Southampton · England
Hog Roast for a Wake in Shirley, Southampton
We bring a hog roast for the wake across Shirley and Southampton, cooking slowly at your venue and serving it hot, with our staff looking after the serving.
- Pub and club wakes
- Wakes in village halls
- Remembrance gatherings
Funeral wake catering in Shirley
A hog roast compared with other options
Next to a cold buffet, roast pork on a plate with potatoes is more filling. Published UK guides give a wide range for hog roast catering, from around £10 a head for a basic roll to £20 or more with sides and service. We quote every event individually, with everything listed.
What you get with us
- Lamb, chicken and vegetarian options alongside
- We bring everything to cook and serve
- Our staff serve and clear
- Cooked on the day, low and slow
Read how we price and what a hog roast costs.
How our funeral wake catering works in Shirley
Wake catering across Shirley and Southampton, wherever the family gathers, with the roast cooked on site. We are often asked to cater hall gatherings after a service and remembrance days, serving roast pork in rolls or on plates, apple sauce and new potatoes.
For a wake in a place like Shirley, the village hall is frequently the heart of it, and its grounds suit the roaster. Everything is cooked on the day, at your venue, slowly, over several hours, then carved fresh for your guests.
- Location
- Shirley (SO15, SO16, SO17)
- Area hub
- Southampton
- Menu
- Roast pork rolls with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling
- Also available
- Chicken, lamb, halloumi skewers and a vegan option
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
What we serve, dish by dish
Halloumi and vegetable skewers (V)
Our vegetarian option is halloumi and vegetable skewers: squeaky, salty cheese with colourful veg.
Rolls and gluten-free rolls
Everything goes into a soft roll, perfect for eating on the move. Ask for gluten-free rolls if you need them.
Space, access and the venue
Planning the cooking spot is the key. Check these:
- Flat ground outside the hall or house
- A contact for the day who is not immediate family
- A short route for the equipment
Not sure about the cooking spot? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
Popular choices
- Stuffing and apple sauce
- Coleslaw
- Rotisserie chicken
- Hog roast rolls
- New potatoes
- Salads
- Vegan option (Ve)
- Halloumi skewers (V)
How we price a hog roast for the wake
Each booking is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- Access to the cooking area
- The menu and extras such as lamb or chicken
- Crockery choices
- Travel to Shirley
Compare like for like: the menu, sides, service time, staffing, crockery and travel. The cheapest quote isn’t always the best value.
What we need to know
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what’s useful:
- What the outdoor space is like
- Allergies we should know about
- Your date and serving time
- Where the event is
Every quote lists the menu, the serving time, staff and plates, so it is easy to compare like for like. Use our quote form.
For planners, venues and organisers
For venues and planners, we can fit around your other suppliers.
Marquee hire companies often have rules about cooking near their tents, so let them know about the roaster. We’ll keep the roaster well clear of the marquee.
Wake catering near Shirley
Shirley is about 2 miles west of Southampton, in Southampton. We cover wakes in Shirley, as well as the surrounding area. Shirley is one of 40 places in Southampton we cover.
Relatives arriving by train should know that Millbrook (Hants) station, about 0.7 miles south, is the nearest station. After a service at Shirley Parish Church, a wake at a hall or home close by means less travelling for everyone. The New Forest National Park is within about 8 miles of Shirley, and rural venues there may have narrow lanes, so tell us about access. The coast is within about 3 miles of Shirley, and coastal halls can be breezy, so we choose a sheltered cooking spot.
For wakes in SO15, SO16 and SO17, we just need to know where the roaster can cook and roughly how many guests. Local streets include May Road, Dyer Road and York Road; a wake on any of them works well with outdoor space and a way in. With the A3057 close by, Shirley is simple for us to get to for your wake. We also bring hog roasts to wakes in Regents Park (1 mile west), Freemantle (1 mile south), Millbrook (1 mile south-west), Coxford (1 mile north-west) and Maybush (1 mile north-west). Further out, we also cater in Townhill Park (3 miles east), Midanbury (3 miles east), Thornhill (4 miles east), Chartwell Green (4 miles east), Harefield (4 miles east) and Itchen (3 miles south-east). As one of the bigger places in Southampton, Shirley has plenty of venues, halls and workplaces.
A little further out are Netley Castle (4.4 miles south-east) and Foresters Museum & Archive (1 mile south-east). Open spaces near Shirley include Testwood Lakes.
- Local schools include Regents Park Community College (within half a mile west) and Millbrook Community School (1.3 miles north-west)
- Pubs nearby include The Crown Public House (less than half a mile north-west)
The process
Carving is part of the show: the hog is carved in front of your guests, and the crackling is shared out so everyone gets some. Wakes in Shirley are usually in the afternoon, so light is rarely a problem, though in December it’s dark by about 4:00pm.
- Contact us as soon as you have a date.
- We confirm the space.
- We set up and roast on the day.
- We serve quietly.
- We tidy up and go.
Preparing for the day
- Choose a level, open spot outdoors for the roaster
- Choose someone to meet us on arrival
- Have a covered area for eating in case of rain
Get a quote
Send us the date, the address or SO15 postcode and rough numbers, plus when you’d like to eat. We will check the date and send a quote. Use our quote form.
Read more
FAQs for Shirley
Do you cater at venues in the New Forest National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules for caterers; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Is Shirley close to London?
Roughly 70 miles from the centre of London, and well within our area.
How long does the roast need?
A whole hog roasts for several hours, which is why we arrive hours ahead. We work back from your serving time.
Can we hire the machine and cook it ourselves?
Yes, we hire out the hog roast machine. We’ll confirm what comes with it and how to use it.
What about guests who don’t eat pork?
We can add alternatives for those who need them.
What about coeliacs?
We can provide gluten-free rolls if you ask. Ask for the allergen list, as stuffing normally contains gluten.
What do you need from us on the day?
A clear, level cooking spot, a route to wheel the equipment in and a contact for the day. We bring everything else.
What do people get?
Roast pork carved into soft rolls with sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce and crackling. Extras include lamb, chicken, halloumi skewers, a vegan option, salads and potatoes.
Places near Shirley
Other occasions in Shirley
Planning the wake in Shirley
It feeds everyone at once, so people can sit and talk.
Lots of different events suit a hog roast. Typical bookings include:
- Wakes in village halls
- Celebrations of life
- Pub and club wakes
- Remembrance days
Relatives driving in can use the A3057 to reach Shirley.
What to look for in a quote
- The menu, including sides and any extras
- How many staff will carve and serve
- How long the roast takes and when they’ll arrive
- Travel and any London charges
Diets, allergies and alternatives
Standard rolls and stuffing contain gluten, and gluten-free rolls are available on request. A few more tips:
- Stuffing normally contains gluten, so check the allergen list
- Give us numbers for the alternatives
- Plan separately if anyone needs halal food
- Count anyone who doesn’t eat pork
We dress smartly and keep a low profile.
Plates and sides make it a full meal.
- Roasted on site for several hours, outdoors under cover
- Freshly carved pork with crackling, stuffing and apple sauce
- Not just pork: spit-roast lamb, chicken and vegetarian choices
- Served when you’re ready, and we tidy the serving area afterwards