What is next on the menu for Scotland's 'oyster town'?

Few people would have imagined that shellfish would have any part to play in efforts to revive a former ferry town.

However, Stranraer was recently successful in being designated as the region's "oyster town" by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

It is hoped that can mark a "moment of real momentum" for a place that has spent more than a decade taking steps to recover from the closure of its ferry port which moved a few miles up the coast.

But the new designation celebrating its native oyster beds - which it is hoped will be nationally recognised - is just one strand of what it is hoped can be a much wider regeneration plan.

For most of its recent history, Stranraer was best known as a ferry town with crossings to Northern Ireland.

However, that ended in 2011 when Stena Line moved its operations up the coast to Cairnryan.

Out of that setback, came a "bold community response" with the launch of the Stranraer Oyster Festival in 2017 - a celebration of Scotland's last wild native oyster fishery in Loch Ryan.

Gaining recognition on the back of that is seen as part of one of the country's "most compelling small town success stories".

A new water sports hub on the waterfront is on the way, regeneration of the town's George Hotel is near completion and a marina expansion plan on the horizon.

It has even given Stranraer the confidence to throw its hat into the ring for the UK Town of Culture competition.

That could bring a year-round programme of events.

Romano Petrucci, who chairs Stranraer Development Trust (SDT), said the oyster town designation was testimony to what a community could achieve when it "backs an idea that might once have seemed like a dream".

He said the festival had seen "remarkable growth" in visitor numbers and was now a significant driver for the local economy at what was previously a quiet time of year.

"What makes it truly special is that this has been delivered by a small team and by the community itself," he said.

"The oyster festival is widely recognised as the catalyst for an incredible turnaround in Stranraer's fortunes over the last 10 years.

"This accolade acknowledges that, and there's so much more still to come."

Wendi Cuffe, a trustee with Stranraer Water Sports Association, said the oyster festival had "opened the community's eyes to what's possible".

"The oyster town designation can only add to that, drawing attention to Loch Ryan and everything it has to offer, including some spectacularly good water sports facilities," she said.

"For decades, the wash from the ferries meant the loch was effectively off-limits to local people.

"Since 2011, we've been able to open it up for much broader activity."

That includes events like the Scottish Fin and Foil Championships, and the World Coastal Rowing Championships - SkiffieWorlds.

She said that the town was being "put on the map in a distinctive way".

At the town's Millennium Centre, project manager Stephen McCutcheon, said: "When I hear Stranraer being called 'oyster town', I feel a real sense of pride.

"It's recognition that reflects the hard work of a community that cares deeply about this place."

However, he said the title only "scratches the surface" of the town's story.

"More than anything, Stranraer is about its people," he said.

"For a place that's often described as small, and sometimes defined by its challenges, the level of commitment and ambition here is something special.

"Time and time again, people step up, support each other and create something bigger than themselves."

Ian Donnachie, general manager at the North West Castle hotel also welcomed the designation.

"Stranraer has always had more to offer than people realise, and it's wonderful to see that being recognised," he said.

"The curling rink at North West Castle is one of the oldest in Scotland, and like the oyster festival, it's something genuinely unique to this town.

"The oyster town designation feels like part of a growing confidence here, a sense that Stranraer knows what makes it special and is ready to shout about it.

"That's good for everyone, the businesses, the community, and the visitors who are increasingly discovering our town."