West Sussex · England
Funeral and Wake Catering for Thorney Island events
A menu everybody knows: cod or haddock in batter, chips, sausages and pies, with mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy. Funeral and wake catering in Thorney Island.
- Remembering a loved one’s favourite food
- Memorial gatherings
- Gatherings at home after a funeral
Book the van in Thorney Island
Funeral and wake catering in Thorney Island, cooked to order
The wake can be at home, at a village hall or club, or at a venue with space outside, wherever the van can park. For gatherings after scattering ashes and village hall wakes, we can cook haddock and chips, cod and chips and gravy.
In a small place like Thorney Island, a wake might be at home, in a barn or at the village hall. Let us know about access. You’ll know what’s included before booking: the date, the service time and the menu, with no surprises on the day.
- Area
- Thorney Island (PO10)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- From the fryer
- Fish and chips, sausages, pies
- Extras
- Curry sauce, mushy peas and gravy
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 24 October 2026
Wake catering near Thorney Island
Thorney Island is about 4 miles south-east of Havant, in West Sussex. Anywhere in PO10, we’ll come to your venue, home or workplace. We take the van to all 371 towns and villages in West Sussex. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 21 miles away.
If the funeral is at a church such as The Parish Church of St Nicholas, a hall or home nearby keeps the journey to the wake short. The coast is within about 4 miles of Thorney Island, and for many families fish and chips brings back memories of the seaside.
Anywhere in PO10, we can fry fresh for your guests, from busy streets to quiet lanes. From Hunter Road, Emsworth Road and Spartan Close or anywhere nearby, we can park up and fry there. Nearby, we also serve wakes in West Thorney (1 mile south-east), North Hayling (1 mile west), Tye (1 mile south-west), Northney (1 mile west) and Emsworth (2 miles north). Further out, we also take the van to Bognor Regis (11 miles east), Chichester (7 miles east), Selsey (9 miles south-east), Portfield (7 miles east), Yapton (14 miles east) and East Wittering (5 miles south-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Havant War Memorial Hospital (3.2 miles north-west) and Emsworth Museum (1.6 miles north). The countryside around Thorney Island includes Nutborne Marshes.
- Schools near Thorney Island include Bourne Community College (1.9 miles north)
For planners, venues and organisers
Booking for a company? Tell us what your finance team needs, and we’ll talk you through the process. We’re happy to liaise with facilities on parking and timings.
For larger numbers, tell us how long you have for food, so we can plan how to keep the queue short. Staggering groups helps a lot.
DIY versus a fish and chip van
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.
Some hosts try a takeaway order. Large orders are slow, and the food cools in the bags. A van solves that by cooking on site.
A fish and chip van or other catering?
For warm food after a funeral, a chip van is a gentle choice in Thorney Island. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we will suggest how to make it work. Keeping the menu short is typically the best value.
Why book with us
- Served hot, straight from the hatch
- All the chip-shop extras
- No kitchen, no crockery, no washing up
- Cod, haddock, sausages and pies
Take a look at our pricing and our guide to van hire costs.
Common questions in Thorney Island
Could you trade in Eames Farm?
Only if the landowner, normally the council, allows it. Ask them first.
How far is Thorney Island from London?
Roughly 59 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
Who clears up?
We pack up and leave the pitch tidy when service is finished. Tell us where bins can go for people’s paper and trays.
Can you cook in the rain?
We cook inside the van, so rain does not stop us. It’s worth planning some cover for the queue.
How long will the queue be?
It depends on numbers, the menu and how people arrive. Tell us your numbers and how long you have for food, and we will plan service around it.
What do you bring?
We bring the van and everything we need to cook. You provide a suitable spot and permission to park.
Can the van park on the street?
It depends on the road. Off-road parking is normally simpler; for the street, check the council’s rules.
How long does set-up take?
It depends on numbers and the service time. We confirm all the timings beforehand.
Occasions we serve in Thorney Island
It is one less thing to organise.
Whatever the occasion in Thorney Island, fish and chips from the hatch goes down well. We regularly serve:
- Life celebrations
- Scattering of ashes gatherings
- Gatherings at home after a funeral
- Memorial events and anniversaries
For anyone coming to the funeral by train, Southbourne station, about 1.8 miles north-east, is the nearest station.
What to look for in a quote
- What the price includes, item by item
- When payment is due
- The van’s size and access needs
- The minimum number of meals or minimum spend
Before you choose a spot
Before the day, we’ll agree where the van parks. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- A clear way in, with no low branches, cables or narrow gates
- A spot near your guests
- A level, firm spot the van can drive onto
Not sure about the spot? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before booking.
What we serve
- Pie and chips
- Mushy peas
- Haddock and chips
- Gravy
- Sausage and chips
- Cod and chips
What comes out of the fryer
Gravy
A pot of gravy turns chips into comfort food, especially in winter.
Haddock and chips
Haddock has a slightly sweeter flavour and a firmer flake. In the north and in Scotland, haddock is the classic.
Places near Thorney Island
Also in Thorney Island
Looking after everyone
With a bit of planning, dietary needs are easier to handle. Here are a few tips:
- Check the hall has an urn
- Use the funeral director’s experience on numbers
- Let us know of any allergies
- Plan for a few extra people
Allow time for travel from the service, crematorium or burial ground.
A quiet room away from the crowd is a kindness.
The process
You do not need to do much on the day: show us the spot, tell us when to start, and enjoy your wake. We handle the cooking and serving. In summer, a wake in Thorney Island has light until about 9:20pm, while winter afternoons darken by about 4:00pm.
- Start with three things: the date, the place and a rough headcount.
- Show us where the van would go, and we’ll confirm it works.
- Closer to the day, we confirm the arrival time and serving time.
- We park, open the hatch and start frying for family and friends.
- Once the last portion is out, we pack up and go.
Before we arrive
- Share the timings for the day
- Plan a bit of cover near the hatch if rain is likely
- Leave room in front of the hatch for a queue
Ask for a quote
We quote for each event separately, based on your numbers, timings and travel. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
- 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