Just under 250 years ago, in September 1794, Captain William O’Brien Drury spied four frigates off the coast of Weymouth. He quickly sent out a signal to them, but received no response. Panic overcame him. King George III and his family were holidaying on the shore – the seaside town had become a favourite spot of the royal family as of late. The French had jumped him as he caught some rays; regicide on the Jurassic coast.
Quick as a flash, bags were being packed, sandcastles dismantled; it was time to go. However, as swiftly as the panic erupted, it was diffused. There was no French plot, just the heroic Sir James Saumarez and his fleet. The King no doubt breathed a sigh of relief and went back to licking his rock.
Other than unveiling the paranoid nature of naval activity in the late 1700s, the story portrays just how closely the land and sea come together at the town of Weymouth. But Catch at the Old Fish Market, a unique dining experience right on the harbour, is more concerned with what is going in the mouths of holidaymakers than the panicked warnings coming out.
It, under the leadership of their new chef patron Ben Champkin, has created a menu that pays tribute to Weymouth’s deep fishing history by preserving the beauty of its primary product and using the best in local suppliers for everything surrounding it. But in a time where diners trawl restaurants in pursuit of the freshest catch, and fishing still swims in politically murky waters, does Catch have a menu worthy of lining up for when the boats come in?
Though Champkin refined his cooking as far afield as Napa Valley and closer to home in Torquay and the Lake District, he always knew he’d return to this fishing town. “My mum was born here. My grandfather drove the trains that took produce up to Bristol or up to London. There is a connection for me here.”
During his culinary travels, two dovetailing aspects began to become non-negotiable: freshness and simplicity. Unsurprisingly, he found potential for both in Weymouth, but more specifically, up near the rafters of its fish market. Built by Thomas Talbot Bury back in 1855 to house a twice-weekly fish market, it was restored in 1985. That’s decades of local catch coming into the building – the seabass, the crab, the cuttlefish – piscine aromas floating up and soaking into the walls, it was a location made to serve local produce. No wonder the ominous foodie powers that be included it in the 2025 Michelin Guide.
Visitors will find that “fishing town” is a very genuine description of Weymouth as they make their way from the sandy beach toward the harbour area. Kids of all ages murmur excitedly – even adults too, as they line the harbour walls, looking down into the waters, a little calmer than those lapping against Weymouth Bay. Clambering past the huddled masses, one will find everyone and their mums dropping a line, snaking down past the local ships as they land. In buckets next to them, small crabs patiently wait to be let back into their murky dwellings. “They are velvet crabs, it’s a thing to do here. A childhood memory. We’re not serving them,” Champkin reassures me.
The fishermen pulling in will serve the market, and by extension Catch, look a little further afield. Though they are not fishing so deep as to be snared in the trawling nets and the torrent of debate that rages about overfishing, post-Brexit rights to certain waters and the destruction of sea beds. Theirs is a sweet spot between the hobbyists and the trawlers.
And who are these fishermen? Well, there’s Pete Eggleton of the Moby Dick. Luke Studley of the Quarter Bell. Simon Jones of the Sole Trader. These names, and more, are proudly displayed on Catch’s menu. Some of these boats supply solely to Catch. “These are the relationships that needed to be built over time,” Champkin tells me. To get close to the fish, you have to get on good terms with the men who bring them in.
The first two courses, served together, perfectly display the highs and lows that such an operation can deliver. A swirl of braised cuttlefish with wild garlic, and crispy skate jowl topped with parsley. The former is an incredible entry point into this meal. A zing bouncing off the taut flesh of the cuttlefish. There’s so much to love about it, and such a strong flavour, it makes you wonder if Jason Durnman didn’t pull his ship, the Wildwest, into some magic cove while fishing.
Conversely, the breaded skate jowl has that loamy feel and flavour we come to expect from fish. It’s adequate. But with all the pomp of Catch’s modus operandi for something that feels like any old fish from the chippy, the two are leagues apart.
Some of the highlights of Catch’s menu aren’t even caught at all, but still show a dedication to local suppliers and sustainability. I don’t think I’ve ever held a chunk of bread as heavy as the Coombeshead Farm’s sourdough, served with Portland Brown Crab in a hollandaise, the combination of which somehow manages not to tip over into the “too much” territory. This is dish number four of seven, let’s not forget. It’s about as far as Catch gets into complicating things. “Weymouth is the home of Portland Brown,” says Champkin.
The menu in this pre-summer season revolves around sea bass. Our waiter and Champkin himself can hardly contain their pride and excitement about it. “There’s a ban on sea bass in February and March to help them spawn.” Indeed, one of the first things you see as you enter the market level is several of the catches being dry-aged in a fridge. Weymouth itself is responsible for 40 per cent of the line-caught sea bass in the whole of the UK.
The raw servings halfway through the tasting menu show a level of precision and commitment in their bold flavour, carving out a fresh-tasting place nestled in zesty dressing and galvanised by spots of wasabi. There is a sense that this is how you really taste the freshness of what is being brought in for Champkin and his team to prepare.
The main serving of those fast-ageing sea bass dangling downstairs is served sat in watercress sporting pink peppercorns poking out from the green soupy sauce. There’s subtle flavours going on, but again, apart from the beautiful texture of the fish owed to the Josper oven, it doesn’t feel like there’s much here to write home about, though the presentation is tasteful.
But with Catch, nestled up near the rafters of a historic fish market, there is something to write home about on the whole. In those close connections with the local fishermen, lovingly displayed to the patrons on its menu. In the concentration and camaraderie of its chef team, putting together dishes that combine precision, simplicity and freshness. In its promise of a beautiful fine-dining experience in the seaside-harbour town of Weymouth. Catch at the Old Fish Market successfully brings its beautiful waters, and the people it serves, together.
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