Hampshire · England
Hog Roast for a Wake in Bidden, Hampshire
Looking for a hog roast for the wake in Bidden? We bring the roaster to you, cook outdoors under cover and carve when you’re ready to eat.
- Memorial events
- One-year memorials
- Home wakes
A hog roast near Bidden
Bidden: your questions answered
We are gathering after a service at Church of St Mary: can you cater?
Yes, at a nearby hall, home or venue with room to cook outside. Churches rarely have space for a hog roast, so the food is usually elsewhere. Send us the address.
Do you come out to small places like Bidden?
No, we come to small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and the ground.
Do you cater in village halls?
Most places, with an outdoor spot for cooking.
Can you cater for vegetarians?
We can add lamb or chicken, plus halloumi skewers for vegetarians and a vegan burger or sausage. We don’t provide halal meat.
Can you cater a wake at short notice?
Often, yes. Contact us as soon as you have a date and we’ll tell you quickly.
Do you need power or water?
The roaster runs on gas, so we don’t need mains power to cook. A socket nearby is useful for lighting.
How much room do you need?
Enough level ground outdoors for the roaster and a serving table under cover, and a way to wheel everything in. A photo helps.
What about coeliacs?
We can provide gluten-free rolls if you ask. Ask for the allergen list, as stuffing normally contains gluten.
Funeral wake catering in Bidden, carved to order
A wake might be at home, a village or church hall, a club or a pub. Wherever it is, the roaster cooks outdoors under cover, and the food can be served inside. Popular choices include apple sauce, rotisserie chicken and new potatoes, and we are often booked for remembrance days and memorial gatherings.
For a wake near Bidden, a farmhouse or village hall often works well. We plan the timings around your day, working back from when you want to eat.
About the food
Stuffing and apple sauce
Sage and onion stuffing and apple sauce are the classic partners, balancing the rich, salty pork.
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.
Bidden: halls, homes and travel
Bidden is about 4 miles south of Hook, in Hampshire. We cater wakes at gardens, car parks, yards and venues around Bidden. Bidden is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we cater. Our bookings stretch from Bidden to Reading (15 miles away).
If the funeral is at a church such as Church of St Mary, a hall or home nearby keeps the journey to the wake short.
Wakes anywhere in RG25 start with an outdoor spot for the roaster. Local streets include Bidden Road, Elder Dell and Meadowside; a wake on any of them works well with outdoor space and a way in. Close by, we cover wakes in Little Hoddington (1 mile west), South Warnborough (1 mile south-east), Long Sutton (2 miles east), Greywell (2 miles north-east) and Up Nately (2 miles north). Within a short drive, we also cover Basingstoke (5 miles north-west), Farnborough (11 miles north-east), Fleet (7 miles north-east), Aldershot (10 miles east), Alton (6 miles south) and Yateley (10 miles north-east).
A little further out are Gliding Heritage Centre (3.4 miles south-west) and Odiham Castle (2.5 miles north-east). Open spaces near Bidden include The Mill Field and Holybourne Hill.
- Pubs nearby include Hoddington Arms Public House (less than half a mile west)
Looking after everyone
With a bit of planning, dietary needs are easier to handle. A few tips:
- Ask us to label the vegetarian food
- Halal is not offered, so arrange it separately
- Find out who would prefer chicken or a vegetarian option
- Plates are easier for older guests than rolls
Our staff are discreet and respectful.
Add chicken as an alternative.
For planners, venues and organisers
If the event is on someone else’s land, the landowner needs to agree to cooking and vehicles. Get that agreed before booking.
Event organisers frequently ask caterers for paperwork such as a risk assessment. Let us know what your event requires and we will tell you what we can send.
Also in Bidden
Planning the wake in Bidden
It copes with timings that shift.
In Bidden and nearby, we cater for all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- One-year memorials
- Scattering-of-ashes gatherings
- Wakes at home
- Memorial events
If relatives are coming by rail, Hook station, about 3.6 miles north, is the nearest station.
What your quote should include
- Arrival time and how long the roast needs
- What the price includes, item by item
- How many staff will carve and serve
- Payment terms and cancellation policy
How it works
Your timings come first. If things run late, we can hold the cooked roast for a while before carving, so keep us posted on the day. For a summer wake in Bidden, there’s light until about 9:25pm, so a garden gathering works well.
- Get in touch when the date is set.
- We check the cooking spot with the venue.
- We cook on site.
- Our staff serve without fuss.
- We tidy up and go.
Getting ready for the day
- Send final numbers in good time
- Choose someone to meet us on arrival
- Collect dietary needs and allergies in advance
How to get a price
The quickest way to get a price is to send us your date, venue and numbers. A photo of the cooking area helps. Send us your details through our quote form.
Related guides
What a hog roast costs
The price comes down to:
- Menu choices and extras
- Travel to Bidden
- The number of people
- How easy it is to reach the spot
UK price guides vary widely: roughly £10 a head for a simple roll, rising past £20 with more included. We quote every event individually, with everything listed.
Getting an accurate quote
To check availability and the cooking area, tell us:
- The date and time of the event
- Rules from the venue or landowner
- The venue or postcode
- An estimate of numbers
Numbers not final yet? Give us your best estimate and we’ll quote on that, then confirm closer to the date. Use our quote form.
Before you choose a spot
A good cooking spot makes the day run smoothly. Look for:
- A safe distance from the hall
- Approval from the landlord or committee
- A level spot outdoors for the roaster
Not sure about the cooking spot? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly before booking.
From the roaster
- Salads
- Stuffing and apple sauce
- New potatoes
- Halloumi skewers (V)
- Rotisserie chicken
- Hog roast rolls
- Vegan option (Ve)
- Coleslaw
A hog roast compared with other options
Compared with family members cooking, a catered hog roast lets everyone be together. Extras such as lamb, chicken, more sides or china crockery add to the cost, so each one is itemised. A simple menu keeps the cost down.
Why Bidden hosts choose us
- Slow-roasted at your venue, not reheated
- Planned to your running order
- All the equipment comes with us
- Fresh carving at the serving station
See our prices page and what a hog roast costs.
- Slow-roasted on site for hours, outdoors at your event
- Carved by our chef into rolls with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling
- Options beyond pork, including lamb, chicken and vegetarian dishes
- Served by our staff at the time you choose, then cleared away