A little bit about Latimers

Robert Latimer is the 3rd generation Latimer to live and work at Shell Hill, Whitburn. His Grandfather Robert Latimer (Snr Snr) built the original building, which his Father Robert Latimer (Snr) has extended over the years.

Robert (Jnr) has worked for many years with fish in one way or another; he trained in fish farming, and worked on many fish farms in Scotland, where he honed his other fishing skills – fly fishing, line fishing, diving for scallops, creeling for shellfish… (wasn’t going to mention trawling for ladies!) After a while he decided to become a proper fisherman, in the most dangerous job you can do in the UK, lone creel fishing. He and his boat “Flessy” worked in the treacherous waters around the infamous Corryveckan Whirlpool off the West Coast of Scotland and the stories he tells about it all (after a malt whiskey or two) are hair-raising.

A few years later Robert was ready for a change, he decided he was fed up with seeing all this beautiful seafood being sent to the continent and could make more money selling shellfish rather than catching it – If he thought it might be easier or shorter hours he was vastly mistaken! So he set up Latimers Shellfish Deli, at the back of what used to be Whitburn Service Station. A few years later and he got the chance to develop the now redundant petrol station and mechanics garage, and after a lot of heartache, blood sweat and tears from an awful lot of people the new shop Latimers Seafood was born!

Robert works long and hard to get the BEST fish that is caught in our waters into Latimers counter, he’s on the phone morning noon and night to fishermen all down our coast from Eyemouth to Whitby to see what’s coming in and what’s good he gets. Our fish (with the exception of some warm water exotic fishes!) is from local day boats, meaning the fish is landed the same day its caught, so it is as fresh as it comes (unless you catch it yourself).

So now you know a little bit about us! We would love your feedback – good or bad about what we’ve done here and how we can carry on improving. We would also like to say a few Thank-yous firstly to everyone who has helped us along the way, secondly to all our customers – without whom we would have no one to sell too! (And wouldn’t have been nominated for any accolades by!). Lastly but not at all least to all those brave men who go to sea to catch fish, I am in awe of them.