Haul of the wild

Fresh, local produce from land and sea is the order of the day at the Steam Packet Inn. Alice Whitehead meets the owner of a popular coastal haunt

The aroma of food is the first thing that hits you when you enter the Steam Packet Inn - the sting of vinegar on hot chips, salty fish and sea air. But with the quayside on the doorstep of this award-winning food pub, that comes as no surprise.

The Steam Packet is perched at the tip of the Machars Peninsula, in Dumfries and Galloway, in a small fishing village called the Isle of Whithorn. Though not officially an isle (it's still attached to the mainland), the village has always had strong links with the sea from the time of the Vikings right through to the era of the giant steamer ships.

The Steam Packet Inn, which the Scoular family have run for over 25 years, is the first port of call for local fishermen and their catch of crabs, lobsters, lemon sole and squid.

"It makes good business sense to support local producers and businesses," says owner/manager Alasdair Scoular, who took over from his parents 10 years ago. "You cut out the middle man and give something back to the local economy."

Fish and chips at the pub outstrips anything Harry Ramsden could offer and has become the venue's most famous and popular dish.

Beer-battered haddock, Loch Fyne langoustines and fillet of sea bass are also regular dishes, while the specials board boasts more unusual items such as seared Kirkcudbright king scallops on minted pea pureé with black pudding and smoked fish nage; whole rainbow trout with flaked almonds and brown butter, and bamboo-steamed panache of seafood with cherry tomato butter sauce.

Alasdair can also draw on Scotland's varied larder of wild game, with rabbit, Highland red deer and duck available at different times of the year. His mum grows all the herbs for the kitchen and bread is baked on the premises.

Such fresh daily produce requires planning and the menu has to be constantly updated. Every day Alasdair and head chef Callum Harvey discuss what's planned for the day. "For at least nine months of the year, all the food is sourced locally," says Alasdair. "But if we sell out of a particular fish, we can't replenish stocks. We have to take it off the menu."

Alasdair has to focus on his target market, with 80% of his annual trade made up of tourists on their way to the Highlands or in nearby Wigtown. In summer the pub can cater for up to 1,000 people a week, but in winter, locals fill the bar and two dining rooms. "We're out on a limb here, so we have to make sure we have something to attract the locals," he says.

Part of the attraction for locals is the children's licence, which offers kids smaller and half-price portions of menu options. "I don't believe in creating a kids' menu just because they're children. How will they ever know what good food tastes like unless they get the chance to try it?" says Alasdair, who became a first-time father in June. He has also "kept the locals on side" by keeping prices low: "Although we offer high quality food, locals won't pay restaurant prices, so we keep lunch at a reasonable £10 a head."

And it's not just food that has made the place popular. Propped on the bar is a "Wines of the Month" blackboard, offering over 50 wines.

"We've seen a huge jump in our wine sales since I took the number of choices up from 11 to 50," says Alasdair. "I've always loved wine and my wife and I go on tastings. We put together the list ourselves from what we like and what we think will fit with the food."

The good food/good wine combination seems to be a hit formula, and pinned above the bar are rows of award certificates from Les Routiers and the Good Pub Guide.

But Alasdair is not complacent: "There's a great atmosphere, my customers are happy and I love being my own boss. It's my living and it's also my life," he says.

"But the custom can change year on year in place like this, so we have to keep challenging people and keep the menu interesting.

There's still a lot to aim for, business-wise."

facts

Wet:dry split: 50: 50

Covers: 140 in dining rooms, 30 in bar

Average meal price: £10 per head lunch, £15-£20 per head evening meal

Best business-boosting idea: "We decided quite a while ago that our focus would be on our food offering, so we invested

heavily in that side of the business. We spent nearly £250,000 installing a new kitchen and a conservatory-style dining room, which means we now have three places for people to eat. It has been worth every penny - our turnover has doubled in the last eight years. That should keep the accountant happy!"