Brancaster Oysters began in 1973, when Cyril Southerland put 2,000 rock oyster seed into the harbour at Brancaster Staithe in Norfolk. Each one was about the size of a fingernail. More than fifty years on, Cyril and his son Ben own the business together, farming Pacific oysters and mussels in the creeks of the north Norfolk coast. Oysters had been missing from the harbour since its native beds were lost around the First World War. In the years between, the family worked the same water for whelks, cockles and mussels. Then, in 1972, a Ministry trial in Thornham Harbour did well enough that Cyril went to Eastern Sea Fisheries and asked for seed of his own. Ben runs things day to day now. The oysters are picked by hand, then sit in tanks of seawater cleaned by ultraviolet light before they're sold. Restaurants, pubs and fish shops across Norfolk buy from them. When Covid shut the restaurants, Ben started selling direct and the family began delivering to homes locally. They still do.

Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/brancasteroystersonline/photos https://www.instagram.com/brancasteroysters/

Can people visit or buy direct?

Yes, direct. Order by email at brancasteroysters@gmail.com or by phone on 07503 684849. The oysters and mussels also go to restaurants, pubs and fish shops across Norfolk.

Website

https://www.brancasteroysters.co.uk

Address Summary

Brancaster Staithe, King's Lynn, Norfolk