Medway · England
Wedding fish and chip van in Chatham, Medway
Bring the chip shop to your wedding in Chatham. The van arrives, the fryers go on and everything is cooked to order, so every portion goes out hot.
- Day-after gatherings
- Marquee and garden weddings
- Food after the first dance
Wedding fish and chip van in Chatham
Wedding fish and chip van for your wedding in Chatham
The van parks near the marquee, barn or venue, and guests wander out to the hatch. It turns evening food into part of the celebration. On the menu are curry sauce, sausage and chips and haddock and chips, and typical bookings are for weddings in a marquee or garden and anniversary celebrations.
Around Chatham, couples choose venues, gardens and marquees. We’ll agree where the van parks with your venue. Tell us about dietary needs and allergies when you enquire, and we will tell you honestly what we can offer.
Organising for someone else?
Many venues set rules for catering vans: parking spots, arrival times and documents. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work through them with you.
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on parking and timings.
How it works
The first sign we’ve arrived is generally the smell, about the time the first guests wander across. After that, it’s a steady flow to the hatch. Winter weddings in Chatham are dark by about 3:50pm, so the route from the reception to the van needs lighting, while a June wedding has light until about 9:20pm.
- Start with three things: the date, the place and a rough headcount.
- Show us where the van would go, and we will confirm it works.
- A week or so before, we confirm timings and numbers.
- We park, open the hatch and start frying for your guests.
- Once the last portion is out, we pack up and go.
Preparing for the day
- Leave room in front of the hatch for a queue
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Ensure the van can get in
Get a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your wedding, and we’ll check the date and send a price.
Related guides
A chip van compared with other options
A second sit-down meal in the evening is expensive and formal. A van keeps it relaxed. Compared with a sit-down meal, a fish and chip van is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and no crockery hire. We’ll send you a quote.
Why us?
- Nothing for you to cook or clear
- Cod, haddock, sausages and pies
- Rain does not stop the fryers
- Mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy on the side
Read how we price and our guide to van hire costs.
Planning for dietary needs
Most events have a few guests with dietary needs. To look after them:
- Include the band, photographer and venue staff
- Collect allergies with your RSVPs
- Flag coeliac guests early
- Cater for most, not all, of the evening guest list
Evening food typically goes out between about 8pm and 9:30pm, once the first dance is done.
Napkins or wet wipes by the van are a kindness to anyone in their wedding best.
Why choose wedding fish and chip van in Chatham?
Rain doesn’t stop the fryers, which is reassuring for an outdoor wedding.
Here are some of the occasions we serve around Chatham:
- Barn weddings
- Evening wedding food
- Engagement celebrations
- Relaxed, informal receptions
Couples marrying at local churches such as Christ the King often hold the reception nearby, with the van parked by the marquee or hall.
Questions to ask before booking
- A clear list of what’s included
- VAT, if it applies
- Allergen information for each item
- Payment terms and deposit
Chatham weddings: local tips
Chatham is about 29 miles east of London, in Medway. Across the ME5 area, we can bring the van to you. Chatham is one of 68 places in Medway we cover. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 24 miles away.
Darland Banks can make a pretty photo stop, but check its rules for wedding groups first. Wedding photographers in the area often head for Blue Bell Hill, and the countryside around Chatham suits an outdoor reception. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Chatham, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access with the venue.
This part of Medway takes in ME5, ME4, ME7 and ME1. Your wedding could be at a house on Luton High Street, Market Place and High Street, wherever the van can park. Chatham is on the A2 and A229, so it’s easy for us to reach with the van. For weddings just outside Chatham, we cover Luton (1 mile north), Hale (1 mile north-east), Darland (1 mile east), Capstone (1 mile east) and Walderslade (1 mile south). We also serve nearby towns such as Rochester (3 miles north-west), Rainham (3 miles east), Strood (3 miles north-west), Park Wood (3 miles east), Twydall (3 miles north-east) and Hoo St Werburgh (5 miles north). Chatham is one of the larger places we cover in Medway, with lots of choice for weddings.
A little further out are Medway Maritime Hospital (1.7 miles north) and Six Poor Travellers House (2.5 miles north-west). Open spaces near Chatham include Blue Bell Hill and Burham Down.
- Local schools include Walderslade Girls' School (under half a mile south-west) and Walderslade Girls' School (less than half a mile south-west)
- Local pubs include The Huntsman pub (0.9 miles north-west)
- Parks and local facilities nearby include Chatham Free Library (1.6 miles north) and City of Rochester-upon-Medway (2.9 miles north-west)
Chatham: your questions answered
Can you serve after a service at Christ the King?
Yes, at a home, hall or venue nearby where the van can park. Churches rarely have space for a catering van, so the food is typically elsewhere. Send us the address.
Do you come to venues in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles and ground, so check with yours. We will work to whatever the site needs.
What do you bring?
We bring the van and everything we need to cook. You just need a suitable spot and permission.
Do you take everything away?
The pitch is left as we found it. It helps to have bins near the hatch.
How long does set-up take?
That depends on your numbers and timings. We agree arrival, serving and finishing times with you before the day.
Is there a non-fish option?
Sausage and chips and pie and chips are on the menu. Tell us about other diets and we’ll tell you what we can offer.
Where do you take the van?
We take the van across London and the South East, Medway included. See all areas.
Will the van be in our photos?
Frequently, yes, and it makes a fun photo. Add bunting or lights for the photos.
About the food
Curry sauce
Curry sauce divides opinion, so we bring it along.
Pie and chips
For a heartier option, there is pie and chips, perfect with gravy.
Cannot we just order from the chip shop?
A DIY buffet works for small groups. For bigger numbers, a van makes life easier, and nobody has to miss the wedding.
Ordering in from a local chip shop is an option. Large orders are slow, and the food cools in the bags. A van cooks in front of your guests instead.
More for events in Chatham
What affects the price in Chatham
These are the factors that matter most:
- Access and parking
- Your choice of menu
- Numbers
- Distance and any road charges
Dates make a difference: summer Saturdays and December Fridays are the busiest days of the year. Ask about your date early.
What to tell us
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but these help:
- Where the event is
- A picture of where the van would go
- Where the van would park
- Anything awkward about the way in
Every booking is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually need. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
- 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