Can I Use a Petrol, Diesel or LPG Generator for My Catering Van?

by The Pattie Dude
(Oldham)

A diesel generator on the tarmac next to a small mobile catering van on a private trading pitch.

A diesel generator on the tarmac next to a small mobile catering van on a private trading pitch.

Hi there,

I'm almost ready to start out into the mobile catering world.

Most of my equipment is LPG, however, I do have a few electrical bits of equipment. I'm looking for something around 4000 watts.

I know you're not allowed the use petrol generators at events and town centres, but am I allowed to use one say a plot of land like a carpark (which I already have permission to trade on)???

Been advised to avoid LPG powered ones from an experienced event power supply engineer in a brief chat.

I need to purchase one pretty soon and don't know if I should buy petrol or diesel and where I can use them.

Can anyone help please?

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Apr 20, 2026
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by: MobCater

Hi Pattie Dude,

You're right that petrol is the difficult one, and you're already thinking about it the right way. At events, festivals, town centre pitches and most managed sites, petrol generators are simply banned. The reason is the fire risk near the public and the chance of fuel spillage near hot equipment. Most event organisers will refuse you on the spot if you turn up with a petrol unit, and many will state diesel or LPG only in the booking conditions.

Diesel and LPG are usually accepted at events. Modern inverter diesels are quiet enough for most venues, and LPG generators are clean and acceptable too. On your private carpark you've got more flexibility. With trading permission in place you could in theory run a petrol generator there, because event rules don't apply to private land. The trouble is what happens the moment you want to do a Sunday market, a wedding booking or a small festival. You'd be stuck buying a second generator. Diesel costs you a few hundred more upfront, but it'll travel with your business as it grows.

On the LPG advice you got from that engineer, I'd take it with a pinch of salt. LPG generators are perfectly legitimate and a lot of high-end traders run them, partly because cleaner emissions are easier to defend at events and partly because they're quiet. Some installers steer people away because LPG units are more specialist to service and the upfront cost is higher, but that's about ease for the engineer, not safety for you. If you're already running mostly LPG cooking equipment, sharing your fuel system with the generator is a tidy setup. Calor or Flogas will sort you out on cylinder deliveries.

For your 4000W draw I'd buy a generator rated at around 5kVA so you've got headroom for the spikes when two pieces of equipment kick in at the same time. Position the generator well away from your gas cylinders and any cooking flames, because the exhaust heat and gas storage shouldn't sit anywhere near each other. And whatever you choose, get it serviced once a year by someone who knows the model. They're expensive to replace and a service usually catches problems before they leave you stuck on a busy day.

Best wishes

David

Disclaimer: This is general advice for UK mobile catering. Licensing rules vary between councils and event organisers set their own conditions, so always check with your local authority and the event team before you start trading.

Try the free MobCater App, our startup checklist and guide walks you through every step: https://www.mobcater.co.uk/mobile-catering.html

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