Reading · England
Funeral and wake catering in Horncastle, Reading
We bring fish and chips for the wake to Horncastle and nearby, frying fresh at your venue and serving from the hatch.
- Remembrance gatherings
- Small family memorials
- Family gatherings after a burial or cremation
Book the van in Horncastle
Funeral and wake catering in Horncastle, fried fresh
After a funeral, people want somewhere to gather and something comforting to eat. For many families, fish and chips is exactly that. Typical bookings include a favourite meal in someone’s memory and village hall wakes, with gravy, sausage and chips and cod and chips.
For a wake in a place like Horncastle, the village hall is often the heart of it, and its car park suits the van. You will know what’s included before you book: the date, the service time and the menu.
About the food
Cod and chips
Cod and chips is the meal most people picture when they think of a chip shop. Fried to order in the van, it goes out hot and crisp.
Haddock and chips
Haddock has loyal fans: sweeter and a touch firmer than cod. Ask us about offering haddock alongside or instead of cod.
Horncastle questions
Could you trade in Calcot Park?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Ask them first, and tell us what they say.
Can you serve after a service at Church of St Michael?
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.
Do you clear up afterwards?
We take the van and everything with it, and leave the spot tidy. It helps to have bins near the hatch.
Is the fish gluten-free?
No, not as standard: batter is generally made with wheat flour. Let us know and we’ll tell you what we can do before you book.
Where do you take the van?
London and the South East: Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight, including Horncastle.
What food do you serve?
Chip-shop favourites: cod or haddock and chips, sausages and pies, with mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy. See the menu.
Can our funeral director book for us?
Yes, that’s common.
How much is fish and chip van hire?
Every booking is quoted individually, so the price fits what you need. Give us your date, numbers and serving time for a clear quote.
Places near Horncastle
More for events in Horncastle
What affects the price in Horncastle
The price comes down to a few factors:
- The length of service
- Your choice of menu
- Whether a minimum applies
- Access and parking
A chip van frequently compares well with a plated meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and nothing to wash up. Ask us for a quote.
Details that help
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- Expected numbers
- Allergies and diets you know about
- Where the event is
- The date and when you’d like to eat
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your wake, and we will check the date and send a price.
Planners, venues and businesses
For big groups, the service window matters, so we can plan service to match. Staggering groups helps a lot.
Parks, greens and streets typically need permission for a catering van. Ask the council or landowner early.
Step by step
On the day, we position the van, set up the hatch and get the fryers up to temperature. Once we are hot, we cook to order, timed around your wake. In autumn and winter, it is dark early in Horncastle; make sure older guests have a well-lit route to the van.
- You share your date, numbers and address.
- We check access for the van and quote.
- We arrive in good time to set up.
- Everything is fried to order as the queue moves.
- We serve hot from the hatch and pack up when we are done.
Preparing for the day
- Confirm numbers and dietary needs before the day
- Plan where the queue will stand
- Arrange somewhere dry for the queue
Get a quote
Every quote is worked out for your event. Start with your date, and we will confirm whether we are available that day.
Related guides
After a funeral in Horncastle
Horncastle is about 2 miles west of Reading, in Reading. Bookings in Horncastle come in all shapes and sizes, but the plan is always the same: a level spot for the van, a time to eat and food fried to order. We take the van to 34 places in Reading, from the larger towns to small villages.
If relatives are coming by rail, the closest railway station is Reading West station, roughly 1.6 miles north-east of the centre.
This part of Reading takes in RG30 and RG31, so your wake can be anywhere in it. Local streets include Low Lane, Usk Road and Mill Lane; a wake on any of them works well with a drive or nearby car park. Other places close to Horncastle we cover include Fords Farm (1 mile south), Southcote (1 mile east), Tilehurst Within (1 mile north), Beansheaf Farm (1 mile south-west) and Burghfield Bridge (1 mile south). We also serve nearby towns such as Caversham (3 miles north-east), Shinfield (4 miles south-east), Arborfield Garrison (7 miles south-east), Caversham Heights (3 miles north-east), Whitley Wood (3 miles south-east) and Sonning Common (5 miles north). Horncastle is one of the larger places we cover in Reading, with lots of choice for wakes.
Well-known places in the area include Battle Hospital (1.5 miles north-east) and Broad Street Mall (2.2 miles east). Within reach you’ll find Fobney Island Wetland Reserve and South Lake.
- Nearby schools include Prospect School (less than half a mile north-east) and Elvian School (1.1 miles east)
- Nearby, you will find The Happy Prospect pub (0.7 miles east)
Takeaway run or book a van?
Ordering from a local shop? Call ahead and collect at the last minute. For a crowd, a van is generally simpler.
Collecting fish and chips for a crowd yourself is possible, but it is hard work. By the time you’ve queued, paid and driven back, the batter has gone soft. A van fries it right there, so it is crisp.
Planning for dietary needs
We need to know about dietary needs and allergies in advance, and we will be straight with you about what’s possible. To make it work smoothly:
- Let us know of any allergies
- Arrange tea and coffee separately
- Choose a friend to be our contact
- Keep the serving time flexible
Allow time for travel from the service, crematorium or burial ground.
Napkins and bins near the van keep things tidy.
Planning the van’s spot
If a spot is not suitable, we will tell you, and help find another. What matters most:
- Space for people to queue at the hatch
- A level hardstanding, drive or firm lawn
- The site’s agreement to a catering van
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before booking.
What we serve
- Mushy peas
- Gravy
- Pie and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Cod and chips
- Haddock and chips
Perfect for your wake in Horncastle
For some families, it was a favourite meal.
Whatever the occasion in Horncastle, fish and chips from the hatch goes down well. We’re frequently booked for:
- Family gatherings after a burial or cremation
- Gatherings at home after a funeral
- Anniversary memorials
- Wakes at a pub or venue with outside space
If the funeral is at a church such as Church of St Michael, a hall or home nearby keeps the journey to the wake short.
Comparing caterers
- Any minimum charge
- Whether travel is included
- Allergen information for each item
- When final numbers are due
- 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