Have Your Say

At 2:18:55 PM on 06 May 2008, Mr Simon Croft wrote:

Firstly, congratulations on your 30th birthday ! I dont know where to start with my story. I guess I found LFO when I was looking for a group stop in the early 1990's, bus loads full of Japanese wasnt an ideal considering, but got enormous help from the staff. I remember the first trip to the restaurant at Cairndown, "is this it", then "my o my" how that all changed when the food was served up. Ive recently returned from a 6 year stint in Japan where I brought my Japanese wife back with me and said "Ill take you to the best seafood in the world", we did for her birthday last August 2007, and she agreed, a girl from the fish capital of the world said shed never had an experience like it. Well done LFO, and I hope to make many more visits in the future, and when I cant, online shopping is the best way to feed a party ! Simon Croft

At 6:34:01 PM on 22 Apr 2008, Mrs Geraldine Gosling wrote:

On 23rd September 2008 we celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. The day after our wedding we left for our honeymoon to Inverary. Although my husband had been to Scotland many times with his work it was my 1st visit. We stayed at Battlefield Caravan Park which was quite basic (but it was 1978) and so began our 30 year love affair with Inverary & Scotland in general. It was also the 1st time that we came across Loch Fyne Oysters which was then a portacabin like building in a laybye. Since that time it has gone from strength to strength & changed beyond all recognition. We visit Inverary yearly now & can't drive past without paying a visit either to the shop or the restaurant although last year we were disappointed not to be able to get a table in the restaurant as we hadn't pre booked. My 50th birthday is in July this year & we are spending it in Inverary so I will make sure that I book in plenty of time. Sadly Battlefield Caravan Park is no longer around although a caravan park is still there. We have visited Loch Fyne restaurants in Harrogate as well as Stockton Heath and I have also shopped on line so you can tell that we are great fans. Keep up the good work & best wishes on your Pearl Anniversary.

At 4:10:14 PM on 26 Mar 2008, Mr John Smith wrote:

Fond memories of the hut, from there on a later visit bought some smoked mussels to take home, but had eaten them before Glasgow! Here's to the next 30!

At 4:07:07 PM on 26 Mar 2008, Ms May Galbraith wrote:

24th March Been here since the start - visiting that is! Making the journey to and from Campbeltown/Kintyre more enjoyable. Love your truly organic growth and commitment to the local communities.

At 4:03:02 PM on 26 Mar 2008, Mr Mike Ball wrote:

Easter Monday. We first stopped here 13 years ago and tasted your wonderful fish; we are regular visitors to the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar in Elton, near Peterborough, England. Thank you for the memories.

At 11:27:04 AM on 24 Mar 2008, Ms Virginia Sumsion wrote:

As 30 years isn't really that long ago most of the people involved with setting up the company are still alive but sadly some are no longer with us. One of these is Neil MacDonald who passed away earlier this month after battling with a series of illnesses. Neil worked at Oyster farm in the early 1980’s and was one of our first sales men at the shed at the head of the Loch and at shows such as the Highland Show. At his funeral his sister remembered some of the highlights of his life: “ When Neil left school he studied aquaculture and worked on several fish farms eventually working for Cairndow fish farm on Loch Fyne. With his charm and gift of the gab he was asked to set up a stall in a lay-by at the end of the loch selling oysters and trout. ‘ Now sir, these fish you have so kindly bought are steelhead trout, so watch your teeth’. The company is now better known as Loch Fyne Oysters. …. Everyone will remember Neil in different ways but I’d like to mention something that illustrates how Neil saw things. He said that the reason why daffodils are bright yellow is to warm you in the chill spring breezes and the reason why trees turn red and gold in autumn is to give you a wee heat before the winter” Those of us who remember Neil at the Oyster Farm will remember his good humour and charm and appreciate his part in building the company in the early days of LFO. Neil MacDonald - 1960 – 2008

At 9:49:06 AM on 21 Mar 2008, Mr Scott from Stirling wrote:

I love it when my wife has to come through to Lochgilphead for work as I know it means she will be home for dinner bearing beautiful fresh scallops or a piece of wonderful Bradan Rost! Roll on day visits to Lochgilphead.

At 9:45:12 AM on 21 Mar 2008, Mr & Mrs Kaufman wrote:

Not sure when we first stopped by - but probably 20 years ago. The visit to Loch Fyne is a good 8 hours journey from the South. Never have we enjoyed such oysters - as the years go by they seem to have got bigger! Our journey to Tiree would not be the same without Loch Fyne - lang may yer lum reek - and lang may we continue to stop by.

At 9:38:48 AM on 21 Mar 2008, Mr & Mrs Shanks wrote:

3rd March, 2008. Our 35th Wedding Anniversary. We used to fish for salmon from the banks of the river Fyne in those halcyon days. As the Oyster bar progresssed from a wee hut to a modest restaurant it became the best fishing lunch hut on any river anywhere. Very happy that you continue to thrive.

At 9:33:43 AM on 21 Mar 2008, Mr J Pemble wrote:

4th March 2008. I remember the shed in the car park at the top of the loch.

At 9:26:54 AM on 21 Mar 2008, Mr x x wrote:

I can remember the wee log cabin selling shellfish. Boy - how has the shop progressed. Always stop and buy something when I pass. Wonderful. A Glasgae girl now living in Argyll

At 2:13:01 PM on 04 Mar 2008, Mr William Graeme-Coutts wrote:

Congratulations 0n achieving 30 years at Loch Fyne. Well do we remember our first experience of the "little shed" at the head of the Loch. If I remember correctly my wife and I had been fishing on the Aray when on our way home we spotted the little shed- green I think- where we had an unforgettable snack of smoked salmon and Prawn tails. To see how you have grown over the years makes us both feel old because we are talking about the early seventies. However, your Smoked Salmon and Langoustines are still fabulous but will never replace the taste on that late Autumn day at the head of the Loch. Best wishes for the future. Mr.& Mrs. Bill Graeme-Coutts

At 3:55:30 PM on 03 Feb 2008, Ms Virginia Sumsion wrote:

My first experience of opening oysters was being left in charge of the Loch Fyne stand at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh. I was then a student and my uncle, Johhny Noble, was keen to watch Scotland playing in the World Cup so abandoned his post to a couple of novices. Luckily a passing French woman took pity on us and helped us out. I remain indebted to her and am still opening oysters 30 years on! Scotland have yet to make it to the World Cup final but we live in hope...