Countryfile - Stranraer Oyster Festival
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LifestyleTranscript
00:0013 years ago, this coastal town of Stranraer faced economic decline when the last commercial
00:13ferry service to Ireland set sail from its terminal just over there.
00:18But after six years, locals took matters back into their own hands, realising a natural
00:23resource here could put this place back on the map.
00:53Situated on the southwest coast of Scotland, Stranraer is perched on the edge of Loch
01:06Ryan, a sea loch stretching over eight miles and in it, a natural gold mine.
01:15One of the most precious oyster beds in the world, and now once a year the loch and the
01:20town come together to celebrate these little gems in all their glory.
01:25Welcome to Stranraer Oyster Festival.
01:30There's shock-offs.
01:31And they're away.
01:32They're away.
01:33OK, so we're off to quite a fast start here.
01:34Oh, she just found a lot of grit in that one.
01:35The muscle.
01:36Cook-offs.
01:37Oh.
01:38There you go.
01:39That is perfect.
01:40Damn, you've awakened me in some way.
01:41This is amazing.
01:49There's more to this mollusk than meets the eye.
01:52Our whisky is infused with oyster stout.
01:57Cheers.
01:59And over in the Cotswolds, Adam is welcoming some new breeding stock to his farm.
02:04He's looking back at you saying, look, I've done it.
02:08Thanks very much.
02:09I love it here.
02:10The opening of the Stranraer Oyster Festival is marked by the ceremonial landing of the
02:33oysters.
02:38It's a dry night, and the crowds have come out in force to get the party started.
02:46Local fishing boat Vital Spark is carrying a basket of Loch Ryan native oysters from
02:51Scotland's last wild fishery.
02:54She's met by St Iles skiff, coastal rowing boats which are popular with seaside communities
02:59across Scotland.
03:00The symbolic dish of oysters, which will be brought ashore.
03:07The basket of precious oysters is rowed to shore, where it's met by John Ross, the former
03:14president of the National Farmers' Union of Scotland.
03:26Accompanied by the stirring sound of pipes, the oysters are brought to the stage and crowds
03:32gather.
03:34Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the community welcomes you one and all with very
03:40large open arms to our home Stranraer.
03:44This week is testimony to what can be achieved when an entire community works together.
03:51And so we together as one are delighted to announce Stranraer Oyster Festival 2024 is
03:58now officially open.
04:28The morning after the night before.
04:43And tens of thousands of visitors and locals are gearing up for the first day of festivities.
04:52The air is filled with the lively hum of excited visitors, the clinking of oyster shells,
04:58and the occasional opportunistic herring gull.
05:03Walking around this bustling site today, it's actually hard to believe that many people
05:07here in Stranraer had no idea that there were oyster beds just out there on their doorstep.
05:15One person who did, and realised its potential, was local fish and chip shop owner Romano
05:21Petrucci, who are meeting at what was once the location of the town's identity, the waterfront.
05:30That's where the ferries used to depart Stranraer for 40, 50, 60 years to Northern Ireland.
05:36The people came, they joined the boats, they filled the town, the bed and breakfast, the
05:40cafes, and we woke up one morning in 2011 and they were gone.
05:44Just like that?
05:45Just like that, and gone would be 4 million potential customers.
05:48That's them we can see in the distance then, is it?
05:50They've moved just up the lock?
05:51They've moved 6 miles up the coast, they might as well have moved 60 miles.
05:55The ferry terminal was closed as the channel into Stranraer was too shallow for the new
05:59bigger boats that were needed, and the shorter route saved fuel.
06:04What impact did that have on the town?
06:05It was massive.
06:06There just wasn't the amount of people in town anymore, and it was really quite sad
06:10to be honest.
06:11We had an infrastructure, and now a lot of it had no purpose.
06:15We had to stop, reassess, and then the plan was basically to regenerate.
06:20How did you come up with the idea of an oyster festival in particular?
06:23I was frying chips one day, and an elderly lady popped in, gave me a picture of her great-grandfather
06:29who was fishing for the oysters, and I said oysters, and I didn't have a clue.
06:34But to my absolute amazement, not only did we have an oyster bed less than two miles
06:39from where I was standing, but we had the last wild and remaining oyster bed in all
06:43of Scotland.
06:44Now that was an opportunity beyond belief.
06:46Over the course of the next two hours, I asked 50 people, were they aware of the fact that
06:50we had the last wild and remaining?
06:5349 people didn't have a clue, and I was one of them.
06:56Wow.
06:57So actually this is a community that didn't know the sort of rich natural heritage that
07:01was on its doorstep.
07:02The oysters would come in in the morning, and they would go down the road to the south
07:05of England for purification and for sale.
07:08They'd never ever really reached this area.
07:09And it was out of sight, and therefore out of mind, because they weren't being consumed.
07:12They weren't in your fish and chip shop?
07:14They were not.
07:15Gosh.
07:16Went out and spoke to the bed and breakfasts and the chefs and the restaurants, and we
07:19were all overwhelmed with the possibility of creating this oyster festival.
07:23What one was that?
07:24So that was 2016 the idea was born, yeah.
07:27The first festival was 17, 10,000 people turned up.
07:30I remember we had three trestle tables for a bar.
07:33You know, now we're 15 meters long and 10, 12 staff at a time.
07:37It's incredible.
07:38Now when you see this thronging with people, how do you feel?
07:43It's surreal.
07:44It feels surreal because we're going to welcome three times the population of this town over
07:48the next 72 hours.
07:50This here is testimony to a community that cares, that's capable, and that is appreciative
07:57of the tourism.
07:58And it all seems to have come together so well for us.
08:06Since the first festival in 2017, the event has gone from strength to strength.
08:11And last year brought in an estimated £2.3 million to the economy.
08:16It's a feat of organisation led by festival coordinator Alana Hardy.
08:21So this is the fifth year now that I've been working on the festival.
08:25It's definitely a big job.
08:27It's a lot of fun.
08:29I get to meet so many amazing people through my job that all come together over this weekend
08:35to put on such an amazing show.
08:36How's it going?
08:37Really good.
08:38It's good?
08:39Are you selling lots?
08:40Like nearly 80.
08:4180?
08:42That's excellent.
08:43Really good.
08:44The festival for the town has been so amazing.
08:46It's just been a stage for so many local businesses, local musicians, artists, you name it.
08:53We have it happening here in this festival.
08:58This year, it's very busy.
09:00Last year we had about 21,000 people and we're expecting about 25,000 people this year.
09:06There's so much activity, lots of people enjoying it, so it's really great to see that the town's
09:10all coming out to celebrate.
09:21So down the far end we've got our stall marquee.
09:23It's absolutely jammed this year with 100 stalls.
09:26That's local produce and different things?
09:28Yeah.
09:29We have the chef's marquee, the kids' marquee, the event I've taken down there.
