Oxfordshire · England
Funeral and wake catering in Shiplake, Oxfordshire
From the first sizzle in the fryer to the last chip, fish and chips for the wake makes the food a highlight of your wake in Shiplake.
- Scattering of ashes gatherings
- Life celebrations
- A wake at the family home
Funeral and wake catering in Shiplake
About our funeral and wake catering in Shiplake
We keep it calm and simple. We arrive at the agreed time, park discreetly and serve when you are ready. We serve cod and chips, pie and chips and haddock and chips, and we’re regularly asked to cater anniversary memorials and gatherings at a village hall or club.
In rural Shiplake, home or the hall is usual. We cook inside the van, right where your guests are, and the food reaches them hot and crisp.
- Where
- Shiplake (RG9)
- Area hub
- Oxfordshire
- On the menu
- Cod, haddock, chips, sausages, pies
- On the side
- Gravy, mushy peas, curry sauce
- Price
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 24 October 2026
Organising for someone else?
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers and vehicles: where a van can park, access times and the paperwork they want. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will confirm what we can provide.
A chip van compared with other options
Compared with a buffet, fish and chips is hot and simple, and there’s less waste when numbers are uncertain. Many fish and chip vans set a minimum, since getting the van there costs the same however many eat. We’ll tell you up front.
Why book our van in Shiplake
- A menu almost everyone likes
- No kitchen needed
- We cover Shiplake and the whole of Oxfordshire
- Fried fresh, not kept warm
Why choose funeral and wake catering in Shiplake?
Nothing is wasted on an uncertain number of guests.
Almost any gathering works with a fish and chip van. People in Shiplake book the van for occasions like:
- Pub wakes
- Life celebrations
- Small family memorials
- A favourite meal in someone’s memory
For family travelling by train, Wargrave station is about 0.9 miles away.
Before booking anyone
- When payment is due
- If the price includes VAT
- How late numbers can change
- The service time, and the cost of running over
Prices and what affects them
There’s nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- Peak dates such as summer Saturdays
- Numbers
- Parking and the way in
- Any minimum charge
A chip van often compares well with a plated meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and nothing to wash up. Ask us for a quote.
What to tell us
The more we know about your wake, the better we can plan. Please include:
- The date and when you’d like to eat
- Expected numbers
- Where the event is
- Anything awkward about the way in
To get a price, send us your details through our quote form. Tell us about your wake in Shiplake, and we’ll come back with availability and a quote.
The menu, dish by dish
Sausage and chips
A sausage and chips is the chip-shop classic for younger guests and fish-dodgers, especially with curry sauce.
Curry sauce
Chip-shop curry sauce is a mild, slightly sweet British classic, great with chips and sausages.
Before you choose a spot
Most drives, car parks, yards and firm lawns can take the van, but a few things matter:
- Space for people to queue at the hatch
- Light near the van and the queue for evening service
- Flat, firm ground for the van
Not sure about the spot? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Cod and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Haddock and chips
- Pie and chips
- Gravy
- Mushy peas
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 you get to enjoy the day.
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 don’t cook ahead. Each portion is battered and fried as it is ordered, which is why it tastes like it does at the seaside. In winter, it is dark in Shiplake by about 3:55pm, so for an afternoon wake, light near the van and the door helps. Summer wakes have daylight well into the evening.
- The family or funeral director sends us the date, place and numbers.
- We check the spot for the van and send a quote.
- We plan a flexible serving time around the service.
- On the day we set up quietly and serve when guests are ready.
- When everyone has eaten, we clear up and go.
How to prepare
- Give us your final numbers and allergies
- Check the way in for low branches, cables and narrow gates
- Leave room in front of the hatch for a queue
Get a quote
Each quote is put together for your wake. Give us your date first, and we’ll check availability right away.
Planning help
Places near Shiplake
What else we do in Shiplake
Your questions about fish and chips for the wake in Shiplake
Can the van park in Loddon Nature Reserve?
Only if the landowner, usually the council, allows it. Check with them first.
Do you come out to small places like Shiplake?
Not at all. We serve villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Can you come to the house?
Yes, if there is somewhere level and firm to park the van close to the house.
What can guests choose from?
The classics: cod, haddock, chips, sausages and pies, with mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy. See the menu.
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.
Can you cater a wake at short notice?
We understand the timescales, so ask and we’ll reply quickly.
How many people should we cater for?
It’s hard to know, so a rough number is fine. Funeral directors can advise from experience.
Can our funeral director book for us?
Yes, that is common.
After a funeral in Shiplake
Shiplake is about 3 miles north of Woodley, in Oxfordshire. People in Shiplake book us for all sorts of reasons, but it always starts the same way: a level spot for the van, a time to eat and food fried to order. We take the van to 443 places across Oxfordshire.
After a service at Church of St Peter and St Paul, a wake at a hall or home close by means less travelling for everyone.
Anywhere in RG9, we can bring the van to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Neighbouring places where we serve wakes include Charvil (2 miles south), Twyford (2 miles south-east), Ruscombe (2 miles south-east), Hare Hatch (2 miles east) and The Holt (3 miles east). We also serve nearby towns such as Benson (12 miles north-west), Chinnor (14 miles north), Tilehurst (7 miles south-west), Wallingford (12 miles north-west), Little Heath (7 miles west) and Oakley (14 miles north).
Well-known places in the area include Royal Berkshire Hospital (4.2 miles south-west) and Frazer Nash Archives (2.1 miles north). Open spaces near Shiplake include South Lake and Sonning Hill.
- Schools near Shiplake include Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School (1.2 miles south-east) and The Piggott School (1.2 miles south-east)
- Nearby, you will find The Plough pub (under half a mile north-west)
- 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