TikTok sensation Spudman is determined to challenge a council’s decision to evict him from his pitch, a spot he has maintained for over 20 years, citing the need to provide for his nine children.
Ben Newman, 39, has been selling £5 spuds from his trailer in Tamworth, Staffordshire, since the age of 18.
He sets up his stall from 4.30am, working 14-hour shifts four days a week to feed his children and keep a roof over their heads.
Ben says he has been left ‘destroyed’ by Labour-run Tamworth borough council’s plans to turf him out.Â
Despite the council’s intention to replace his pitch with a flowerbed as part of town center renovations, Ben, also known as Spudman, is resolute in his determination to retain his location.
‘It’s my livelihood. It’s what feeds my children, keeps a roof over their head and stuff like that,’ he said in an impassioned TikTok video.Â
Ben, who undergoes rigorous dialysis treatment for a kidney condition, considers his business as a significant coping mechanism during his illness, making his fight to keep his pitch even more crucial to him.
He had hoped to pass the business to his eldest son Dylan, who works full time alongside his father, if anything happened to him.
But he says he can longer do this and blasted council bosses for changing his contract.
‘They took away the transferable part of the contract to it to making it a non transferable contract,’ he said. ‘So I was like, that was one of the things that I was really upset about.’
Spudman, aka Ben Newman, pictured with his wife Sarah and their nine children during a visit to Scottish village Newcastleton in June 2024Â
Ben works 14 hour shifts four days a week to feed his nine childrenÂ
Ben, who has to make trips to hospital for gruelling dialysis treatment for a kidney condition, had hoped to pass the business to his eldest son Dylan (right)
His loyal supporters have rallied around him with a petition being signed by nearly 90,000 people in four days.Â
He told MailOnline he has rejected offers from other councils to move to their area, insisting he wants to stay in Tamworth.Â
Ben said he hopes the council ‘make the right decision’ and said he would be devastated if he couldn’t return to his original pitch satying: ‘I spend more time there than I do at home. It’s my spot.Â
‘I can’t imagine it’s going to be the most famous flowerbed if they do build it. I don’t think it would be very popular,’ he said before joking: ‘Maybe we would plant potatoes in it?’
After a showdown today with local authority bosses, beloved Ben spent five hours selling one thousand jacket potatoes to customers who had been queuing for the tasty treat for up to 45 minutes.
He said the meeting was ‘positive’ and engineers and designers were going to ‘see what they can do’. Â
The father-of-nine, who has been struggling to sleep, said ‘I appreciated the chance of sitting around a table with them’.
‘I want to future proof my business and instead of a trailer I have to tow in every day I want a shipping container semi static structure that can stay in situ when the new market reopens,’ he said.
‘But it seems I have lost my pitch to a flowerbed they want to install in my place. I feel destroyed by this but I will fight it.
‘My dad was a potato merchant who used to supply the stall holder here before me.
The busybody council wants to build a flowerbed in his place as part of renovation plans for the town centre but Ben has vowed to fight to keep hold of his spot
His loyal supporters have rallied around him with a petition being signed by nearly 90,000 people in four days
People queued for 45 minutes to grab a jacket potato from Spudman
Albert Tyson, 11, and Grahame Tyson from Stoke tuck in to their jacket potatoes — February 18, 2025
Ben poses for a picture to be taken by one of his supporters — February 18, 2025
Ben hoped to hand the business over to his son, Dylan, but says the council has changed his contract meaning it is no longer transferrableÂ
‘I’ve been here for 23 years and I am suffering from health issues and I need to have spells in hospital.
‘I have a right to this pitch but the council changed the contract for me and other traders.
‘The council now recognises that one of three issues discussed is controversial and they have apologised over miscommunication.
‘They will now be instructing specialised engineers to check positioning and drainage of the planned flower bed.
‘Maybe it can be moved and I can stay! The meeting was a step in the right direction.’
Ben was awarded Freedom of the Borough in August 2024 with his jacket potato trailer being visited by thousands of people from all over the world.Â
The council statement at the time applauded him for helping to ‘put Tamworth as a town on the map’. Â
As he busily filled yet another baked spud with topping, Ben told MailOnline that he had cleared the first hurdle in his battle to stay at his market stall in Tamworth, Staffordshire, where he had been for 23 years.