09:34And then what's this down the end?
09:35That would be the jewel in the crown.
09:36That's where you and me are going to eat oysters.
09:37I've heard some music, so that's coming from there as well.
09:39We can dance and eat oysters.
09:41Lovely.
09:52This is fantastic.
09:53Look at this.
09:54So, these are the local ones?
09:56Yes.
09:57Excellent.
09:58And how do you take it?
09:59You take it with your Tabasco there?
10:00Well, however you like it, but I like it with either a bit of lemon or a bit of Tabasco.
10:03Amazing.
10:04May we?
10:05By all means, yeah.
10:06Wonderful.
10:07Thank you very much.
10:08So, shallot vinegar.
10:09There we go.
10:10Cheers.
10:11Cheers.
10:12To the festival.
10:13To the festival.
10:14Oh, yeah.
10:15That is good.
10:16That is very good.
10:17Wow.
10:18I think that might be the first of many.
10:19Let's see.
10:38Now, it won't surprise you that lots of oysters are consumed here this weekend.
11:00I'm told 10,000.
11:02So, yesterday morning, I joined the boat that fishes the lock here to find out how they're
11:07managing that delicate balance between oyster harvest and oyster conservation.
11:15Which meant being up at the crack of dawn to join the crew of the trusty VitalSpark.
11:21Skipper John Mills and his son Jordan, plus Loch Ryan Oyster Fishery Director Tristan
11:27Hugh-Jones.
11:30And we couldn't have picked a better day for it.
11:37It's always like this, right?
11:38I think you've got a good day, that's for sure.
11:41What a day for it.
11:42Now, how long have you been involved with oysters on this lock?
11:45We joined Wallace family in about 1996.
11:47So, about 30 years.
11:48Oh, right.
11:49You've settled in then.
11:50Yeah.
11:51We begin to know our way around.
11:53Thanks to a royal charter granted in 1701, the Wallace family are the sole rights holders
12:00to oyster fishing on the vast Loch Ryan.
12:03The unique conditions of which have shaped the oysters' very existence.
12:08The water remains in the lock for about 10 days.
12:12It doesn't wash in and out.
12:13So, when an oyster breeds, each parent oyster releases about a million into the sea.
12:18Oh, wow.
12:19And what happens normally in most other places is they all wash away.
12:23But because of the larvae stays in the lock, that's why the oyster bed is here.
12:28This is the last of anyone in Scotland.
12:31It's really unique, yeah.
12:34Historic overfishing has left the UK's wild native oyster populations in a precarious state.
12:41According to Tristan, when he first arrived in the 1990s to assist the Wallace family
12:46in their restoration efforts, there were an estimated one million oysters in the lock.
12:53If too many oysters are taken, you get below the critical number of parents that you need
12:57to maintain that population.
12:58Right.
12:59Last year, I found about 23 million oysters on the seabed.
13:02So, it's clear there's a lot going into success here, then.
13:04You've got the fact that one family has sort of owned the rights for hundreds of years
13:09and looked after it.
13:10You've got the fact of the unique currents here.
13:13And there's one other thing, I guess, which is, hopefully, is the way that we're fishing.
13:19Unlike an oyster farm, these wild native oysters are grown naturally on the seabed
13:25at around five metres deep.
13:29And, of course, they need to be brought to the surface,
13:31which is where skipper John and son Jordan come in.
13:42So, it's kind of like an envelope, this thing.
13:44It's just got that mouth on the top.
13:47Yeah, that's just a cutting bar.
13:48That bar there goes along the seabed and it just scrapes.
13:52Scrapes the top off and then they go in there.
13:54Into the belly there, into the bag.
13:57Right. So, what am I looking for here, then, John?
14:00You're just really searching through for the good sized ones.
14:05Only around 5% of what is pulled up today will be kept.
14:09The remaining 95% will go back in the sea.
14:14Gosh, there's a lot of them, isn't there?
14:16And how many would you get that are edible and you'd keep on a standard day?
14:21On a standard day, 1,500.
14:241,500 oysters?
14:25Yeah.
14:26Gosh, there's a lot of work, isn't it, to get 1,500 oysters?
14:28Yeah.
14:29So, you can see why they cost a premium sometimes.
14:33Oyster larvae require hard surfaces to attach themselves to
14:36in order to mature and turn into a baby oyster called a spat.
14:41Be that rocks on the seabed or the shells of a neighbour.
14:47That's just one that's attached to the shell there, an oyster, and grew.
14:50Oh, I see. That's a tiny oyster there.
14:52Yeah. And when it gets heavy enough, it'll probably break off
14:55and then it's the same process again.
14:57And that's why they talk about these building reefs,
14:59because that's essentially what they're doing.
15:00They're sticking to each other.
15:01Yeah.
15:08The crew of Vital Spark won't return to this bed for another four to six years
15:13to allow the young oysters to grow undisturbed,
15:16allowing the fishery to simultaneously harvest and restore.
15:21They're all prepped, ready to go.
15:23That's what we like to hear.
15:24So, John, what happens with these now?
15:26This is the other 95% off my table,
15:29and this is getting re-laid into the bed
15:32so these smaller ones here can continue growing.
15:35And you think this is the secret of success here, then?
15:38Oh, definitely.
15:39Definitely.
15:41Back on the seabed, the undersized oysters will continue growing
15:45and provide a potential home for oysters of the future.
15:50There we go. Off they go.
15:52Grow nice and big.
15:54Live another day.
15:55And you'll know exactly where you put that,
15:58so you'll come back here in how long?
16:00Six years.
16:01This is a designated area that we've marked off
16:06to put these so we know where they are.
16:08It's a comp code, isn't it?
16:09I know.
16:10It's not just a case of doing anything anywhere.
16:12It's not just a case of doing anything anywhere.
16:14No.
16:15Don't just put them anywhere.
16:17You're not just fishing for the now,
16:19you're fishing for years to come.
16:22As we return to port,
16:24the dredge is stored on the sorting table at the stern.
16:30While the fishing system the fishery employs
16:33is a sustainable practice,
16:34the method used for gathering is a controversial one elsewhere.
16:39How damaging is a dredge like this
16:41compared to what it does to the seabed?
16:42I think this is a French dredge
16:44and it just skims across the surface
16:46and it's not heavy.
16:47It just literally across the surface
16:49and just lifts off the oysters.
16:50So this isn't the equivalent to ploughing the seabed each time?
16:53No, it isn't.
16:54But what it does do is turn the shell.
16:56A silty shell, if it doesn't get caught,
16:58the dredge will knock the silt off,
17:00leaving a clean surface ready for larvae to settle to.
17:04And that's critical.
17:05Is there another way of collecting these wild oysters
17:10if not dragging this thing across the seabed?
17:12You can dive for them, but it wouldn't be a business.
17:15You couldn't do it.
