Furness fish firm delivers King’s shrimp minutes before Royal meal

A 3ft x 3ft box of potted shrimp, sent by Furness Fish, Poultry and Game in Flookburgh, was lost by His Majesty’s own postal service, Royal Mail.

The order was needed for a special family occasion at the Royal’s Scottish home – Balmoral Castle. Potted shrimp was a delicacy particularly enjoyed by the late Queen Elizabeth II, with King Charles now carrying on the tradition.

The Royal Family are longstanding customers of the Furness company who are known for their world-famous Morecambe Bay Potted Shrimps and have never had a problem receiving their orders. 

CEO Clare Worrall said her ‘heart sank’ when the King’s kitchens at Balmoral contacted her to say it hadn’t received the special delivery. Already inundated with orders for the upcoming Cartmel races, Clare’s parents Jean and Geoff, who are in their seventies, stepped up to the plate.

The couple offered to make the 300-mile drive last minute on Wednesday (August 23) in order to get the delicacy there on time.

Speaking whilst en route to the castle, Geoff said: “You’d like to think lightning wouldn’t strike twice, but we couldn’t risk sending such an important order of shrimps the same way. Clare and her team take their good service very seriously; every customer is given the Royal treatment.”

“It’s ironic it’s the King’s own postal service that lost the original consignment – we’d like to think King Charle’s has seen the funny side. The only solution was for Jean and I to drive it to Balmoral ourselves today and hand it over in person.”

Luckily, the couple made the drive to Balmoral safely and successfully.

Clare’s cousin, TV producer Robert Ellis said: “It was a great success. Jean and Geoff arrived in the nick of time, greeted by a police escort that took them the last part of the journey and into the grounds, straight past security and right up to the doors.

“There was an enormous police presence. They were thanked most sincerely for going to such lengths, the shrimps were whisked away immediately to be served minutes later for a large family meal.”