Reading · England
Party Hog Roast for Play Hatch
Looking for a hog roast for your party in Play Hatch? The roaster comes to your venue, home or workplace and cooks under cover and carve when you’re ready to eat.
- Big birthday parties
- Retirement parties
- Close and cul-de-sac parties
Party hog roast for Play Hatch
Party hog roast in Play Hatch, carved to order
Hosting a party means juggling everything at once. A hog roast takes the food off your list: we roast, carve, serve and clear. Whether it’s naming ceremonies and garden parties, we will put together a menu of apple sauce, hog roast rolls and coleslaw for your guests.
In a small place like Play Hatch, a party in the garden or a nearby field is frequently the plan. Tell us about lanes and ground, and we’ll plan the route. We bring the roaster, the cover and everything we need to cook and serve, and we pack away and leave the area as we found it.
What we serve, dish by dish
Vegan burger or sausage (Ve)
Vegan guests can have a vegan burger or sausage, so nobody misses out.
Rolls and gluten-free rolls
Rolls make a hog roast easy to eat anywhere. Gluten-free rolls can be provided on request.
Common questions in Play Hatch
We are gathering after a service at St Andrew's Church: can you cater?
Yes, at a home, hall or venue nearby with an outdoor spot for the roaster. Food is generally served at the reception venue rather than the church. Tell us where you will gather.
What’s the nearest station to Play Hatch?
The closest is Reading station, roughly 2.2 miles away.
Can you roast in the rain?
We roast under cover, so the food isn’t affected. Your guests will want somewhere dry to eat.
Do you do DIY hire for parties?
You can hire the machine. We’ll explain what’s supplied and how it works.
Do we need to provide electricity?
Cooking is gas-fired, so no mains power is needed for the roast. A socket nearby is useful for lighting.
What about coeliacs?
Gluten-free rolls are available on request. Stuffing typically contains gluten, so check the allergen information.
Will there be enough to go round?
The roast is chosen to suit how many you’re feeding, so a good estimate matters. The quote sets it out.
What’s the price?
It depends on numbers, the menu and how long we are on site. Send us the details and we will quote.
What the cooking area needs
Before the day, it helps to think about where the roaster will go. We look for:
- A step-free way into the garden
- A gazebo, marquee or room indoors for guests if it rains
- Neighbours warned about the smell
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and the way in, and we will say what we think before booking.
On the menu in Play Hatch
- Jacket potatoes
- Rotisserie chicken
- Crackling
- Coleslaw
- Salads
- Vegan burger or sausage (Ve)
- Hog roast rolls
- Halloumi skewers (V)
- Stuffing and apple sauce
Why choose a hog roast in Play Hatch?
Hire the machine or book catering? DIY hire works for relaxed get-togethers; catering suits bigger or more important parties. Travel matters for the price: travel is included in your quote, with any London charges listed. Tell us the exact address so the quote is accurate.
Why us?
- We bring everything to cook and serve
- Carved by our chef in front of your guests
- Roasted on site, slowly, for hours
- Planned to your running order
Read how we price and what a hog roast costs.
The process
We roast under cover, so a shower will not spoil the food. Your guests will still want somewhere dry to eat, such as a marquee, hall or barn. At midsummer, it’s light in Play Hatch until about 9:25pm, which gives a garden party a long evening. By late September sunset is around 7:05pm, so plan festoon lights for later parties.
- It starts with the date, the address and a rough guest list.
- You get a check on the date and the cooking spot, and a quote.
- On the day we arrive hours ahead and start the roast under cover.
- When it’s time to eat, the chef carves and we serve.
- We pack away and leave the garden tidy.
How to prepare
- Pick a flat, open area outside for cooking
- Check there is nothing overhead or close by that could catch the heat
- Confirm numbers ahead of the day
Getting a price
Every quote lists the menu, the serving time, staff and plates, so it is easy to compare like for like. Use our quote form.
Planning help
Planning for dietary needs
Standard rolls and stuffing contain gluten, so ask for gluten-free rolls if you need them. A few more tips:
- Keep the vegetarian option labelled
- Think about children’s portions
- Remember stuffing normally contains gluten
- Count non-pork eaters so we can bring chicken or a vegetarian option
We set up in the agreed spot, so the party carries on around us.
Ask for gluten-free rolls if needed.
Party venues around Play Hatch
Play Hatch is about 1 mile east of Caversham, in Reading. Wherever your party is in Play Hatch, we can bring the roaster, given a suitable outdoor cooking area. Play Hatch is one of 34 places in Reading we cover.
Among the historic houses close to Play Hatch are Mapledurham House (4.4 miles west) and Greys Court (4.6 miles north). Grand settings like these frequently have strict rules on caterers, so for most parties a garden or hired hall is simpler. A green space like Ali's Pond Local Nature Reserve is tempting, but a gas-fired roaster there needs the landowner’s say-so, normally the council’s.
Parties anywhere in RG4 start with an outdoor spot for the roaster and a serving time. We can cater a party on streets such as Dene Close, Henley Road and Foxhill Lane or the roads around them, wherever there’s an outdoor spot for the roaster. Close by, we cover parties 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). We also serve nearby towns such as 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).
A little further out are The Oracle (2.4 miles south-west) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.3 miles south-west). Green spaces nearby include Alder Moors and South Lake.
- Schools near Play Hatch include Reading Blue Coat School (1 mile south-east) and Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre (1.8 miles west)
- Nearby, you will find The Shoulder of Mutton pub (less than half a mile south-west)
Planners, venues and businesses
Marquee hire companies often have rules about cooking near their tents, so tell them a hog roast is coming. We’ll keep the roaster well clear of the marquee.
For events on land you do not own, such as a park or field, you’ll need the landowner’s permission for cooking and vehicles. Sort that first.
Perfect for your party in Play Hatch
You’re a host, not a cook.
In Play Hatch and nearby, we cater for all sorts of events. Popular bookings include:
- Engagement parties
- Wedding anniversaries
- Leaving and retirement do’s
- Street parties
Christenings and naming days often start at a local church such as St Andrew's Church, with a hog roast at home or in a hall afterwards.
Before booking anyone
- What the price includes, item by item
- Which meats, sides and extras are included
- Whether VAT is included
- When payments are due and what happens if plans change
DIY versus a catered hog roast
Some hosts try a barbecue instead, but someone has to stand at the grill all day. A hog roast cooks in one go and is carved for everyone.
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.
Places near Play Hatch
Other occasions in Play Hatch
- Roasted on site for several hours, outdoors under cover
- Our chef carves the pork, with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling on the side
- Not just pork: spit-roast lamb, chicken and vegetarian choices
- Served by our staff at the time you choose, then cleared away