13 miles south).
Other landmarks nearby include Gravesham Community Hospital (4.7 miles north) and Rochester Castle (4.6 miles east). Within reach you’ll find Ranscombe Farm and Gad's Hill.
- Local schools include Meopham School (1.8 miles south-west)
- Nearby, you will find The Cock pub (under half a mile west)
What a fish and chip van costs
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Peak dates such as summer Saturdays
- Distance and any road charges
- Numbers
- How easy the site is to reach
Compared with a sit-down meal, a fish and chip van is often good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and nothing to wash up. Ask us for a quote.
What we need to know
For a quote, it helps to have:
- A picture of the space and the way in
- Access details such as gates and narrow lanes
- Expected numbers
- Where you’d like the van to go
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, address, numbers and serving time. To send them, send us your details through our quote form.
Food your guests will love
Haddock and chips
Haddock has a slightly sweeter flavour and a firmer flake. It’s the traditional favourite in Scotland and much of the north.
Mushy peas
Mushy peas are made from dried marrowfat peas, soaked and cooked until soft. They’re the side most people expect.
FAQs for Henley Street
How far is Henley Street from London?
Roughly 23 miles from the centre of London.
We are gathering after a service at Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul: can you come?
Yes, at a nearby hall, home or venue with somewhere for the van. Churches rarely have space for a catering van, so the food is usually elsewhere. Send us the address.
Is short notice a problem?
Get in touch as soon as you can. We’ll let you know quickly.
Is the fish gluten-free?
Standard batter is made with wheat flour, so battered fish contains gluten. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance, and we will be straight with you about what’s possible.
What if timings change?
Yes. We start when you are ready.
What if the weather’s bad?
The weather doesn’t stop the van, because the cooking happens inside. Soft ground after heavy rain is the bigger issue, so have a hard-surface spot in mind.
Do you bring everything you need?
All the cooking happens in the van. Tell us about power, water and bins at the site and we will confirm what we need.
Can you go on a lawn or field?
Usually, if it’s firm and dry. Soft, wet ground can trap any vehicle, so plan a back-up spot.
A chip van compared with other options
For warm food after a funeral, fish and chips from a van works well. The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, because the van, travel and set-up cost much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why us?
- We cook inside the van, whatever the weather
- A quote that spells everything out
- No kitchen needed
- All the chip-shop extras
Places near Henley Street
More for events in Henley Street
- 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