Kent · England
Funeral and wake catering in Swanley, Kent
We bring fish and chips for the wake to Swanley and nearby, cooking to order on site and serving from the hatch.
- A wake at the family home
- Wakes at church halls and clubs
- Anniversary memorials
Book the van in Swanley
Funeral and wake catering for your wake in Swanley
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 family gatherings after a burial or cremation, serving mushy peas, gravy and pie and chips.
In Swanley, the hall or the family home is a natural choice. Let us know where the van can go. The menu is short on purpose: fewer choices means fresher food and shorter queues.
Swanley: your questions answered
How far is Swanley from London?
Roughly 14 miles from the centre of London.
We’re gathering after a service at St Mary the Virgin: 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 normally elsewhere. Send us the address.
Can you serve children?
Of course. Children usually love sausage and chips. Include children in your numbers.
What if we only have street parking?
It depends on the road. A drive, car park or yard is usually easier; for the street, check the council’s rules.
Is the food cooked at the event?
It is. The fryers are in the van, so it is fried on the spot, not cooked earlier and kept warm.
What areas do you cover?
We cover London and the South East, Kent included. See all areas.
Do you come to Swanley?
We do. We serve events in Swanley and across Kent. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
What if we don’t know numbers?
Start with a rough number, and we’ll plan with a little extra.
Where the van can park in Swanley
Every site is different, so we will ask about yours when you contact us. Generally, we look for:
- A clear area by the serving hatch
- A level hardstanding, drive or firm lawn
- Somewhere close to where people will eat
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and the way in, and we will say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Cod and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Haddock and chips
- Pie and chips
- Mushy peas
- Gravy
Towns and villages near Swanley
Other occasions in Swanley
Why choose funeral and wake catering in Swanley?
It needs no kitchen at the hall or home.
Whatever brings people together, a chip van is a crowd-pleaser. We’re frequently booked for:
- Pub wakes
- Anniversary memorials
- Life celebrations
- A wake at the family home
For family travelling by train, there is a station right in Swanley: Swanley station.
Before you book anyone
- The cancellation terms
- How long service runs, and what happens if you overrun
- Whether travel is included
- What the price includes, item by item
Takeaway run or book a van?
A DIY buffet works for small groups. For bigger numbers, a van makes life easier, and nobody has to miss the wake.
Not sure whether to order in or book a van? Consider your numbers and how fresh you want it. We’re happy to send a quote so you can compare.
A fish and chip van or other catering?
Sandwiches are traditional at wakes. Hot food can be more welcome, especially in winter. Travel, tolls and charges such as ULEZ can affect the price, so tell us exactly where your wake is.
Why book our van in Swanley
- All the chip-shop extras
- No kitchen needed
- Works on wet days as well as sunny ones
- We cover Swanley and the whole of Kent
How we price fish and chips for the wake
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- Whether a minimum applies
- How far we travel
- The day of the week
- How long we serve
Many fish and chip vans set a minimum, because the van, fuel and travel cost the same for a small group. We’ll tell you up front.
What we need to know
To check availability and price, we need:
- Where the event is
- Where the van would park
- Access details such as gates and narrow lanes
- Dietary needs, with numbers
Send us the date, the address or BR8 postcode and rough numbers, plus when you’d like to eat, and you’ll get a clear price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Looking after everyone
Dietary needs are easiest to plan with some notice. Our advice:
- Ask the venue about the van
- Build in time for delays
- Arrange tea and coffee separately
- Make sure older relatives can sit
Allow time for travel from the service, crematorium or burial ground.
Some families add a favourite dessert or cake.
The process
You will know we’re ready when the smell of frying drifts over, about the time the first guests wander across. After that, it is a steady flow to the hatch. In autumn and winter, it’s dark early in Swanley; make sure older guests have a well-lit route to the van.
- Tell us what you’re planning and when you’d like to eat.
- We come back with availability and a clear price.
- We agree exactly where the van parks, and how it gets in.
- Batter, fish and chips all go into the fryer as people come up.
- The pitch is left tidy when we go.
How to prepare
- Keep space clear for guests at the hatch
- Choose a level, firm spot for the van
- Think about a gazebo by the van in case of rain
How to get a price
We only need a few details to quote: date, address, numbers and serving time. You can use our quote form.
Read more
What comes out of the fryer
Mushy peas
Mushy peas are a must for plenty of fish and chip fans.
Sausage and chips
A sausage and chips is the chip-shop classic for younger guests and fish-dodgers.
Arranging a wake in Swanley
Swanley is about 3 miles east of Orpington, in Kent. Swanley is well within our area, so all we need is your date, a parking spot and a time to serve. Swanley is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. We serve events right across the region, from Swanley to London (about 14 miles away).
Relatives driving in can use the A20 and B258 to reach Swanley. After a service at St Mary the Virgin, a wake at a hall or home close by means less travelling for everyone. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Swanley, and rural venues there may have narrow lanes, so tell us about access.
Here we cover the BR8 postcode area. Whether your wake is on London Road, Station Road and High Street or a nearby road, we can park up and fry there. You will find Swanley on the A20 and B258, which makes the journey straightforward. We also bring the van to wakes in Crockenhill (1 mile south-west), Kevington (2 miles south-west), Derry Downs (3 miles west), St Mary Cray (3 miles west) and St Paul's Cray (3 miles west). We also serve nearby towns such as Dartford (4 miles north-east), Sevenoaks (8 miles south), Gravesend (9 miles east), Tonbridge (14 miles south), Northfleet (8 miles east) and Kings Hill (13 miles south-east).
Other landmarks nearby include London Borough of Bromley Museum (3.2 miles south-west) and Queen Mary's Hospital (3.4 miles north-west). Open spaces near Swanley include The Warren and Summer Hill.
- Local schools include Orchards Academy (less than half a mile 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