Reading · England
Corporate Hog Roast for Play Hatch
Give your staff a proper hog roast at your staff event in Play Hatch. The roast cooks for hours on site, then our chef carves it hot for everyone.
- Team treats
- Away days
- Launch days
A hog roast near Play Hatch
About our corporate hog roast in Play Hatch
From a small team to a whole site, the roast is sized to fit. Tell us the numbers and the serving window for a quote. We are often asked to cater retirement do’s and staff thank-you lunches, serving rotisserie chicken, halloumi skewers and crackling.
Rural businesses around Play Hatch can be a long way from anywhere to buy lunch, which makes a hog roast a real treat. The hog is roasted on site at your staff event, slowly, over several hours.
Step by step
When we arrive, we set up the roaster on the agreed spot, put the cover up and start the roast. It then roasts slowly for several hours, timed so it’s ready when you want to eat. After-work summer events in Play Hatch have light until about 9:25pm at midsummer and 8:55pm in late May, so an after-work hog roast works well in summer. By late September, sunset is around 7:05pm.
- Tell us where, when, how many and when you eat.
- We confirm the site details and send a price.
- The roast starts early on site.
- Our chef carves and our staff serve on time.
- We tidy up and leave.
Before we arrive
- Plan somewhere sheltered for people to eat if it rains
- Give us a contact number for the day
- Keep the spot clear of buildings, marquee walls and overhanging branches
Getting a price
Busy weekends book up early, so ask early for summer Saturdays and December. Tell us your date and we will check it: use our quote form.
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Play Hatch questions
Is Play Hatch too small for a hog roast?
No, we come to small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and the ground.
Could you cook in Ali's Pond Local Nature Reserve?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Ask them first.
How much room do you need?
A flat, open spot outside, and a way to wheel everything in. A photo helps.
Do you serve the food?
We carve and serve for you, and we clear up when service is finished.
Can you work around our timings?
Because the roast takes hours, we plan from your serving time, and a cooked roast can be held for a while if things run late.
What happens after service?
We clear the serving area and pack away, leaving the spot as we found it.
When do you start roasting?
A whole hog roasts for several hours, which is why we arrive hours ahead. We work back from your serving time.
Do you do DIY hog roast hire?
Yes, for confident cooks. We’ll explain the details with your quote.
Where the roaster can go in Play Hatch
It’s worth planning the cooking area in advance. We look for:
- Somewhere for staff to eat if it rains
- Your site’s agreement to a gas-fired roaster
- A safe distance from walls and vehicles
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and the way in, and we will say what we think.
From the roaster
- Salads
- Coleslaw
- Halloumi skewers (V)
- Spit-roast lamb
- Hog roast rolls
- Crackling
- Rotisserie chicken
- Stuffing and apple sauce
- Vegan option (Ve)
The menu, dish by dish
Rolls and gluten-free rolls
Rolls or plates? Rolls are quicker; plates suit a sit-down meal, and gluten-free rolls are available on request.
Roast pork
We carve as we serve, which keeps it hot and moist right to the last roll.
Why choose a hog roast in Play Hatch?
Next to sandwich platters, hot carved pork feels much more special. When comparing prices, compare the same things: menu, sides, serving time, staff, plates and travel. A cheaper headline price can leave things out.
Why book our hog roast in Play Hatch
- Lamb, chicken and vegetarian options alongside
- Fresh carving at the serving station
- Self-contained: roaster, cover and serving kit
- The classics: stuffing, apple sauce and crackling
See our pricing and the cost guide.
Planning for dietary needs
We give full allergen information for every dish. To make the most of it:
- Ask for gluten-free rolls if needed
- Ask staff about dietary needs in advance
- Find out how many don’t eat pork, for the alternatives
- Halal is not offered, so arrange it separately if needed
We clear the serving area and pack away, and leave the site clean.
A second meat gives the team a choice.
Should I cook it myself?
A barbecue is the other obvious choice, but someone has to stand at the grill all day. With a hog roast, one roast feeds everyone at once.
Catered or DIY? With catering, our chef roasts, carves and serves, and our staff clear up. With DIY hire, you do the work and save on staffing.
Prices and what affects them
Every booking is priced individually, based on a few main things:
- Crockery choices
- Season and day of the week
- Which meats and sides you choose
- Travel to Play Hatch
A hog roast is often good value for a crowd, because one whole roast feeds plenty of people. The menu, extras such as china and the serving time all affect the final price.
Getting an accurate quote
When you enquire, please mention:
- Where the roaster could go, ideally with a photo
- Allergies we should know about
- An estimate of numbers
- The address or postcode
The quickest way to get a price is to send us your date, venue and numbers. A picture of where the roaster could go helps us check the space. Send us your details through our quote form.
Business events near Play Hatch
Play Hatch is about 1 mile east of Caversham, in Reading. From village halls to gardens and fields, staff events around Play Hatch suit a hog roast. Play Hatch is one of 34 places in Reading where we cater.
Among the historic houses close to Play Hatch are Mapledurham House (4.4 miles west) and Greys Court (4.6 miles north). For a client event at a historic house, ask early about rules for outside caterers. Play Hatch is about 36 miles from central London, well within our area.
For staff events in RG4, we just need to know where the roaster can cook and a serving time. Your staff event could be at a house on Dene Close, Henley Road and Foxhill Lane or the roads around them, as long as there’s somewhere outside to cook. We also bring hog roasts to staff events in Dunsden Green (1 mile north), Caversham Park Village (1 mile west), Littlestead Green (1 mile north-west), Emmer Green (1 mile west) and Sonning (1 mile south-east). Further out, we also cater in Norcot (4 miles west), West Reading (3 miles south-west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles west), Shinfield (5 miles south), Arborfield Garrison (7 miles south) and Horncastle (5 miles south-west).
Well-known places in the area include The Oracle (2.4 miles south-west) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.3 miles south-west). Open spaces near Play Hatch include Alder Moors and South Lake.
- Local schools include Reading Blue Coat School (1 mile south-east) and Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre (1.8 miles west)
- Local pubs include The Shoulder of Mutton pub (under half a mile south-west)
Organising for someone else?
For events on land you don’t own, such as a park or field, you’ll need the landowner’s permission for cooking and vehicles. Get that agreed before booking.
Many venues set rules for outside caterers, from approved lists to where a gas roaster can go. Ask early, and pass on anything they need from us.
Nearby places to Play Hatch
Other occasions in Play Hatch
- Slow-roasted on site for hours, outdoors at your event
- Our chef carves the pork, with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling on the side
- Options beyond pork, including lamb, chicken and vegetarian dishes
- Served when you’re ready, and we tidy the serving area afterwards