Hampshire · England
Funeral and Wake Catering for Widley events
From the smell of the fryers to the last chip in the paper, fish and chips for the wake turns food into part of your wake in Widley.
- Wakes at venues
- Anniversary memorials
- Gatherings at home after a funeral
Planning an event in Widley?
How our funeral and wake catering works in Widley
Your funeral director or a family friend can deal with us directly. We serve cod and chips, sausage and chips and gravy, and we are regularly asked to cater gatherings after scattering ashes and remembrance gatherings.
Near Widley, wakes are frequently at home or in the hall. Let us know about access. Tell us about dietary needs and allergies when you enquire, and we will tell you honestly what we can offer before booking.
What comes out of the fryer
Gravy
Gravy brings a bit of warmth to the meal.
Sausage and chips
A sausage and chips is the chip-shop classic for younger guests and fish-dodgers.
Arranging a wake in Widley
Widley is about 1 mile south-west of Purbrook, in Hampshire. We cover Widley as standard, so all we need is your date, a parking spot and a time to serve. We take the van to 683 places in Hampshire. We serve events right across the region, from Widley to Southampton (about 16 miles away).
If the funeral is at a church such as Christ Church, a hall or home nearby keeps the journey to the wake short. The coast is within about 6 miles of Widley, and for many families fish and chips brings back memories of the seaside.
Here we cover the PO7 and PO6 postcode area, so your wake can be anywhere in it. Whether your wake is on Lily Avenue, Park Avenue and Hoylake Road or a nearby road, we’ll bring the van to you. For wakes just outside Widley, we cover Purbrook Heath (1 mile north), Drayton (1 mile south), Farlington (1 mile south-east), Purbrook (1 mile north-east) and Cosham (1 mile south-west). We also serve nearby towns such as Gosport (6 miles south-west), Havant (3 miles east), Eastleigh (15 miles north-west), Fareham (6 miles west), Horndean (4 miles north-east) and Hedge End (12 miles west).
Well-known places in the area include Portchester Castle (3.2 miles south-west) and Queen Alexandra Hospital (1 mile south-west). The countryside around Widley includes Portsdown Hill and Southmoor Nature Reserve.
- Schools near Widley include Solent Junior School (0.7 miles south-east) and Springfield School (1 mile south)
- Pubs nearby include George Inn (less than half a mile south-west)
The process
It’s a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, park on the agreed spot, and get on with frying and serving. Summer evenings in Widley stay light until about 9:20pm, while winter afternoons darken by about 4:00pm.
- You, or your funeral director, tell us the date, the place and rough numbers.
- You get an access check and a quote, without fuss.
- We agree a time to arrive and when food should be ready, allowing for the service running over.
- We serve calmly from the hatch when everyone is ready.
- When everyone has eaten, we clear up and go.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm numbers and dietary needs before the day
- Give us a contact for the day
- Confirm the van is allowed on site
Get 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.
Read more
For event organisers in Widley
Many venues set rules for catering vans: parking spots, arrival times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will confirm what we can provide.
For larger numbers, tell us how long you have for food, so we can plan how to keep the queue short. Sending people up in groups helps.
Widley questions
Can you serve after a service at Christ Church?
Yes, at a home, hall or venue nearby where the van can park. Food is typically served at the reception venue rather than the church. Tell us where you’ll gather.
Is Widley too small for a chip van?
Not at all. We serve villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
How long are you on site?
That depends on your numbers and timings. We confirm all the timings beforehand.
Can our funeral director book for us?
Of course. We can work with whoever is helping you.
What does the van need?
Less than you might think: a hard surface or firm, dry grass, with a clear way in. Send us a photo if you are not sure.
Can the van park on the street?
It depends on the road. A drive, car park or yard is normally easier; if it has to be the street, check with the council.
Is the fish gluten-free?
Standard batter is made with wheat flour, so battered fish contains gluten. Tell us about coeliac guests when you enquire, and we’ll tell you honestly what we can offer.
Can you go on a lawn or field?
It depends on the ground. Tell us about it when you enquire, and we will advise.
Takeaway run or book a 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.
If you do order from a chip shop, ring well ahead and collect as close to eating time as you can. For a crowd, a van is typically simpler.
What affects the price in Widley
Each booking is quoted on its own, based on a few main things:
- How easy the site is to reach
- How many people are eating
- The length of service
- The date and time of year
A chip van often compares well with a plated meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and nothing to wash up. We will send you a quote.
Details that help
These details help us quote quickly:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- A picture of where the van would go
- Anything awkward about the way in
- The venue or postcode
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: where the van would park, how to get in, numbers and timings. Photos of the spot and the way in help. When you’re ready, send us your details through our quote form.
Space, access and the venue
No two venues are the same, so we will ask about yours when you get in touch. Generally, we look for:
- Flat, firm ground for the van
- A short walk from the party
- Lighting nearby for evening events
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and the way in, and we will say what we think.
Popular choices
- Haddock and chips
- Pie and chips
- Gravy
- Mushy peas
- Sausage and chips
- Cod and chips
A chip van compared with other options
For a simple, comforting meal at a wake, fish and chips from a van works well. Cost depends on numbers, menu and service time, along with distance and access to the site. We quote for each booking individually.
Why book with us
- Works on wet days as well as sunny ones
- No kitchen, no crockery, no washing up
- Bookings across Hampshire, including Widley
- Classic food your guests already know
Take a look at our prices page or the cost guide.
Also near Widley
What else we do in Widley
Diets, allergies and planning
Allergies are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Plan for a few extra people
- Keep the serving time flexible
- Arrange tea and coffee separately
- Ask your funeral director to help estimate numbers
We start when you give the word, not to a rigid schedule.
Tea and coffee from the hall’s urn, or a friend’s tea table, goes well alongside.
- 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