17:16Tristan and the team are clearly doing their best
17:19to increase and maintain the oyster numbers.
17:22But it doesn't stop dredging
17:24from being a potentially destructive act.
17:26So what impact does it have on the loch's biodiversity in general,
17:30beyond just this one species?
17:35To try to answer that,
17:36I'm meeting marine biologist Naomi Kennan
17:39and Professor Bill Sanderson, both of Heriot-Watt University,
17:43who've been studying the loch and its oyster beds
17:46for the past eight years.
17:50Now, I have to say,
17:51when I first heard we were going out fishing and it was a dredge,
17:54I thought, oh, is this OK?
17:56Dredges, you know, do have a bad reputation
17:58for doing a lot of damage in certain habitat types.
18:01The beauty of doing it here is the dredge is pretty light,
18:05but also because the system here in Loch Rhyan is fished so lightly,
18:09then they move from one plot to another.
18:11So I would argue the other way round in this particular case,
18:14in that Loch Rhyan, because it's been fished since 1701,
18:18you know, and it's still here,
18:19and all the other oyster reefs have gone,
18:21then actually the way they're managing it
18:23is maintaining a biodiversity hotspot.
18:26OK. Is that what you've been finding?
18:27That's what the data says, really, here?
18:29Yeah, I think so.
18:30I mean, we wouldn't have found the kind of levels of biodiversity we have
18:33in the kind of fully matured reef
18:36if they weren't looking after this area properly
18:38and, you know, dredging in a sustainable way.
18:41So that means when it does do a dredge farrow
18:44and it takes out everything in its path,
18:46it's leaving a lot of stuff behind,
18:48like there's big patches of mature oyster reef that are left,
18:52and it's those patches that help repopulate the then barren area.
18:56Right.
18:57So, yeah.
18:58It's kind of strength in numbers.
19:00When you've got it this good, you're going to get good reproduction
19:02and actually it can sustain quite a limited sort of dredge that's happening.
19:06Yeah, that's right. Yeah.
19:11The practices employed here seem to be working.
19:14Whilst all other wild oyster beds of this size in Scotland
19:18have disappeared due to overfishing,
19:20this one is thriving.
19:32Down in the Cotswolds, Adam is welcoming two new additions.
19:40Keeping healthy animals on the farm goes beyond just taking good care of them.
19:45It's also a question of genetics.
19:49With all of our flocks and herds on the farm,
19:52we're breeding from them every year,
19:54so young animals are being born.
19:57And we're very careful in the way we select our animals for breeding.
20:02And particularly, say, here with the Gloucesters,
20:05what you've got is each cow will give birth to one calf,
20:09so half of her genetics is in her calf.
20:12But with the bull, he's dad to all of the calves,
20:15so half of his genetics run through the entire generation.
20:20And so when it comes to choosing males,
20:22both in the rare breeds and our commercial animals,
20:25it's really important to choose wisely and get a magnificent animal like him.
20:32Today, we're getting two new boys delivered
20:35for our commercial ewes and our golden Guernsey goats
20:38by farming husband and wife Sally and David Taylor from Berwickshire.
20:42Hello. Good morning.
20:43Thank you very much for making the journey all the way down.
20:46Oh, you're welcome.
20:48They've brought along Quinn, a Hampshire ram.
20:52What a smart boy. He's lovely, isn't he?
20:55And golden Guernsey billy goat The Duke.
20:58There we go. Good boy.
21:00He's in.
21:02He's replacing our billy who sadly died unexpectedly
21:06after giving us some lovely kids in the spring,
21:08so we're lucky to find such a fine-looking fella at short notice.
21:13Well, he's really lovely, Sally. That's fantastic.
21:16Yes, he is. Yes, he's very handsome, definitely.
21:20And beautiful golden colour. They come in various shades, don't they?
21:23They do. You get some very pale ones
21:26and then just really gradually, you know, get stronger and a deeper colour.
21:31And length of coat varies as well, doesn't it?
21:33Mine are quite short-haired and a little bit paler,
21:35so he'll put some colour into them and a bit of hair, which is great.
21:40We've been helping to preserve this rare breed on the farm since the 1970s,
21:44but there are still less than 1,400 of them in the world.
21:49With those low numbers, getting the genetics right is important, isn't it?
21:53Yes. You don't want inbreeding. Exactly.
21:55And he's very unrelated to my nannies, which is absolutely brilliant.
21:59That's important, isn't it? It is.
22:01Because with a small gene pool, you don't want too much inbreeding.
22:04Sure.
22:06The golden Guernsey goat, a proud symbol of the Channel Islands,
22:09may be low in numbers,
22:11but has recently been making friends in very high places.
22:16His name is very apt, the Duke, because they now have a royal status.
22:20They do indeed.
22:22So when King Charles visited Guernsey this year in July,
22:26he gave the golden Guernsey goats the royal title,
22:30so they will now all be known as Royal Guernsey Goats.
22:34Very few animals, if any, have ever been given a royal status,
22:38so probably the first animal ever.
22:40It's the first time in recent history
22:42that a livestock breed has been awarded this title.
22:45Incredible, isn't it?
22:47And to think, you know, you have these as a hobby,
22:50a wee passion at home, and it's like, wow, this is so exciting.
22:53And now royal. Yes.
22:55I think he was keen to endorse and support the breed,
22:58because recognising it is endangered and giving it royal status
23:01will hopefully increase interest.
23:04Yeah, and he's a great supporter of rare breeds conservation.
23:07Always has been. He's a patron of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
23:10He's done it.
23:11With the King's support, the future looks golden indeed,
23:14and I'm sure the Duke will do his duty
23:16when he meets the nanny goats in a couple of weeks.
23:21Next up, though, our new arrival Quinn is heading straight out for work.
23:26Right, so we catch him in the corner then, David.
23:29There we go.
23:30To minimise the risk of any diseases being spread,
23:33David isolated these animals for a few weeks,
23:36so all Quinn needs is some marker paint, then he's ready to be loaded up.
23:40Look at that, he's keen.
23:45And turned out into the field.
23:50Our replacement ewes are all Romneys, but for our table lambs,
23:54we cross the ewes with bigger breeds for a better carcass weight.
23:58The problem is, lots of those breeds struggle on a pure grass diet,
24:02which is where the Hampshire could be a game changer.
24:06So there's my ewes, David.
24:08These are these clean Romney crosses.
24:10We've just got a small flock for him to go to to start off with,
24:13and then we'll add more ewes over the next few weeks and months.
24:17Now.
24:18Right, let's let him go.
24:20No pressure, Quinn, let's hook him up.
24:22There we are, Quinn.
24:26They're over that way, mate.
24:28There we are.
24:29He's got a really smart back end on him, hasn't he?
24:32Really well made up.
24:35He's off.
24:36He's spotted them.
