The Happy Plaice is a traditional British fish and chip van which services events in the Berkshire area and beyond. It has been a growing franchise since 2008 and the new, recently renovated state of the art vans can attend any outdoor wedding, party or event.

What do you need to know from an organiser in order to provide a comprehensive quote?

I need to know specifics if I am to provide prospective customers with a meaningful quote. The event date is most important as spaces can fill up quickly.

Estimated number of guests is equally as important because it directly affects the amount of ingredients and food I need to provide.

Information on the venue is very important because, for example, fish and chip vans do not cope well with sharp slopes or gradients, as well as cooking oil being unsafe to handle on an angle for obvious reasons.

What advice would you give to a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

Customers looking to hire a provider should always look at the prospective vendor closely as this will tell you a lot about who you are dealing with. Do they portray themselves in a professional way? Are their quotes set out clearly and simply? Read any reviews? Lastly just because it's the cheapest quote, are you really sure that's the one for you? Often there is a reason they are so cheap.

Please tell us a little bit about how and why you started the business.

I was a financial adviser until the great recession of 2008 and now I run a mobile fish & chip van. Chalk and cheese? Not really - to do well in both of those industries you just have to be a people person and be able to adapt to anything.

Please tell us about a booking you've had through Add to Event, how did it go? Would you recommend us to others?

When I write my fish & chip memoirs I will reveal all of the very interesting bookings I have attended over the years. However, one example that stands out recently is I catered for a party in Winchester and all of the guests were invited to watch the England Rugby team playing the World Cup match on a huge cinema screen erected in the garden of a beautiful secluded house in the countryside. After all of the guests had eaten the food we provided, myself and my helper were allowed to use the swimming pool and then allowed to play snooker in the snooker room. This is the fist time we have been entertained after providing a food service. Add To Event certainly upped the anti on that booking and I recommend them to many of my customers when I cannot personally help their needs.