Reading · England
Hog Roast Hire for Play Hatch
Treat your guests to a proper hog roast at your event in Play Hatch. We roast on site, carve to order and serve it hot.
- Staff days and open days
- Wedding breakfasts and evening food
- Garden parties and barbecues
A hog roast near Play Hatch
Hog roast hire in Play Hatch, carved to order
The format is simple and it works for almost any crowd: roast pork in a soft roll, with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling, plus lamb, chicken, vegetarian and vegan choices if you want them. Typical bookings include weddings, day or evening and staff days and open days, serving crackling, hog roast rolls and rotisserie chicken.
In a hamlet or village like Play Hatch, a farmyard or a neighbour’s field can make a good cooking spot. Mention gates and soft ground when you contact us. Tell us about dietary needs and allergies when you enquire, and we will tell you exactly what’s in each dish.
Play Hatch: your questions answered
Can you cater after a service at St Andrew's Church?
Yes, at a home, hall or venue nearby with an outdoor spot for the roaster. Churches rarely have space for a hog roast, so the food is generally elsewhere. Tell us where you’ll gather.
Is Play Hatch close to London?
Roughly 36 miles from the centre of London.
Can we have lamb or chicken?
Pork is the classic, and you can add spit-roast lamb or rotisserie chicken. There are vegetarian and vegan options as well.
What happens when we hire a hog roast?
You choose the date, the menu and the serving time; we do the rest. Just give us an outdoor spot to cook.
Is mains power needed?
No, the roast is cooked on gas. Tell us what’s available and we will plan around it.
Do you cover Play Hatch?
We do. Send us the address and we’ll confirm availability.
What if things run late?
Within reason, we can. Keep us posted on the day and we’ll fit around changes.
How soon do you get booked up?
As early as you can for summer weekends and December. Quieter dates can often be booked at shorter notice. Send your date and we’ll check.
Full catering or machine hire?
Roasting a whole hog yourself is possible, but it takes hours of attention, from setting up and lighting the roaster to carving. With us catering, you get to be a host, not a cook.
You could go for a cold buffet, but hot, freshly carved roast pork is a different experience.
For planners, venues and organisers
Many venues set rules for outside caterers, including where gas cooking is allowed. Check early, and tell us what they ask for.
If you are booking for a workplace, ask your facilities team about outside caterers and gas cooking. We will fit in with site rules.
Bringing a hog roast to Play Hatch
Play Hatch is about 1 mile east of Caversham, in Reading. We cater events across Play Hatch and nearby, from gardens to fields. We bring hog roasts to all 34 towns and villages in Reading, from the larger towns to small villages.
If you’re organising a summer fair for a school like St Martin's Catholic Primary School, a hog roast is a crowd-pleaser. If guests are travelling by rail, Reading station, about 2.2 miles south-west, is the nearest station.
For events in RG4, we just need to know where the roaster can cook and a serving time. Local streets include Dene Close, Henley Road and Foxhill Lane; an event on any of them works well with outdoor space and a way in. If your venue is just outside Play Hatch, we also cover 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). Within a short drive, we also cover 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). Within reach you will find Alder Moors and South Lake.
- Nearby 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 (less than half a mile south-west)
Planning for dietary needs
Allergies and dietary needs are easy to manage if we know in advance. Some ideas:
- Request gluten-free rolls for coeliac guests
- Give us numbers for vegetarians and vegans so we bring enough halloumi skewers and vegan burgers or sausages
- We don’t offer halal meat, so arrange that separately if it’s needed
- Label the vegetarian and vegan food clearly
You will not need to worry about the food on the day. We get there early, cook, carve and serve, and our staff clear the serving area afterwards.
Sides turn a roll into a proper meal.
Towns and villages near Play Hatch
Other occasions in Play Hatch
A closer look at the menu
Rotisserie chicken
Chicken from the rotisserie gives people a non-pork choice, roasted until golden.
Roast pork
Everything starts with the slow-roasted pork: carved in front of you, a mix of shoulder and leg, and served hot.
A hog roast or other catering?
Full catering or machine hire? Catering means we do everything; DIY hire means you roast and carve yourself. Most hosts choose catering for anything bigger than a family party. Cost depends on numbers, menu choices and service time, plus travel and access. There is no one-size price, so we quote each one individually.
Why Play Hatch hosts choose us
- We bring everything to cook and serve
- Carved to order by a chef
- A choice of salads and potatoes
- Halloumi skewers and a vegan option too
Take a look at our pricing or the cost guide.
What affects the price in Play Hatch
Your quote depends on:
- Crockery choices
- Travel to Play Hatch
- The number of people
- How easy it is to reach the spot
When comparing prices, compare the same things: the menu, sides, service time, staffing, crockery and travel. The cheapest quote isn’t always the best value.
Getting an accurate quote
The more we know, the more accurate the quote. Useful details:
- Rough numbers
- Your date and serving time
- Any extras, such as lamb, chicken or china
- The venue or postcode
Planning ahead? Popular dates fill up early, especially summer Saturdays and December Fridays. Send us your date for a quote: send us your details through our quote form.
Who books hog roast hire in Play Hatch?
Most people love roast pork and crackling, and lamb, chicken and vegetarian options look after the rest.
Whatever the occasion in Play Hatch, a hog roast feeds a crowd well. We are often asked to cater:
- Milestone birthdays
- Clubhouse events
- Staff days and open days
- Christmas parties
Historic houses near Play Hatch include Mapledurham House (4.4 miles west) and Greys Court (4.6 miles north). If your event is at a historic house or estate, check its rules on outside caterers and gas cooking early.
What your quote should include
- VAT, if it applies
- The menu, including sides and any extras
- The deposit, balance and cancellation terms
- How many staff will carve and serve
What happens on the day
Here’s how the day normally runs: the roaster goes up and the hog goes on, the roast cooks gently through the day, and our chef carves it when you’re ready. Evenings in Play Hatch stay light until about 9:25pm in June, but by late September sunset is around 7:05pm; once it is dark, we need light at the carving station.
- It starts with your date, venue, numbers and serving time.
- We check availability and the space for the roaster and send a clear quote.
- On the day, we set up on the agreed spot and start roasting.
- At serving time, the chef carves and the team serves.
- Afterwards we clear up and leave the spot tidy.
Preparing for the day
- Have a level outdoor spot ready
- Ensure the cooking area is away from walls, tents and trees
- Let us know about tight access
How to get a price
Every quote lists the menu, the serving time, staff and plates, so you can compare caterers fairly. Send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
- Roasted slowly at your venue, outdoors and under cover
- Our chef carves the pork, with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling on the side
- Options beyond pork, including lamb, chicken and vegetarian dishes
- Staff to serve at the agreed time, then clear away