24:37He has.
24:38He's done some work already this year.
24:40He was out with my ewes in July for December.
24:44Right, so he knows what it's all about.
24:46He should know what it's all about.
24:49So tell me about the attributes of the Hampshire then,
24:53because with these ewes, what I do is breed my own replacements
24:57using the Romney, and then what I wanted was a really good tuck
25:01to produce meat, to produce lambs for the table.
25:04But I was advised that the Hampshire would be a good choice,
25:07being a native British breed.
25:09Yes, yes, they've been very carefully selected.
25:11We want a lamb that is born easily without assistance,
25:14it's up and suckled, and then grows on through the milk period
25:18and then beyond that, post weaning, growing well off grass.
25:21But also we want a tuck that is going to be long-lived and last
25:24and hasn't been forced too much when they are younger,
25:27and we hope to get four or five seasons out of a ram.
25:30And it's all very well looking at the attributes of a ram,
25:33you know, he's really well made up, I'm delighted with him,
25:36but it's what's inside that matters.
25:38Yes, the genetics is vital, it's not just about the appearance,
25:42but we need to know that he is going to perform,
25:44and that's where the Agricultural Horticultural Development Board
25:47have done a lot of work to develop the performance recording system
25:51that proves the genetics is going to work.
25:53And what are his figures like?
25:55His figures are very good, so we've got the figures here, Adam.
25:58The ultimate figure at the bottom ranks him number four
26:01in the Hampshire league table of shearlings,
26:03so he's right up there, top 1%.
26:05And this will compare him within the Hampshire breed,
26:08which is still a minority breed, isn't it?
26:10There's not too many thousands of them.
26:12How does he compare then against other breeds?
26:14Yes, so an extension of the performance recording system
26:17is the Ram Compare Programme,
26:19and they compare them to other breeds in the same commercial situation.
26:22And what the Hampshire has consistently shown over the years
26:25is that they will finish the quickest off grass, off forage systems.
26:29So they are the best?
26:31I might be biased, but yes, I would have to say they are the best.
26:34Incredible.
26:35Horses for courses.
26:36So why aren't they more popular then?
26:38Good question.
26:39I think a lot of the problem is the perception of the buyers
26:42that they don't sell well through the live market.
26:44Buyers don't like the woolly head, for whatever reason.
26:47So it's a bit of fashion.
26:49It's a bit of fashion.
26:52Oh, he's marked you already.
26:54There he goes, look he's on.
26:55There's some lambs.
26:56Hopefully it's twins.
26:59Hopefully twins.
27:00Look at that, he's come all the way down from Scotland
27:02and he's already being very active.
27:04Scotsman on the skike.
27:08Wonderful.
27:10Yes, well hopefully these lambs will be born easily
27:13and grow on well, because in our system here on the farm
27:17we're looking at more sustainable farming
27:19and we want an animal that can survive off grass, not grain.
27:22Yes.
27:23And that's really why I came to you, to look at the Hampshire
27:27on the Romney.
27:28That knit should produce a very good animal to do that.
27:33A lot of people in farming might not realise
27:35that there's those classic stockman skills
27:38and being able to spot a really good quality animal,
27:40but then all that science behind it.
27:43And that's key, isn't it?
27:44It is, it is vital.
27:45It's not just down to good looks,
27:47you've got to be able to perform, whatever business you're in.
27:50Indeed.
27:51He's looking back at you saying, look, I've done it.
27:53He is.
27:54Thanks very much, I love it here.
27:56Thanks.
28:01Well, he's working well.
28:02He's already served a couple of ewes, which is just great.
28:05So the proof is in the pudding next spring.
28:07It is, yes, good luck.
28:09Best of grass by the looks.
28:10Are you feeling confident?
28:11I am, yes.
28:12Great.
28:13Science to back it up.
28:14Yes, well thank you very much.
28:15Well, let's leave him to his privacy.
28:16Yes.
28:22Back in Stranraer, and the Oyster Festival is in full swing.
28:40This festival is all about the love of oysters.
28:44But I know not everyone feels that way.
28:47Oysters frequently make the list of the most hated foods in the UK.
28:54For those people like myself who really look forward
28:56to seeing oysters on the menu, there are decisions to be made.
29:00Do you eat them raw?
29:01Do you cook them?
29:02Do you boil them, even?
29:03Do you swallow them whole?
29:04Do you chew them?
29:05What do you serve them with?
29:06So many questions.
29:09Luckily, this festival has a whole heap of people
29:12who are willing to take part.
29:14Luckily, this festival has a whole heap of people with the answers.
29:19Including Pam Brunton, one of Scotland's top chefs
29:23who loves to celebrate Scottish heritage and culture
29:26and a plethora of local ingredients.
29:30Hello, Pam.
29:31Ah, hello, Joe.
29:32How are you?
29:33Good.
29:34This is amazing.
29:35Yeah, isn't it?
29:36Well, here we are, right on the edge of Loch Ryan.
29:37I know, it's stunning.
29:38Which is just the perfect setting for today.
29:40So, let me guess.
29:41What is it we're going to cook?
29:43Oh, I thought we might do some oysters.
29:45Oysters.
29:46Very good.
29:47Now, cooking oysters.
29:49Obviously, most people are sort of knocking them back
29:51and slurping them back raw.
29:53Yeah, absolutely.
29:54And that's a delicious way to enjoy them.
29:56I love it as well.
29:57But it's sometimes nice for a change to have them warmed.
30:01Oysters really benefit from a bit of chilli heat or spice.
30:06So, I have some black peppercorn butter.
30:08So, it's butter infused with a lot of black peppercorns.
30:12You're making me hungry just talking about those ingredients.
30:14So, I can see two lovely natives here.
30:17Do you want to do one and I'll do one?
30:18Yeah, sure.
30:19Going over the tea towels is an important safety point
30:21that I tell everybody in the restaurant
30:23when we're opening them in the kitchen as well.
30:25You've got your shucker there.
30:26I've got my oyster shucker here.
30:28Shucking is the process for opening up the shell of an oyster.
30:32In at the hinge and you're wiggling.
30:35They are a little bit trickier, I find, to open than the rocks.
30:39But it's quite a satisfying pop when you get them in there.
30:41Exactly.
30:42I'm angling the knife towards the top of the shell
30:44so I don't cut into the oyster.
30:45I only cut the muscle like that.
30:50And then there we go.
30:52Nicely done.
30:53Beautiful.
30:54Look at that.
30:55Right.
30:56So, here's the hinge here.
30:58So, we're just going to come across here.
31:01I'm just going to wiggle this in.
31:07It's a bit stiff, this one.
31:09Yeah, just wiggle it in a little bit more.
31:12I mean, that feels like it's in now.
31:14Yeah, I think so.
31:15And then just use it as a lever.
31:16Push it down.
