Surrey · England
Wedding fish and chip van in Parkgate, Surrey
Wedding fish and chip van in Parkgate: fish and chips cooked fresh in the van, then handed over hot from the hatch.
- Food after the first dance
- Engagement celebrations
- Rustic farm weddings
Fresh fish and chips in Parkgate
Common questions in Parkgate
Can the van park in Newdigate Brickworks?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Check with them first.
How far is Parkgate from London?
About 23 miles from central London, and well within our area.
When should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so contact us early.
How much is fish and chip van hire?
It depends on numbers, the menu, how long we serve and travel. Send us the details for a quote.
How long will the queue be?
A short menu and staggered groups keep things moving. Tell us your timings and we’ll advise.
Can the van come to Parkgate?
We do. We serve events in Parkgate and across Surrey. Send us your date to check availability.
How many evening guests should we cater for?
That depends on your day. Most couples plan for most of their evening guests.
Will guests take photos at the van?
Often, yes, and it makes a fun photo. Bunting or lights make it even better.
Wedding fish and chip van in Parkgate, fried fresh
Once the fryers are on, guests find the van on their own. People chat in the queue and come back with full hands. On the menu are cod and chips, haddock and chips and mushy peas, and we’re often booked for laid-back receptions and food after the first dance.
Rural weddings around Parkgate have a magic of their own, and evening fish and chips adds to it. Plan a firm back-up spot if the field is wet. Let us know about allergies and dietary needs in advance, and we will be straight with you about what we can do.
Places near Parkgate
What else we do in Parkgate
How the day works
Here’s how the day normally runs: we arrive, park up and set up, the fryers heat up, and we serve hot from the hatch at the agreed time. For a summer wedding in Parkgate, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, which means evening fish and chips is frequently served in daylight in June and July. For autumn and winter weddings, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm in December, plan lighting by the van.
- First, the plan: what, where and what time.
- You hear back on the date and the price.
- The van’s spot is fixed in advance.
- Batter, fish and chips all go into the fryer as people come up.
- We leave the spot as we found it.
Getting ready for the day
- Confirm the van is allowed on site
- Make sure the van can get in
- Name one person we can call on the day
How to get a price
Each quote is put together for your wedding. Give us your date first, and we will check availability straight away.
Related guides
Prices and what affects them
Fish and chip van pricing is simple once we know the basics:
- Cod, haddock or both
- The minimum booking
- Parking and the way in
- Distance and any road charges
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
Here’s what makes a quick, accurate quote possible:
- How to get in: gates, lanes and ground
- A picture of the parking spot
- Rough numbers for adults and children
- Dietary needs, with numbers
It’s easy to get a price: share your date, address, rough numbers and when you’d like to eat. We will send a clear quote that says what’s included.
Is a fish and chip van right for your wedding?
Next to a cold buffet, a chip van serves hot food fresh from the fryer, and nothing has been out for hours. A chip van often compares well with a plated meal, as there is no kitchen to hire and nothing to wash up. We’ll send you a quote.
Why book our van in Parkgate
- Works on wet days as well as sunny ones
- Fried fresh, not kept warm
- Mushy peas, curry sauce and gravy on the side
- A clear quote before booking
Food your guests will love
Sausage and chips
For anyone who doesn’t fancy fish, there is sausage and chips, and children love it.
Curry sauce
Some people won’t eat chips without curry sauce and it’s on the menu.
Diets, allergies and planning
With a little notice, diets are easier to plan for. We suggest:
- Talk to us about evening numbers
- Flag coeliac guests early
- Collect allergies with your RSVPs
- Put bins near the van
Ushers or bridesmaids can send tables up in turn.
Have napkins handy: fish and chips is finger food after dark.
Weddings in Parkgate: venues, ceremonies and travel
Parkgate is about 4 miles south-east of Dorking, in Surrey. For a wedding in Parkgate, the van can park on drives, in car parks and yards, and on firm lawns and fields. We serve all 395 towns and villages in Surrey. Our nearest city page is Guildford, about 14 miles away.
For outdoor photos, Reigate Heath is close by, and the countryside around Parkgate suits an outdoor reception. Planning photos in Newdigate Brickworks? It’s worth checking the park’s rules first. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Parkgate, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access with the venue.
Weddings anywhere in RH5 start with a parking spot for the van and roughly how many guests. From Broad Lane, Mill Lane and Becket Wood or anywhere nearby, we can park up and fry there. If your venue is just outside Parkgate, we also cover Shellwood Cross (1 mile north), Newdigate (1 mile south-west), Cudworth (2 miles south), Nalderswood (2 miles north-east) and Norwood Hill (2 miles east). Further out, we also take the van to Guildford (14 miles west), Epsom (11 miles north), Horley (5 miles east), Redhill (6 miles north-east), Ewell (12 miles north) and Reigate (5 miles north-east).
Nearby you’ll also find Langley Green Hospital (5.1 miles south-east) and Betchworth Castle (3.8 miles north). Open spaces near Parkgate include Reigate Heath and Leith Hill.
Where the van can park in Parkgate
A fish and chip van is a vehicle, so the spot matters, so a few things need checking. These are the things we check:
- A short walk from the party
- Lighting nearby for evening events
- Space for people to queue at the hatch
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and the way in, and we’ll say what we think.
What we serve
- Haddock and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Mushy peas
- Cod and chips
- Curry sauce
- Evening fish and chips
Should I sort the food myself?
Ordering in from a local chip shop is an option. The problem is timing: big orders take a long time, and the food is cooling while it travels. A van cooks in front of your guests instead.
Ordering from a local shop? Call ahead and collect at the last minute. For anything more than a handful of people, a van is usually the easier option.
Organising for someone else?
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Parkgate? Fish and chips is a reliable crowd-pleaser. Give us the details and we’ll suggest how it could work.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers and vehicles: where a van can park, access times and the paperwork they want. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work through them with you.
- 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