They might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but a Norfolk pub is about to all things oyster.
The White Horse in Brancaster Staithe is hosting its eighth annual oyster festival from August 19 to 21. With 5,500 shellfish on order, the pub says it will be a "must-go" event for seafood lovers.
The festival will take place outside at the marsh-side pub, which is promising an array of ways to tuck into the delicacy. People will be able to try oysters with XO crispy onions, watermelon and mint, and chive crème fraîche, to name a few.
Some oysters will be lightly fried in tempura batter and served with sweet chilli, a dish dubbed a ‘posh nugget’.
Rob Williamson, general manager at the White Horse, said he was thrilled to see the event return for the first time since 2019. And this year festivities will take place across an entire weekend, rather than just one night as in the past.
“I’m super excited to be back,” Mr Williamson said.
“This is the first year we have ever done a full weekend, as the feedback was people couldn’t finish work and get down for the Friday.
“Oysters are absolutely delicious to start with, they might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they have a niche and people will travel from all over to attend our festival.
“We are celebrating the best of Norfolk oysters, with a large stock being supplied by Ben and Cyril Southerland from Brancaster Oysters.
“The shellfish are caught in the water near the bottom of the car park, so you can see just how closely they are fished and how fresh they are.”
Ben and Cyril will be there on Saturday, mingling in with the crowd and talking about all things oysters.
The pub has sold 1,300 shellfish a day at previous festivals.
There will also be live music including jazz, soul, modern-day and everything in between - including a performance from singer-songwriter, Ben Denny Mo.
The pub has firepits and three pop-up marquees in case of bad weather, and oyster-related goodies including artwork and decorated shells will go on sale.
The event starts at 3pm on August 19 and runs until 6pm on August 21, or until all the oysters are gone.
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