31:18Yeah, there we go.
31:19Well, you're making me look good.
31:20You make this look so easy.
31:21You made it look so easy.
31:23There we go.
31:24I've got it now.
31:25It's quite a meaty one, that, isn't it?
31:26It is huge.
31:27Right.
31:28So, here we have our two oysters.
31:30Take me through it, Pam.
31:31What are we going to do?
31:32So, we've got the fire.
31:33It's built about an hour ago
31:34and it's more or less burned down to embers now.
31:36So, I'm going to pop them on here.
31:40And like that.
31:42And I might even...
31:44Oh, nice.
31:45Because I wasn't sure.
31:46Because if it was a scallop, you might...
31:49Put them directly on the coals.
31:50Put them directly on.
31:51Yeah, but we're keeping them in the shells.
31:52No, we're letting them kind of poach in their own juices.
31:54Oh, lovely.
31:55And I'm going to put that lid on there
31:59just to keep the heat in.
32:01And that's it.
32:02We're going to leave them there for a minute or two.
32:03Great.
32:04Are they a bit divisive though, oysters?
32:06Do you get some customers coming in that just...
32:08Well, they're misunderstood.
32:09Right.
32:10I really do.
32:11I think people get really caught up in this idea of
32:13how do you eat an oyster?
32:14Right.
32:15It's like, well...
32:16Bit afraid of it, maybe.
32:17Bit afraid of the technique or how you do it.
32:18Yeah, it's like you get people spending, I don't know,
32:19three quid in the restaurant on an oyster
32:21and then like swallowing it whole as if it's a pill.
32:24Yeah.
32:25And you're just like, well, that's...
32:26That's no way to go about eating a piece of food.
32:29We hear the...
32:30Yeah, we hear the hiss.
32:31Something's going on.
32:32That is good.
32:34Now tell me, you have a Michelin Green Star.
32:38Yes, we do.
32:39And you're the only chef in Scotland to have this,
32:41is that right?
32:42Yes, apparently so.
32:43What does that tell us about your restaurant?
32:44I think it tells you that we serve awesome world-class food,
32:48but we also care about the impact of our actions.
32:52All our food purchasing decisions,
32:54the waste we generate in the kitchen,
32:56the energy we use, the way we treat our staff,
32:59the way we pay our staff.
33:00Right.
33:01So it's very broad, actually.
33:02Yeah, absolutely.
33:03I mean, greenness as a shorthand for sustainability
33:06should take in everything.
33:09People are always surprised when they come to the restaurant
33:11because we don't serve a lot of fin fish,
33:13so as opposed to shellfish,
33:15because there isn't a lot in Scotland
33:19that are sustainably fished.
33:21And what do you make of this story?
33:22Because this is...
33:23It's a fantastic...
33:24Really the last native, you know,
33:26significant size commercial oyster bed.
33:29Yeah, and they're taking care of it as well.
33:31Like, they are obviously trying to maintain their own environment
33:36so they can keep doing what they're doing,
33:37which is fantastic.
33:39And they're a wonderful connection to this landscape, aren't they?
33:42Exactly.
33:43And that's what our restaurant is all about,
33:45is that kind of connection
33:46to everything that's going on around you.
33:48So it's venison from the hills
33:50and lamb from the fields
33:52and shellfish from the waters.
33:53Wow.
33:54Do you dare open them up and have a peek,
33:55or do you just keep them as they are now?
33:57I'm going to open them up.
33:59Oh!
34:00It's simmering around the outside,
34:01so that's those guys ready.
34:03And then I've got this handy little situation here.
34:06Oh, come on!
34:07Ta-da!
34:08You said you had buttercorn butter.
34:09I didn't realise it was in there.
34:10I didn't know where it was.
34:12That's gorgeous.
34:13I almost don't want to eat it.
34:14It almost looks too good,
34:15but this is what we're here for.
34:17OK, here we go.
34:22Oh my goodness, that is good.
34:24Delicious, isn't it?
34:25The peppercorn.
34:26I've never had them...
34:27I've had them with sort of, you know,
34:28shallot vinegar and...
34:29There you go.
34:30That is perfect.
34:32Pam, you've awakened me in some way.
34:34This is amazing.
34:35Gosh, all my oysters
34:36are now going to have to be done this way.
34:38Well, thank you so much.
34:39I can still taste the pepper.
34:41It's gorgeous.
34:43What a great meal.
34:46The three-day Oyster Festival
34:48attracts 25,000 visitors from around the country.
34:53I think the festival is brilliant.
34:55It's really good that there are so many people here.
34:58It gives it a real buzz.
35:00We're from Debris,
35:01and it's our first time at the festival.
35:03The local oysters are really good.
35:05They're really fresh.
35:06They're really good.
35:07They're really good.
35:08They're really good.
35:09They're really good.
35:10They're really good.
35:11They're really good.
35:12They're really good.
35:13They're really good.
35:14The local oysters are really new to us,
35:16so we're excited to try them.
35:18They are pure, clean and salty,
35:21if you like salt.
35:22And plump and sweet.
35:27The Market Marquis
35:28hosts a whole range of local producers.
35:31Nick and Erin Bullard
35:32are local spirit makers
35:34who've created a special whiskey for the event.
35:37We've been making whiskey for the Oyster Festival
35:40for a few years now,
35:41and this year's a special one.
35:43A friend of ours decided to make an oyster stout,
35:46and we wanted to mature it in our whiskey cask.
35:50When that was disgorged,
35:51it came back to us,
35:52and we promptly filled it with our whiskey.
35:54So our whiskey is infused with oyster stout,
35:57and the oysters came from Loch Lomond.
36:01Oh, my goodness.
36:02Right.
36:03May I try some?
36:04Can you taste the oysters?
36:05Surely not.
36:06Oh, well, it's up to you.
36:07You'll find out.
36:10Okay.
36:11Cheers.
36:14Oh, that's lovely.
36:16Can I taste oyster?
36:18No, but it has a richness to it.
36:20It's lovely.
36:21So has it been popular today?
36:22It has been popular,
36:23and we're hoping that it'll go nicely with the oysters.
36:25Mmm.
36:33I love oysters.
36:34In the tent at the bottom,
36:35there was two different types.
36:36There was some from Dorset,
36:37and there were some oysters from here
36:39which were really tasty,
36:40with, like, a Tabasco sauce on.
36:42It was quite nice.
36:43I've just come from Australia.
36:45I've been travelling.
36:46This is my hometown,
36:48and I think it's excellent.
36:49I've never seen anything like this before in this town,
36:52so I'm really enjoying it.
36:56Everywhere you look,
36:57there's something related to oysters.
37:00Baker Yvonne Robinson has crafted some special sweet treats.
37:05They're brownie-filled oyster wafers
37:08and some oyster and pie biscuits as well.
