Loch Fyne restaurants - History

The Loch Fyne business started life as a small oyster bar on the banks of the loch – a venture by Johnny Noble, the owner of the historic Ardkinglas Estate on the west coast of Scotland, and his colleague Andy Lane, a fish farmer and biologist.

Both men were oyster enthusiasts, and they began by growing oysters in the loch and selling them to restaurants all over the UK. They then opened their own oyster bar in 1988 and, as the restaurant’s reputation grew, tourists from all over the UK commented on how popular the concept would be ‘back home’.

In 1990 the first Loch Fyne Restaurant opened in Nottingham and there are now 42 across the UK, as well as the original Oyster Bar that has developed into a popular tourist attraction in its own right.