It isn’t often that the small leafy town of Tamworth hits the headlines beyond it’s famous attraction Drayton Manor, but now thanks to Spudman it has a new claim to fame.
Benjamin John Newman, 39, also known as Spudman, runs a well-known jacket potato van in the picturesque town – and it’s rapidly become one of the hottest eateries in town thanks to its TikTok fame.
Ben’s humble food van, tucked away in the heart of Tamworth attracts people from all corners of the globe – with fans of his scrumptious potatoes even having travelled from as far afield as Malaysia and Australia!
Desperate just to grab a bite of these tasty spuds, one man from Birmingham even offered £75 to anyone willing to wait in line for him as Ben dishes out a whopping 1,500 potatoes a day.
(Image: Jonathan Hipkiss/The Mirror)
But despite his scrumptious cooking, it appears Spudman doesn’t just stop at being a global sensation as he also uses his popularity to raise money for kidney research after experiencing three failed transplants himself.
Speaking about the cause close to his heart, Ben revealed: “I can’t have anymore as my body just rejects them. The last ten years has always been about saving money to get through having a transplant as you have to have six months off work – so now I know I won’t be having transplants anymore, my goal is to buy a house.”
Despite his health struggles, Ben prefers to remain positive and shares his optimism with his customers, several of which are also on dialysis.
“I know that I’ll be on dialysis for the rest of my life and I can live a long time if I remain healthy,” added the chef. “A lot of my followers are on dialysis so it’s nice putting out a positive message to them and that they can be normal while having kidney failure.”
Following his success online, the once quiet town is now buzzing with people eager for a Spudman special from his simple trailer – including Mirror writer Niamh Kirk who went to see what all the excitement was about for herself.
(Image: Jonathan Hipkiss/The Mirror)
Arriving in Tamworth bright and early, there was a long line of people waiting for a Spudman special with around 30 people queuing for a bite before 10am when Ben began serving.
The trailer, located outside the beautiful St Editha’s Parish Church, is easy to spot thanks to the huge ‘jacket spuds’ sign and a cartoon image of Ben as a potato.
People have waited up to three hours for a taste in the past – but luckily, Niamh only had to wait half an hour for her hot potato filled with beans and cheese.
One couple behind her travelled from Rugby, nearly an hour away, to celebrate a 40th birthday with a Spudman special. Another man came from south London just for these famous potatoes – he even got up at 6am to get here. A young boy in the queue excitedly said: “Oh my god my friends are going to be so jealous I am at the actual Spudman’s van.”
Ben, the man behind these scrumptious spuds, was also not afraid to boast his culinary skills, as he said on his website: “If Carlsberg did jacket potatoes they still wouldn’t be as good as mine…”
His menu includes familiar toppings like cheese, beans, and tuna mayo; but he also cooks up special treats such as homemade chilli con carne, chicken curry, pulled pork, and minced beef. Considering most of Ben’s jacket potatoes cost £5 or less, prices also seem to be pretty fair.
(Image: Jonathan Hipkiss/The Mirror)
After a half-hour queue, Niamh finally got to chat with Ben himself and heard from his own mouth just how hectic his days have been lately.
Ben revealed: “I start at 8am, preparing the potatoes and making the toppings. We open at 10am and we always have a queue waiting for us.”
Following a brief wait it was finally decision time, as Niamh was tasked with picking the perfect filling to complete her potato. Electing to keep things simple by choosing a classic choice – cheese and beans, the journalist soon confessed that it did not disappoint!
Fully loaded with a sea of shredded cheese and heaps of hot baked beans on top, the potato feast was just what she needed to stave off any hunger pangs.
For 21 years, Ben has been running the unique lunch spot, taking after his late father who also sold potatoes too.
Ben reasoned: “I was 17 years old, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life, and then I heard the previous owner of the jacket potato pitch was retiring, so I took over.”
Now, he’s a TikTok sensation with an impressive 41.6 million likes and his own fan base in Hawaii, putting his town on the map. He shared: “It’s made the town busy and the other traders are doing well off it, and it’s nice to see. I was a one-man band happily selling here in Tamworth for 21 years, and then the power of social media took over and now there’s four of us in the trailer.”
Ben’s TikTok fame skyrocketed after his third video, thanks to his son introducing him to the platform. After three years of consistent posting, Ben’s spud trailer has become a global hit.
(Image: Jonathan Hipkiss/The Mirror)
“I couldn’t believe how much my video blew up and it went from there. I now post consistently and persistently, that’s the trick with social media you have to keep posting. Now I have people coming all the way from Malaysia to visit,” he revealed.
He described the visit from the Malaysian couple as the most “surreal moment”, saying: “They hadn’t come to the UK for a holiday, they came just to see me. They caught a flight to Gatwick and then hired a car to drive to little old Tamworth solely for a jacket potato. The success has been beyond my wildest dreams.”
Ben, known for his signature pink mohawk, is a hit with the locals. He’s always ready for a selfie and loves to chat with his customers. His personality and love for jacket potatoes make him a favourite. When asked about his preferred potato topping, he said: “For me, my favourite is cheese, curry and crispy onion potato.” Despite his love for them, he sometimes misses out due to high demand.
You can find Ben and his trailer outside St Editha’s Parish Church in Tamworth, Staffordshire. His opening times are:
Monday – 10:00 – 15:00
Tuesday – 10:00 – 15:30
Wednesday – CLOSED
Thursday – 10:00 – 15:00
Friday – 10:00 – 15:00
Saturday – 10:00 – 15:30
Sunday – CLOSED