37:11Chocolatier Stacey Hanna makes these shellfish-themed creations.
37:16Handmade chocolates in the shape of crabs, oysters and lobsters.
37:21The shells are actually tempered,
37:23and that's how you get the nice shine on the chocolate.
37:27And Baker Carelittle is a man after my own heart.
37:30I mean, who doesn't love a pie?
37:34We make quite a variety of pies,
37:36but the Oyster Festival,
37:37it's taken on an importance in the region.
37:39And I thought on this occasion,
37:41I would make something special.
37:43So what's in your pie?
37:44Principally the oyster,
37:46but to fill the pie,
37:48I've used potato and I've used lemon thyme
37:51just to flavour the sauce.
37:53May I try them?
37:54You may. I'd be delighted to.
37:56Wow.
37:57First of all, it looks beautiful.
38:07That's very good.
38:10It is subtle, isn't it?
38:11Yeah, it is.
38:12It's so easy to put strong flavours into something
38:15and it masks the principal ingredient.
38:18That's certainly a first for me.
38:20Potato, lemon, white sauce and oyster pie.
38:23What's not to love?
38:25I don't know if it'll go down in this restaurant,
38:28rather folklore,
38:29but at least they'll give them something to talk about.
38:40There might be an abundance of oyster items
38:43being sold here today,
38:44but there's one thing missing from these market traders' stalls
38:48and that is the Countryfile calendar for 2025,
38:52sold in aid of children in need.
38:56And if you'd like to have one,
38:58this is what you do.
39:00It costs £10.99,
39:02which includes UK delivery.
39:05You can go to our website
39:07You can go to our website
39:12where you'll find a link to the order page.
39:16Or you can phone the order line on
39:24Standard geographic charges will apply
39:26to both landlines and mobiles.
39:30The line will be available from Monday to Friday,
39:339am to 8pm
39:35and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.
39:40If you prefer to order by post,
39:42then send your name, address and a cheque
39:45to BBC Countryfile calendar
39:56Please make your cheques payable
39:58to BBC Countryfile calendar.
40:00A minimum of £5 from the sale of each calendar
40:04will be donated to the BBC's Children in Need appeal.
40:08Countryfile calendars have raised more than £30 million
40:11for the charity since we started selling them.
40:14Let's see how much we can add to that total
40:17with the calendar for 2025.
40:19It's up to you.
40:30The bustling crowds at the festival
40:32have been in high spirit so far,
40:34enjoying the music, food and lively atmosphere.
40:38But amongst the activities,
40:40there's one event that truly pulls in the crowds.
40:43The shuck off.
40:4616 men and women will compete against each other
40:49and the clock to take the title
40:51of Scottish Oyster Shucking Champion.
40:55Andy Cummings will be the brave compare in charge.
41:00Now, shuck off. It's a big event, isn't it?
41:03Yeah, it's huge here.
41:05We've got oyster ropers from all backgrounds.
41:07We've got some chefs, we've got some guys that work in industry,
41:10some guys that even work on the boats here.
41:12So it's quite a cross-section, all sort of different styles.
41:15OK.
41:16This mixed bunch of shuckers will initially compete in four heats,
41:20with the winners going shell to shell in the final.
41:25What sort of time is a good time?
41:27Well, here's the thing.
41:28It's not as much as fast as you can open the oysters,
41:30it's as cleanly as you can open the oysters,
41:32because there's penalty points if damaged oysters
41:34or the shell's damaged.
41:35So what is the penalty then for, say, some shell in the oyster?
41:38OK, so four seconds for shell or grit,
41:41moving up to oyster that maybe hasn't been opened
41:44or if it's damaged can be as much as 30 seconds.
41:46Gosh.
41:47So it can really add to the time.
41:48There is a real skill then, technique to this.
41:50Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, it's neat and tidy.
41:51Now, I have been shown how to shuck these,
41:53but I've also, walking around, noticed a few different techniques.
41:56Well, it's a very definite line.
41:58The processing guys and the guys that work on the boats,
42:01they'll open at that height.
42:02They get the click there.
42:04The chefs tend to be much more thoughtful in this
42:08and they'll use a rolled up cloth
42:10and they just sit the oyster into the cloth,
42:14pointing the knife in and they'll crack that way.
42:17And that's your background, isn't it?
42:18You've come through the industry.
42:19Yeah, I've come through seafood restaurants
42:21and we have that tabletop, which I find a little bit safer.
42:24A bit more stable.
42:25Yeah, absolutely.
42:26Okay, right. I'm going to have a go at this now.
42:28Well, first of all, you need a knife with a guard.
42:32That's quite important because that protects the hand, obviously, going in.
42:35And that's a no-cut glove that will protect your hand.
42:38So, we're looking to get the knife in at the hinge at the back there, okay?
42:42And we're really just wanting to...
42:44It's not brute force, it's definitely a technique.
42:47Just want to get that in and just a little click.
42:50Okay?
42:51You're going to do three and we'll time you.
42:53Okay, you've got a stopwatch.
42:54Yeah, I've got a stopwatch.
42:56Ooh, I can feel the nerves already.
42:57I've got a little hint of how the competitors will be feeling.
43:00Okay, so I'll count you down.
43:01Three, two, one, shuck.
43:03Right, so I'm going to go in.
43:06I think I've already lost a bit of shell there.
43:08Okay, just keep pushing a little bit more.
43:09Ooh, there we go.
43:10There you go, you've got a little bit of leverage.
43:11Okay, well, we're in now.
43:12Yeah, we're in.
43:13So, now we've got the pond.
43:14You want to loosen that top muscle, the inductor muscle,
43:16and you're left with the cup underneath.
43:18That's where all the juice is, all the flavour.
43:21Ooh, yes. Has that done it?
43:22It has done it.
43:23Yeah, look at that.
43:24Oh, that's not too bad, actually.
43:25That's quite clean.
43:26It's quite clean.
43:27Beginner's luck.
43:28As they're against the clock during the competition,
43:30competitors have to wear a protective glove to help avoid any accidents.
43:37You've competed, you've done this a lot yourself.
43:39Have you had any injuries?
43:40I reckon I've opened over a million oysters,
43:42and I do, unfortunately, have the injuries to prove it.
43:46The inside of the palm of my hand there has had a few deep gashes.
43:51Oh, dear. Okay.
43:52Stop the clock.
43:55Okay.
43:56That was two minutes, 20 seconds.
43:59I'm guessing that isn't record time, is it?
44:01No.
44:02And how many penalties would I get here?
44:04Well, they all look quite neat.
44:05There's maybe one, two, three little bits of shell there.
44:09Hang on, you count individual bits of shell?
44:11Yeah.
44:12Four seconds each?
44:13Yeah, so that's...
44:14I thought you'd just get the four seconds for a bit of shell.
44:17No, so that's four bits of shell there, so that's another 16 seconds.
