In pictures: Chefs join town's oyster celebrations

16 September 2025

News image — Tony Singh, Matt Tebbutt and Julie Lin were part of the oyster festival this year

Colin Hattersley Celebrity chefs Tony Singh, Matt Tebbutt and Julie Lin hold up Loch Ryan Oysters in front of trays covered in oysters — Tony Singh, Matt Tebbutt and Julie Lin were part of the oyster festival this year

Thousands of people have attended a festival celebrating the native oyster beds of south-west Scotland.

Celebrity chef Matt Tebbutt said the annual Stranraer Oyster Festival had been an "an enormous party" celebrating the area's "amazing oysters and fantastic local food".

There were also demonstrations by fellow chefs Tony Singh, Rosemary Shrager and Julie Lin at the festival, which is said to have generated millions of pounds for the area.

The event - which was launched in 2017 - also included the Scottish Oyster Shucking Championships, which were won by Alexander Wallace for the third time.

He will take his place at the world championships in Galway later this month after missing out on the two previous occasions because the finals clashed with his own wedding and then the birth of his first child.

Pete Robinson Fireworks in red and orange and yellow light up a dark sky and are reflected in the water — Fireworks marked the opening of the festival

Pete Robinson A man in a blue apron and a red and white shirt rings a bell before starting to shuck a tray of oysters — The Scottish Oyster Shucking Championships were part of the event

Pete Robinson A large crowd of people at an oyster tasting event viewed from behind the people giving the presentation — Large crowds attended the event in Stranraer at the weekend

Pete Robinson A man in a woolly had and blue overalls talks to a group of people while a child picks up a shell from a large tray of shells — The attractions included "extreme pond dipping"

Pete Robinson A man in a baseball cap and blue apron expertly shucks an oyster — Andrew Wallace was crowned the Scottish Oyster Shucking champion

Pete Robinson A woman with blonde hair in a yellow blouse plays the bagpipes in front of a Stranraer Oyster Festival sign — Live music was part of the weekend's events

Pete Robinson A sign lit up saying cocktails above a food truck — Street food and drink were available during the festival

Pete Robinson Folk singer Emily Smith with her eyes closed plays the guitar and sings into a microphone — Folk singer Emily Smith was among the performers in Stranraer

Pete Robinson A large crowd of people milling about under lights strung up between lamp posts at night — Organisers said visitors had "embraced everything our town has to offer"

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