Reading · England
Fish and chip van hire in Sonning Common, Reading
Bring the chip shop to your event in Sonning Common. The van arrives, the fryers go on and everything is cooked to order, so nothing sits waiting in a tray.
- Christmas parties
- Visits to care homes and day centres
- Birthday celebrations
Planning an event in Sonning Common?
How our fish and chip van hire works in Sonning Common
The queue at the hatch is part of the fun. People chat, the smell drifts across, and the food arrives hot. We are frequently asked to cater garden parties and summer get-togethers and birthday celebrations, with sausage and chips, mushy peas and cod and chips.
There may be a hall or club near Sonning Common if the drive is small; any can work for the van, with the owner’s agreement. We serve from the hatch, so every portion is hot, and the queue keeps moving.
What comes out of the fryer
Pie and chips
For a heartier option, there’s pie and chips, perfect with gravy.
Cod and chips
Cod is the classic: mild, white and flaky, and it is the favourite in much of the south. It’s battered and fried to order, so it is crisp when it reaches you.
Also near Sonning Common
Other occasions in Sonning Common
DIY versus a fish and chip van
For a small group, making your own food can work. For bigger numbers, a van makes life easier, and nobody has to miss the event.
You could do a chip-shop run for everyone yourself, but it rarely works for a crowd. Long waits and a drive home mean food arrives lukewarm and soggy. With a van, it is fried on the spot.
Events we cater in Sonning Common
It is familiar, so nobody has to guess what they’re getting, which takes the worry out of feeding a mixed crowd.
If you’re planning any of these, we can help:
- Festive get-togethers
- Village fêtes and school fairs
- Staff thank-you lunches
- Wakes and celebrations of life
After a service at The Church of Christ the King, the van can be waiting at a nearby hall or house.
What your quote should include
- What the price includes, item by item
- If the price includes VAT
- Whether travel is included
- Whether there’s a minimum
Is a fish and chip van right for your event?
A big takeaway order arrives late and lukewarm. A van fries on the spot, so it is crisp when it’s handed over. 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.
What you get with us
- All the chip-shop extras
- We cook inside the van, whatever the weather
- Cod, haddock, sausages and pies
- Nothing for you to cook or clear
Read our pricing and what a fish and chip van costs.
Bringing the van to Sonning Common
Sonning Common is about 3 miles north of Caversham, in Reading. People in Sonning Common book us for all sorts of reasons, but the plan is always the same: somewhere to park, a time to serve and fresh frying. Sonning Common is one of 34 places in Reading where we bring the van.
Coming by train? Henley-On-Thames station, about 3.7 miles east, is the nearest station. PTAs at schools such as Sonning Common Primary School often look for a hot-food stall for fairs and sports days.
We take the van to events all over the RG4 and RG9 postcode area. From Wood Lane, Green Lane and Woodbury Close or a nearby road, we can park up and fry there. Neighbouring places where we serve events include Peppard Hill (1 mile north-west), Rotherfield Peppard (1 mile north), Kidmore End (1 mile south-west), Kingwood Common (1 mile north-west) and Shepherd's Green (2 miles north). We also serve nearby towns such as Caversham (3 miles south), Norcot (4 miles south-west), West Reading (4 miles south), Tilehurst Within (5 miles south-west), Shinfield (8 miles south) and Arborfield Garrison (10 miles south). Sonning Common is one of the larger places we cover in Reading, with lots of choice for events.
Well-known places in the area include Frazer Nash Archives (3.8 miles east) and Battle Hospital (4.1 miles south). The countryside around Sonning Common includes Sonning Hill and Warburg Nature Reserve.
- Schools near Sonning Common include Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (0.5 miles south-west) and The Warwick School (0.5 miles south-west)
- Nearby, you’ll find Hare & Hounds pub (under half a mile north)
Step by step
We arrive on time, pulls onto the spot you’ve chosen and the hatch goes up. Once the oil is hot, the first portions go out right on schedule. Around midsummer it stays light in Sonning Common until about 9:25pm; by late September sunset is nearer 7:10pm, so summer evening service is normally in daylight. For winter events, when it is dark by about 3:55pm, the van and the queue need lighting.
- Get in touch with the basics: when, where and roughly how many.
- A picture of the parking spot helps us check the van will fit.
- Closer to the day, we confirm the arrival time and serving time.
- We park, open the hatch and start frying for your guests.
- Last portion served, we tidy up and head off.
Before we arrive
- Choose a level, firm spot for the van
- Arrange somewhere dry for the queue
- Clear the route for the van
How to get a price
Not sure of numbers yet? No problem: give us a rough idea and the date, and we’ll quote on that. Start when you’re ready: send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Working with your venue
For big groups, the service window matters, so we can plan how to keep the queue short. Staggering groups helps a lot.
If you’re 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 keeps things simple.
Diets, allergies and planning
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Arrange an alternative for anyone we cannot cater for
- Flag any coeliac guests, not just gluten-free preferences
- Plan bins near the queue
- Let us know numbers for vegetarians and vegans
It helps to have bins and napkins by the van.
A chalkboard by the hatch with the menu keeps the queue moving.
Common questions in Sonning Common
Can you serve after a service at The Church of Christ the King?
Yes, at a nearby hall, home or venue with somewhere for the van. Food is normally served at the reception venue rather than the church. Tell us where you’ll gather.
Which station is closest to Sonning Common?
The closest is Henley-On-Thames station, roughly 3.7 miles away.
What if we only have street parking?
It depends on the road. Off-road parking is generally simpler; if it has to be the street, check with the council.
Do we need to provide equipment?
The van comes fully equipped to cook. You provide a suitable spot and permission to park.
Cod or haddock?
We serve cod and haddock; we’ll agree the choice when we quote.
Does a chip van work for big events?
It can be. Tell us your numbers and how long you have for food, and we will plan it with you.
Is there something for children?
Of course. Children typically love sausage and chips. Include children in your numbers.
What does the van need?
Less than you might think: a hard surface or firm, dry grass, that the van can reach easily. Send us a photo if you are not sure.
What the van needs
Before the day, we will agree where the van parks. It needs to tick a few simple boxes:
- Light near the van and the queue for evening service
- Flat, firm ground for the van
- The site’s agreement to a catering van
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and the way in, and we will say what we think.
Popular choices
- Chips
- Cod and chips
- Pie and chips
- Sausage and chips
- Gravy
- Haddock and chips
- Curry sauce
- Mushy peas
- 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