Medway · England
Wedding Fish and Chip Van for Hempstead events
From the smell of the fryers to the last chip in the paper, a fish and chip van for your wedding makes the food a highlight of your wedding in Hempstead.
- Relaxed, informal receptions
- Day-after gatherings
- Food after the first dance
Wedding fish and chip van in Hempstead
Wedding fish and chip van in Hempstead, cooked to order
The smell of fish and chips drifting across the reception does the inviting. People chat in the queue and come back with full hands. Popular choices include curry sauce, mushy peas and haddock and chips, and typical bookings are for weddings in a marquee or garden and wedding after-parties.
For a smaller place like Hempstead, a garden or farm wedding is often the dream. We need a firm spot and access. Let us know about allergies and dietary needs in advance, and we will tell you honestly what we can offer.
Organising for someone else?
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you’re a planner, a facilities manager or an organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Hempstead? Fish and chips is a reliable crowd-pleaser. Give us the details and we will suggest how it could work.
Other occasions in Hempstead
Perfect for your wedding in Hempstead
Almost every guest enjoys fish and chips, from flower girls to grandparents.
These are some of the bookings we take:
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
- Evening wedding food
- Second-day and after-party food
- Relaxed, informal receptions
If you’re hoping for photos in South Wood, check whether the park needs permission for photography or gatherings.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether travel is included
- What happens if plans change
- How long service runs, and what happens if you overrun
- How much space the van takes up
Diets, allergies and planning
With a little notice, diets are easier to plan for. Our advice:
- Have a back-up for guests with special diets
- Not every evening guest eats: ask us how many to plan for
- Ask your venue about catering vans first
- Count suppliers working late
If speeches or dances run over, we simply start a little later, so the food is still fresh.
Think about cover by the hatch for wet evenings.
What comes out of the fryer
Haddock and chips
Haddock has a slightly sweeter flavour and a firmer flake. In the north and in Scotland, haddock is the classic.
Gravy
A pot of gravy turns chips into comfort food.
Where the van can park in Hempstead
The right spot keeps everyone safe and the service smooth. We look for:
- Space for people to queue at the hatch
- A level, firm spot the van can drive onto
- The site’s agreement to a catering van
Not sure about the spot? Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly before you book.
What we serve
- Haddock and chips
- Evening fish and chips
- Cod and chips
- Mushy peas
- Sausage and chips
- Curry sauce
A chip van compared with other options
Late-night snacks from the venue can be small. Fish and chips fills people up. Compared with a sit-down meal, a fish and chip van is frequently good value, because it needs no kitchen and no crockery hire. Ask us for a quote.
Why Hempstead hosts choose us
- Mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy on the side
- Cod, haddock, sausages and pies
- No kitchen needed
- Fried fresh, not kept warm
Take a look at our prices page and our guide to van hire costs.
Common questions in Hempstead
We are gathering after a service at All Saints Church: 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 usually elsewhere. Send us the address.
Can the van go to venues in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules for vehicles; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Where will the van go at our venue?
That is up to your venue, but close to the party is best. A picture of the area helps.
When should evening food go out?
At the time you choose. Most couples go for just after the first dance.
What happens if it rains?
Rain does not stop the fryers: the cooking is inside the van. Guests will appreciate cover near the hatch.
Can you do our evening wedding food?
Yes. It’s our most popular wedding booking. Send us your date and venue.
How many evening guests should we cater for?
Not every guest eats in the evening. Tell us your numbers and timings, and we will advise.
Is everything cooked fresh?
Yes. Everything is fried fresh in the van, then handed over hot from the hatch.
The process
We get there well before service, park the van and get the fryers going. Guests usually gather round the hatch once service starts. Evening food at a Hempstead wedding frequently goes out just as the light fades: about 9:15pm at midsummer, 8:50pm in late May and 7:00pm in late September. Festoon lights by the van look lovely in the photos.
- You tell us your date, venue, rough numbers and when you’d like the food.
- We check access at the venue and send a price.
- Timings are agreed with you and the venue coordinator.
- On the day we set up in good time and fry fresh at the agreed time.
- We pack up quietly once everyone has eaten.
How to prepare
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Check the venue or landowner is happy for the van to park
- Think about a gazebo by the van in case of rain
How to get a price
Still finalising the details? That is fine: give us a rough idea and the date, and we’ll quote on that. Start when you are ready: use our quote form.
Planning help
Should I sort the food myself?
Collecting fish and chips for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s hard work. By the time you’ve queued, paid and driven back, the batter has gone soft. A van fries it right there, so it’s crisp.
Deep-frying for lots of people at home is risky: hot oil and a busy party are a bad combination. A van is designed for exactly this.
Weddings in Hempstead: venues, ceremonies and travel
Hempstead is about 2 miles south of Gillingham, in Medway. Weddings in Hempstead are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a parking spot and fresh frying on the day. Hempstead is one of 68 places in Medway we cover. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 23 miles away.
Put the station on your invitation: Rainham (Kent) station is about 2.1 miles away. Couples marrying at local churches such as All Saints Church frequently hold the reception nearby, with the van parked by the marquee or hall. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 7 miles of Hempstead, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access with the venue.
This part of Medway takes in ME7 and ME8, and we can serve your wedding anywhere in it. Whether your wedding is on Harrow Road, Spekes Road and Capstone Road or anywhere nearby, we can park up and fry there. With the A278 close by, Hempstead is easy for us to reach with the van. We also bring the van to weddings in Capstone (1 mile north-west), Darland (1 mile north-west), Wigmore (1 mile east), Hale (1 mile north-west) and Park Wood (1 mile east). We also serve nearby towns such as Rochester (4 miles north-west), Strood (5 miles north-west), Hoo St Werburgh (5 miles north), Chatham Waterfront (3 miles north-west), Rochester Riverside (4 miles north-west) and Peters Village (5 miles west).
Other landmarks nearby include Pentagon Shopping Centre (3 miles north-west) and Medway megaliths (3.8 miles south-west). Open spaces near Hempstead include Burham Down and Boxley Hills.
- Schools near Hempstead include Rainham School for Girls (1.3 miles north-east) and Howard School (1.3 miles north-east)
- 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