Reading · England
Funeral and wake catering in Shinfield, Reading
We bring fish and chips for the wake across Shinfield and Reading, cooking to order on site.
- Gatherings at a village hall or club
- A wake at the family home
- Pub wakes
Book the van in Shinfield
Events we cater in Shinfield
It can be a fitting tribute.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Shinfield and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Celebrations of life
- Small family memorials
- Remembering a loved one’s favourite food
- Wakes at a pub or venue with outside space
Families holding a service at Church of St Mary the Virgin frequently gather afterwards at a nearby hall, where the van can park.
Comparing caterers
- Allergen information for each item
- Payment terms and deposit
- The van’s size and access needs
- Whether travel is included
Funeral and wake catering in Shinfield, cooked to order
Someone else can make the booking for you, so you have one less thing to do. Whether it’s life celebrations and remembering a loved one’s favourite food, we can cook haddock and chips, cod and chips and gravy and more.
In Shinfield, the hall is frequently where people gather, and its car park suits the van. Food is served straight from the hatch, so it is hot and generous, and service is quick once we’re up and running.
Diets, allergies and planning
A little planning makes sure everyone is looked after. Here’s how:
- Ask your funeral director to help estimate numbers
- Let us know of any allergies
- Let someone else talk to us on the day
- Plan for a few extra people
Afterwards, we leave quietly.
A tea table run by a friend is a comfort.
Before you choose a spot
A good parking spot makes the whole thing easier. We look for:
- Flat, firm ground for the van
- Access wide and high enough for the van
- The site’s agreement to a catering van
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and the way in, and we’ll say what we think.
On the menu in Shinfield
- Mushy peas
- Sausage and chips
- Haddock and chips
- Cod and chips
- Pie and chips
- Gravy
DIY versus a fish and chip van
For a small group, making your own food can work. For larger numbers, or when you want hot food, a van takes the pressure off, and nobody has to miss the wake.
You could do a chip-shop run for everyone yourself, but it rarely works for a crowd. Long waits and a drive home mean food arrives lukewarm and soggy. With a van, it is fried on the spot.
Step by step
If the plan changes on the day, a quick word is all it takes: we will adjust start times and pace. Sunset in Shinfield is about 7:05pm in late September and about 3:55pm in December; plan a lit path from the door to the van.
- You, or your funeral director, tell us the date, the place and rough numbers.
- We check the spot for the van and send a quote.
- Timings allow for the service and travel from it.
- On the day we set up quietly and serve when guests are ready.
- When everyone has eaten, we clear up and go.
Getting ready for the day
- Send us final numbers and any allergies in good time
- Get permission for the van from the venue
- Check the way in for low branches, cables and narrow gates
Getting a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many people, plus when you’d like to eat, and you’ll get a clear price. Just fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Prices and what affects them
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- The minimum booking
- Cod, haddock or both
- Travel, tolls and road charges
- How long we serve
Compared with a sit-down meal, a fish and chip van is often good value, because it needs no kitchen and no crockery hire. Ask us for a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
When you contact us, it helps to tell us:
- The date and time of the event
- The spot you have in mind for the van
- A photo of the space and the way in
- Roughly how many people, including children
The quickest way to a quote is to use our quote form. Give us the details of your wake, and we’ll check the date and send a price.
Shinfield: your questions answered
Which station is closest to Shinfield?
The closest is Reading Green Park station, roughly 2.6 miles away.
Is Shinfield close to London?
About 37 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Is everything cooked fresh?
Yes, always. Everything is fried fresh in the van, and serve straight from the hatch.
What if we do not know numbers?
A rough estimate is enough to start. Your funeral director can help.
What if we only have street parking?
Only in a legal space, or with the council’s permission. Check with your council first.
Do we need to provide equipment?
Everything is cooked in the van. Let us know what’s available at the site and we will confirm what we need.
Do you take everything away?
The pitch is left as we found it. It helps to have bins near the hatch.
Is grass a problem?
It depends on the ground. Let us know what the ground is like, and we will advise.
The menu, dish by dish
Curry sauce
The chip shop’s own curry sauce is mild and a little sweet, perfect with chips or a sausage.
Haddock and chips
Haddock is a little sweeter than cod, with a finer, firmer flake. In the north and in Scotland, haddock is the classic.
Places near Shinfield
Also in Shinfield
Is a fish and chip van right for your wake?
Preparing food yourself adds to a hard day. We do the cooking. Most vans have a minimum charge, since getting the van there costs the same however many eat. We will tell you up front.
Why book our van in Shinfield
- No surprises in your quote
- Fish and chips fried fresh on site
- Mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy on the side
- No kitchen, no crockery, no washing up
Read our prices page and the cost guide.
Wakes in Shinfield: venues and practical details
Shinfield is about 3 miles south of Reading, in Reading. Shinfield is well within our area, so your wake just needs a date, a spot for the van and a serving time. Shinfield is one of 34 towns and villages in Reading where we bring the van.
If relatives are coming by rail, Reading Green Park station is about 2.6 miles away.
Wherever your wake is in RG2, we can fry fresh for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. From Teal Grove, Songbird Close and Skylark Way or a nearby road, we’ll bring the van to you. Neighbouring places where we serve wakes include Ryeish Green (1 mile south-west), Whitley Wood (1 mile north-west), Three Mile Cross (1 mile west), Great Lea Common (1 mile west) and Arborfield (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Caversham (5 miles north), Norcot (5 miles north-west), West Reading (4 miles north-west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles north-west), Arborfield Garrison (3 miles south-east) and Caversham Heights (5 miles north). As one of the bigger places in Reading, Shinfield has lots of places where the van can park.
A little further out are Berkshire Library & Museum of Freemasonry (2.9 miles north-east) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (3.1 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Longwater and Sonning Hill.
- Nearby schools include Oakbank (0.7 miles west) and Ryeish Green School (0.7 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include Bell & Bottle pub (under half a mile south-east)
- 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