44:20Shh.
44:22Huh. Well, with penalties added to my time,
44:24it went up to a rather shameful two minutes and 36 seconds,
44:28so I'm glad I'm not taking part in today's heat
44:31where some of the quickest competitors will be opening ten oysters
44:35in less time than it took me to open my three.
44:39Two seasoned shuckers battling it out for this year's title
44:42are Grace Murray and Craig Steele.
44:46Grace, how did you get into this?
44:47So, I first entered this competition last year.
44:51One of my colleagues had previously been a winner
44:54and thought that I might enjoy it,
44:56that there was a whole team of men coming down
44:58and maybe just a token woman to come down.
45:01Have you always been involved with oysters, Grace?
45:04So, I'm a chef.
45:05I've worked in big seafood restaurants in London and now in Glasgow.
45:08Wonderful.
45:09So, I'm not a million miles away from here.
45:11It's your home competition.
45:12It is.
45:13Are you a high and mighty chef?
45:14Do you dirty your hands with shucking oysters?
45:16Do you do it regularly?
45:17Every single day.
45:19Every single shift.
45:21Craig, how did you get involved?
45:23Well, I became a fishmonger about four years ago
45:28and I was always coming to the oyster festival.
45:32I was eating the oysters in the oysters eating competition.
45:35Then I discovered I've got an allergy now and I can't eat them
45:38so I entered the shucking competition for a laugh one year
45:41and I ended up in the world championships.
45:43Congratulations.
45:44I mean, you addressed the part we should just say.
45:45I mean, that is a wonderful, wonderful shirt.
45:48I don't think there's an oyster on there, is there?
45:50It's lurking underneath.
45:51Oh, it's lurking underneath.
45:52You don't disappoint.
45:54So, you're both competitors then.
45:56What do you make of each other?
45:57Friendly competitors.
45:58Friendly competitors.
45:59Were you both in it last year?
46:00I think we were both in it last year.
46:01You made it to the final last year, didn't you?
46:02I made it to the final last year.
46:03Oh, how did you do?
46:04And came in second.
46:05Whoa.
46:06So, I don't know how much I can improve on that this year but I'll try.
46:09I wish you both the best of luck.
46:11It's wonderful to be here with you on the shores of this loch
46:13with the native oysters you're going to shuck.
46:15I'm really looking forward to seeing how you do.
46:17The stage is set as the much-awaited oyster shucking competition is round the corner.
46:24A true test of speed and skill, it's not one to be missed.
46:29Five, four, three, two, one, shuck off.
46:44Well, we have been lucky here on the shores of Loch Rhein.
46:50Today, we've dodged all the showers.
46:51But what does the weather have in store for the week ahead?
46:54Here's the CountryFar forecast.
47:02Hello there.
47:03Over the past few days, we've had colder air across the UK brought about by a northerly wind.
47:09But over the week ahead, things are going to change.
47:12That colder air is going to get pushed away because the wind direction is going to change.
47:16We'll pick up a southerly wind in the next few days that will really bring some very mild air our way.
47:20But even as we get a south-westerly later in the week, it will still stay on the mild side.
47:25The coldest weather could actually be tonight.
47:27Whilst most places will see minimum temperatures about five degrees,
47:30there's a risk of a pinch of frost in eastern Scotland and the north-east of England
47:34before temperatures rise here later in the night.
47:36And further south, we've got rain pushing eastwards across England and Wales.
47:40Soon clearing away tomorrow morning from eastern England but leaving behind a lot of cloud.
47:45But it looks much better day for the far north of England, much of Scotland, Northern Ireland,
47:49looking dry with some sunshine.
47:51Temperatures a little bit higher than today but still typically 12 or 13 degrees.
47:56Now if we look out in the Atlantic, there's a big area of low pressure here.
48:00Lots of rain threatening to come towards the UK.
48:03But it's not going to arrive just yet because ahead of that,
48:06we're going to find this southerly wind picking up on Tuesday.
48:09Now that is going to bring with it a lot of cloud.
48:12So there won't be much sunshine, the best of it probably, for northern parts of Scotland.
48:16By the end of the day in the far west, we could start to see a little bit of rain arriving.
48:20But ahead of that, it's going to be dry and those temperatures are continuing to rise.
48:24Could reach 15 degrees in Scotland, 16 or 17 in southern parts of England and Wales.
48:29But it could get even milder than that for Wednesday.
48:32It just depends how quickly all this rain in the Atlantic is going to push its way eastwards
48:37and how widespread it's going to be as well.
48:40But the weather is going to be turning wetter for most areas during Wednesday
48:45as this rain moves northwards and steadily eastwards.
48:48It could be quite heavy for a time as well.
48:50And not only that, but we've got this southerly wind.
48:53It's going to be quite strong and gusty.
48:55But of course it's bringing in some milder air all the way from Spain.
48:59So even where it's wet, temperatures are above average.
49:02But if we get a bit of sunshine ahead of that rain through Lincolnshire, East Anglia,
49:06maybe the southeast of England, we could get temperatures of 20 or 21 Celsius.
49:10Just depends how quickly the rain arrives.
49:12We are going to see that rain pushing its way eastwards eventually.
49:15And overnight it should be moving away, leaving us with some sunshine on Thursday.
49:20There will be some showers though arriving in Northern Ireland,
49:23pushing over the Irish Sea into western parts of England and Wales
49:26and across western areas of Scotland.
49:28But towards the east it may well be dry.
49:30There'll be some sunshine and it's still very mild for the time of year.
49:34Temperatures still 17 or 18 degrees.
49:37Now later on in the week we're going to find a much stronger jet stream
49:40propagating across the Atlantic.
49:43And that's going to steer these areas of low pressure up towards the northwest of the UK,
49:49bringing us some wet but also some windy weather to end the week.
49:54So we've got some wet weather to move in from the Atlantic again on Friday.
49:58A couple of hours of wet weather pushing its way eastwards
50:01to be followed by some showers across Scotland.
50:04Some stronger winds as well I think to end the week.
50:07But it's a southwesterly wind which is why we're still seeing that mild air
50:11and temperatures of 14 to 16 degrees.
50:14So really over the week ahead there's no sign of any cold weather.
50:19It's going to be much milder than it has been.
50:21But with that milder weather and some stronger winds
50:24it will be turning wetter from the middle part of the week.
50:27That's it from me. Bye for now.
50:32MUSIC
50:39I've been enjoying the festivities at the Stranraer Oyster Festival
50:43on the shores of Loch Rhyan where I've tasted some wild native oysters,
50:47Cheers to the festival!
50:49learned the history of this event
50:51and sampled the shellfish-themed produce on offer.
50:55Now there's just one thing left to experience.
50:59Well the moment everyone's been waiting for is just around the corner.
51:02I can almost taste the anticipation.
51:04It is time to shuck off.
