National Seafood Week has gone fishing – so New Wave is bringing it back.
One of the Cotswolds’ leading independent fish and seafood businesses is taking matters into its own hands, creating its very own New Wave Seafood Week, running from 21–28 October.
New Wave Fish & Seafood Markets will mark the week across its Cirencester fishmonger and the New Wave Brasserie in Lechlade, which hosts its own fresh fish market on Friday mornings.
The initiative will celebrate the breadth of British seafood while encouraging customers to look beyond the familiar favourites and discover the huge variety of fish and shellfish available from responsible and sustainable sources.
For New Wave, Seafood Week is also an opportunity to showcase a newly enhanced retail offer at its Cirencester shop. The business has invested in new display cabinets and an improved seafood presentation, alongside expanding its range of cooked delights, including various different fishcakes, seafood platters, of your own design, and fruits de mer to enjoy at home or outside on the terrace at the Cirencester shop.
New Wave founder and director Tim Boyd, who established the business, believes the week is a natural extension of what the company does throughout the year, he said: “Seafood Week used to be a great opportunity for the industry to put fish and seafood firmly in the spotlight, so when there was no longer a National Seafood Week, we thought, why wait for someone else to bring it back, we will do it.
“For us, it is about celebrating seafood, but also about reminding people just how much choice there is beyond cod, haddock and salmon. There are so many fantastic species available, and choosing differently can make a real difference to the sustainability of our fisheries.
“We’re lucky to have an incredible coastline and fishing industry on our doorstep, yet so much of the seafood landed around the UK is exported while consumers continue to concentrate on a relatively small number of species. We want to help change that.”
That message is particularly relevant to New Wave, which operates across the seafood supply chain. Alongside its retail operation and Lechlade brasserie, the company runs one of the largest fish and seafood wholesale businesses in the region, supplying restaurants and pubs as well as institutions including schools.
Cirencester shop manager and fishmonger Adam Yeoh says the week will also be about putting the knowledge of the fishmonger back at the heart of buying seafood, he said: “One of the great things about buying from a fishmonger is that you can actually have a conversation about what you’re buying. If you always buy cod, haddock or salmon, we can show you something different, explain where it has come from, how to cook it and why it might be a good choice.
“There are some fantastic fish around our waters which don’t necessarily get the attention they deserve. Seafood Week is a great excuse to try something new.”
Sustainability and responsible sourcing are central to New Wave’s approach across both its retail and wholesale operations. The company believes that greater awareness of fishing methods, stocks and regulations – alongside encouraging consumers to consider a wider range of species – can help reduce pressure on the seafood industry’s most heavily demanded fish.
The original National Seafood Week concept was designed to encourage consumers to eat more seafood, experiment with recipes and discover new species. New Wave believes there is an opportunity to retain that sense of discovery while putting greater emphasis on where seafood comes from and how it is caught or farmed.
During New Wave Seafood Week, the New Wave Brasserie in Lechlade will also be adding extra seafood dishes to its special’s boards, giving diners another opportunity to discover different fish and shellfish.
Tim Boyd added: “We’re not trying to tell people what they should and shouldn’t eat. We want people to eat more seafood, enjoy it and understand it. But if we can encourage customers to occasionally choose something different, particularly when it is a responsibly sourced species, that can only be a good thing.
“Seafood Week is our way of celebrating an industry we are incredibly proud to be part of. From the fishermen and suppliers right through to our fishmongers, chefs, wholesale customers and, ultimately, the person sitting down to eat it.”
New Wave Seafood Week runs from 21–28 October 2026 at New Wave Fish & Seafood Market, Cirencester, and New Wave Brasserie, Lechlade.
