Surrey · England
Funeral and wake catering in Merle Common, Surrey
Funeral and wake catering in Merle Common: fish and chips cooked fresh in the van, then handed over hot from the hatch at the time you choose.
- Memorial gatherings
- A tribute meal
- Small family memorials
Planning an event in Merle Common?
What happens on the day
Setting up takes a little while, because the oil has to come up to temperature, so we always arrive well ahead of your serving time. Summer evenings in Merle Common stay light until about 9:20pm, but in December it is dark by about 3:55pm.
- You share your date, numbers and address.
- We check the route in and send a price.
- We arrive early to park and heat the fryers.
- Fish goes into the batter and straight into the fryer, to order.
- Service is straight from the hatch, then we pack up.
Getting ready for the day
- Send us final numbers and any allergies in good time
- Think about a gazebo by the van in case of rain
- Get permission for the van from the venue
Getting 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, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Funeral and wake catering in Merle Common, fried fresh
We cook as people come up. Typical bookings include family meals after the service and wakes at a pub or venue with outside space, with pie and chips, mushy peas and cod and chips.
For a wake near Merle Common, a farmhouse or village hall often works well. The menu is short on purpose: a few classics done properly keeps the food fresh and the queue moving.
Where the van can park in Merle Common
The right spot keeps everyone safe and the service smooth. We look for:
- The site’s agreement to a catering van
- A lit spot if service runs after dark
- A level hardstanding, drive or firm lawn
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and the way in, and we will say what we think.
From the hatch
- Sausage and chips
- Pie and chips
- Gravy
- Mushy peas
- Haddock and chips
- Cod and chips
Common questions in Merle Common
What’s the nearest station to Merle Common?
The closest is Hurst Green station, roughly 1.4 miles away.
Is Merle Common too small for a chip van?
No, we come to small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Is there something for children?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Let us know numbers, and we’ll plan for them.
What do we need to supply?
Somewhere suitable to park, with permission. Mention any power or water available and we will confirm the rest.
What about guests who don’t eat fish?
Sausage and chips and pie and chips are on the menu. Tell us about other diets and we’ll tell you what we can offer.
Do you come to Merle Common?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, including Merle Common and the rest of Surrey. To check your date, fill in our quote form.
Can you be flexible on the day?
We allow for it. We’ll work to your contact on the day.
Do we need to provide equipment?
All the cooking happens in the van. Let us know what’s available at the site.
Can’t we just order from the chip shop?
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.
For a small group, making your own food can work. For bigger numbers, a van makes life easier, and you get to enjoy the day.
Looking after everyone
With a bit of planning, dietary needs are easier to handle. A few tips:
- Use the funeral director’s experience on numbers
- Allow a little extra
- Check the hall has an urn
- Build in time for delays
We park quietly before guests return from the service.
A quiet room away from the crowd is a kindness.
After a funeral in Merle Common
Merle Common is about 6 miles south-east of Caterham, in Surrey. In and around Merle Common, the van can serve from a drive, a yard, a car park or a firm field, close to your guests. Merle Common is one of 395 places in Surrey we cover. Our nearest city page is London, about 19 miles away.
For wakes in RH8, we just need to know where the van can park and roughly how many guests. Close by, we cover wakes in Crowhurst (1 mile south-west), Troy Town (2 miles south-east), Hurst Green (2 miles north-west), Pains-Hill (2 miles north) and Crowhurst Lane End (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Epsom (14 miles north-west), Horley (8 miles west), Redhill (8 miles west), Ewell (15 miles north-west), Reigate (9 miles west) and Caterham (6 miles north-west).
A little further out are Tandridge Priory (2.1 miles north) and Haxted Watermill Museum (2.5 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Botley Hill and Bay Pond.
- Local schools include Oxted School (2.4 miles north)
Places near Merle Common
What else we do in Merle Common
Prices and what affects them
The price comes down to a few factors:
- Access and parking
- Distance and any road charges
- Any minimum charge
- The menu and how many choices
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.
What we need to know
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- Where you’d like the van to go
- A photo of the parking spot
- Where the event is
- How to get in: gates, lanes and ground
It’s easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and serving time. We will come back with a clear quote.
Working with your venue
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we will explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on parking and timings.
Many venues set rules for catering vans: parking spots, arrival times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll work through them with you.
About the food
Curry sauce
Chip-shop curry sauce is a mild, slightly sweet British classic, perfect with chips or a sausage.
Haddock and chips
Some people swear by haddock: a firmer flake and a sweeter taste. Ask us about offering haddock alongside or instead of cod.
Why choose funeral and wake catering in Merle Common?
It needs no kitchen at the hall or home.
Here are some of the occasions we serve in Merle Common and Surrey:
- Wakes at a pub or venue with outside space
- Memorial gatherings
- Remembrance gatherings
- Family meals after the service
If relatives are coming by rail, Hurst Green station is about 1.4 miles away.
Comparing caterers
- What happens if the event is cancelled or moved
- When payment is due
- How much space the van takes up
- 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