51:08At the competition marquee the stage is set.
51:12Andy is in full compare mode.
51:15We've got four heats of four shuckers
51:19and the fastest four will make it final.
51:23The winner of which will take the prestigious title
51:26of Scotland's Oyster Shucking Champion 2024.
51:30This is a packed tent by the way.
51:32The crowd has come in.
51:33This is a real culmination of the festival here.
51:36This is fantastic.
51:37We're ready.
51:38Five, four, three, two, one.
51:43Shuck off!
51:45And they're away. They're away.
51:47OK, so we're off to quite a fast start here.
51:49But for Glasgow chef Grace it was less than ideal.
51:54Oh, she just found a lot of grit in that one.
51:57See her face reaction.
52:00But her years of restaurant experience have clearly paid dividends.
52:06Nearly there, nearly there. Here comes the bell, here comes the bell.
52:10She's having a little sort.
52:16Oyster allergic fishmonger Craig
52:18is facing some much stiffer competition in his heat
52:21in the shape of Alex Wallace.
52:24Alex, representing the family, representing the fishery.
52:28Feeling confident?
52:30Quietly, quietly.
52:32Just talk me through the order you've set up here.
52:34Well, I'm a little bit concerned about one of them.
52:36What I'm really looking for is a nice gap in the hinge,
52:39so that's where I'm going to put my knife.
52:41And there's one that's a bit worrying,
52:43but I think I'm pretty happy overall.
52:45Alex's family have held the oyster fishing rights on Loch Ryan
52:48for over 300 years.
52:50Three, two, one.
52:53Shut off!
52:55Craig is going to have to be quick,
52:57because Alex won this event in 2022.
53:01Gosh, Alex is going really well here.
53:03And we're under a minute. He's done six. That's incredible.
53:07But former world finalist Craig isn't far behind.
53:11Who will ring their bell first?
53:15Ooh, it's Craig.
53:17Oh, he's rang his bell.
53:19He's just over a minute and a half.
53:21Immediately followed by Alex.
53:23That's impossible.
53:26And in the rest of the heats, competition was fierce,
53:29as the other eight qualifiers all logged fast times.
53:34Right, that is all the heats done.
53:36The judges now over there in that little solitary corner
53:39are totting up all the times, and we're going to learn very shortly
53:42who has made it to the final.
53:44So, first finalist is Alex Wallace, Alexander Wallace.
53:48No surprises there.
53:51Next finalist is Grace Murray.
53:53Oh, well done, Grace.
53:57Next finalist is Gemma Slater.
54:00Another chef.
54:02And on fourth place, taking the last place, is...
54:06Neil Reader.
54:10Neil is from the oyster fishing industry.
54:13It would seem Craig picked up too many penalties to make the final,
54:17which I've been given the honour of counting down.
54:21So, Stranraff, for the last time today,
54:24hands in the air, please.
54:27Count with me.
54:28Five, four, three, two, one.
54:33Shaka!
54:36For the final, the stakes have been well and truly raised
54:39as the amount of oysters to be opened has gone from ten to 30.
54:45I've noticed both Alex and Neil
54:47are going for the sort of hands-high technique,
54:49and both the ladies in the middle
54:51are going for the sort of catering chef's technique of on the surface.
54:58The question is, which method will result in fewer penalty points from errors?
55:03We're quite close now. Alex is down to his last four oysters.
55:08So, this looks like a very tight race.
55:11The race has got about five or six to go, I think.
55:14A couple more to go there.
55:16I think Neil's got four or five to go.
55:18The question is whether they're clean enough.
55:21And if you'd imagine, that might bring in the possibility
55:24of a bit more grit getting in the oyster
55:26because they're stacked on top of each other.
55:28But let's see. Look at Alex here.
55:30Oh, there's the bell!
55:32Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.
55:34That was quick, right?
55:36Neil's not far off.
55:38So, Alex rings first.
55:40So, two hopeful guys well ahead now.
55:42Neil's finished.
55:43Quickly followed by Neil.
55:45Nice and steady and sure in the centre here.
55:47And then Grace.
55:49Without any penalties.
55:51Alex did that in four minutes and 24 seconds.
55:54That's 120 oysters.
55:5630 oysters.
55:57It took me, what, over two and a half minutes to do three?
56:01Although still going, Chef Gemma's steady pace
56:04could mean her oysters are penalty free.
56:08OK, Gemma has just finished.
56:10So, that is all the finalists finished now.
56:12And the oysters will be taken away and be judged.
56:16But it looks like there's some very fine oyster shucking
56:18has just taken place here.
56:21To ensure impartiality, the oysters are judged blind.
56:25So, this year's judges, Tony Singh and Donald Sloan,
56:29have not been watching the event.
56:31So, the whole crowd have flocked in here for this big event
56:33and you're the only two people that don't get to watch it.
56:35We're sitting facing the corner.
56:37You're sitting facing the corner.
56:39And there's some great shuckers.
56:41Great shuckers.
56:43The results are now in.
56:45OK, folks, thank you very much for all your time and waiting.
56:51So, this year's winner of the Strandbar Oyster Festival 2024
57:00is Alexander Wallace.
57:16Congratulations.
57:18What does it mean to you?
57:19It seems very fitting that actually someone involved with this fishery
57:21should win this oyster shucking contest.
57:23I mean, it's great.
57:25I love being here.
57:27So, to actually lift the trophy, absolutely delighted.
57:31And look at this, amazing.
57:32So many people coming to Stranraer.
57:34It's fabulous.
57:35Well, I have some idea, Alex, of how hard this is.
57:38So, hugely impressed with your skill and congratulations.
57:41But that is all we've got time for this week here in Stranraer.
57:44Next week, I'm in East Anglia, helping with a potato harvest.
57:50Must feel good when all three of them are out there
57:52just going to the full power.
57:54There's nothing better than when the machines are flying
57:56and everything's roaring into the yard.
57:57Yeah, it's a great feeling.
57:58Potatoes at four or five degrees or above, they'll start to chip.
58:02It all happens pretty quickly.
58:03Yeah, if you lost control of a store,
58:05your whole crop would be rendered no good.
58:07They'll be cooked in this batch for about eight minutes.
58:10So, what I like standing here is I can see potatoes
58:13and I can see crisps.
58:14Yeah.
58:15And it all happens in this one section.
58:16All in a few minutes, yeah.
58:17Yeah, amazing.
58:20Join us then at 6.20.
58:23So, from me, from our wonderful finalists, from our winner,
58:25and everyone in Stranraer,
58:28we'll see you next time.
58:29Goodbye.
58:40Could you power a spaceship with a lemon?
58:42One of life's biggest questions.
58:44Fear not, find the answer in a new series of curious cases
58:47now on BBC Sounds.
58:49Next year, we're in Ulster for our Antiques Roadshow.