OCC returns to Stranraer for oyster festival that has ‘come of age’

For a fourth year, OCC returned to the banks of Loch Ryan on the Southwest coast of Scotland, to help stage the Stranraer Oyster Festival – now firmly established as one of the UK’s most successful celebrations of local food culture. Over the weekend of 11th to 13th September, over 37,000 visitors gathered in the Galloway town for a festival which has now “come of age”. 

Organisers – Stranraer Development Trust – say ticketed events across the programme sold at record levels, with many of the chef demonstrations, community events and marine science sessions selling out months before the festival. Full attendance and economic impact figures will follow after an evaluation later in the year.

 

OCC’s role is twofold:  curating a programme of celebrity chef sessions for the kitchen marquee and promoting the regenerative impact of the festival on Stranraer and the surrounding area. OCC’s line-up of chefs for 2026 comprised Matt Tebbutt, presenter of the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen Live; Rosemary Shrager, known to UK audiences for over 40 years of TV broadcasting; Tony Singh, one of Scotland’s most popular celebrity chefs, and Julie Lin, Glasgow-based restaurateur and television personality. The chefs were also joined on stage by OCC Scholarship winner Noby Leong, whose podcast Satay Okay uses food to explore Malaysia’s rich history and culture.

 

Romano Petrucci, Chair of Stranraer Development Trust, said: “Last year was fantastically successful, but we knew we could do better, so we listened to what people told us they wanted. Keeping the festival looking out onto the loch was really important to us, because that view, looking out towards the oyster bed, is its heart.

“I don’t think anyone can put their finger on exactly why this year felt so magical, but it did. There is something about this place and everyone in the community who works so hard to put on this celebration. When we started this festival, it was about reconnecting the town with its loch, and you can see now that Stranraer has fallen back in love with the sea. The festival has truly come of age.”

 

Matt Tebbutt said: “This is such a joyous, soulful festival. It’s not like a traditional UK food festival where it’s all spread out and commercial, this is all here in one place, it feels very European, and I think that’s what makes it so special – you’ve got families here, there’s kids out playing at night. And it’s not about the chefs, a lot of food festivals is all about big name chefs, but it’s not about that here, it’s about the local people and about how wonderful the oysters are. I think it’s brilliant.”

 

Rosemary Shrager commented: “It is one of the warmest, one of the most wonderfully fun festivals you could ever go to. It has every bit of hospitality you can imagine, it’s informal, you’ve got so much produce here, you’ve got the best people, and you’ve got oysters galore. I seriously can’t say one thing that’s wrong with it, it’s up there as the best. I love Stranraer Oyster Festival, I absolutely adore it, it’s been the best weekend I’ve had in such a long time.”

 

Chef and TV presenter Julie Lin, added: “This is my fourth year taking part, and it’s only grown in community spirit, and it’s so nice to see all these gorgeous new faces, as well as seeing regular faces every year. Stranraer Oyster Festival has got this magical joy about it. It’s one of the best festivals in the UK and I can’t wait to see how it develops.”

 

First time festival performer Noby Leong commented: “I have felt so welcomed by everyone in Stranraer. Everybody that I’ve spoken to around the festival has been so friendly and I’ve really felt like part of the community as well, so I want to thank everyone in Stranraer, I’ve had such a wonderful time, and I can’t wait to come back.”

 

Beyond the kitchen stages, the festival’s community and marine science programme drew some of the weekend’s strongest demand, with local history talks, marine science experiences and wellbeing activities proving especially popular.

Stranraer Oyster Festival was founded by Stranraer Development Trust in 2017 as a community response to the loss of the town’s ferry port to Cairnryan in 2011. Independent economic analysis shows the festival has generated more than £12 million for the local economy, and it is delivered on a not-for-profit basis with the majority of its budget spent with local suppliers. Around 150 community volunteers supported the delivery of the festival this year.