He said: ‘The meeting at 8.30 this morning was all about replacing me with a flower bed. I bring so much custom to the town. It’s crazy!
‘They are now weighing up the lesser of two evils – upsetting me or moving the proposed bed!
‘The world all knows I can shout out loud!’
The savvy businessman has amassed a huge TikTok following with four million fans and shares clips about his success.
He sells £5 hot potatoes with speciality BBQ Pulled Pork priced at £8 five days a week, bar Wednesday and Sunday, from a trailer at a temporary pitch whilst the market place where he and fellow traders had been based, in the shadow of St Editha’s Church, is closed whilst undergoing a huge costly development.
Now more than 72,000 people have signed a petition supporting the 39-year-old father-of-nine.
The flower bed will cover much of the area where Ben currently sells his spuds
Pictured is a concept design of the council’s plans to redevelop St Editha’s square. The flower bed, which is being erected in the same place as his current pitch
Ben’s loyal supporters have rallied around him with a petition being signed by nearly 90,000 people in four days
Ben was awarded Freedom of the Borough in August 2024 with his jacket potato trailer being visited by thousands of people from all over the world
After a showdown with local authority bosses, beloved Ben spent five hours selling one thousand jacket potatoes to customers
Jim Harris with daughter Molly Harris and her friends from Northampton — February 18, 2025
Ben said: ‘I think the council are getting a bit worried now because if signatures reach 100,000 it can go to Parliament.’
Masses flocked to support Spudman with queues snaking down the road in the busy town. Many were first time customers, young, middle aged and old, who had seen footage on social media of his ordeal.
Others were school children and students enjoying a half term break.
Birthday girl Ashley Granger’s face lit up when she was given a cheese and beans potato with a sparking candle on top.
The mum-of-two, celebrating her 20th birthday today, said: ‘We heard about the council trying to evict the Spudman and it’s just not fair.
‘We wanted to show him some love and support and of course try one if his spuds.’
Ashley, accompanied by her mother Rachel Granger and partner Tyler Hunt, added: ‘We don’t agree with the council. They’ve got to let him stay, they can’t move him. Look how popular he is. The queue goes on and on.’
Her mum said: ‘He’s had the pitch 20-odd years and don’t why he’s being kicked off to be replaced by some flowers. It’s sad to see and hope it doesn’t happen.’
The first time customers were visiting the town for an ice skating trip from home in Coalville, Leicestershire.
Schoolboys, brothers Oscar and Max Cort, 16 and 15, and pals Jack Homer-Yarwood and Jimmy Vernon, both 16, had travelled from Birmingham to check out the spud sensation.
Oscar said: ‘The potatoes are amazing. It was worth the travel over and the long wait. They’ve good value too.’ His mates agreed the filling lunch was ‘very tasty.’
Dawn Lorton said: ‘We have been following his story and really hope he is allowed to stay.
‘Flower beds cost a lot money to look after and keep up to scratch and if left they’ll die. ‘
Dawn Lorton (left), Queenie (centre) and Emma Williams (right) from Castle Bromwich — February 18, 2025
Masses flocked to support Spudman with queues snaking down the road in the busy town
Jimmy Vernon, Max Cort, Oscar Cort and Jack Homer-Yarwood from Birmingham — February 18, 2025
The school lunch supervisor from Cadtje Bromwich, West Midlands, continued: ‘I hope the council rethinks its plans and lets him keep his pitch. They should see all the support out here for him.
‘The taxpayer will be paying for those flower beds and here’s a businessman bringing money in and giving something back to the community.’
Her daughter Emma Williams, 24, a student veterinary nurse with her dog Queenie: ‘Spudman should stay, he’s been here for so long and his food is delicious.
‘Flowers will keep needing to be replaced and could get vandalised.’
Many customers wanted selfies with Ben and he took time between cooking and serving to oblige.
He said: ‘There’s a big queue today but this is normal. Maybe half term holidays have bought a few more people out.’
Among them was 11-year-old Albert Tyson, tucking into a cheese and beans potato and grinning: ‘It’s yummy!’
The schoolboy from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, is a big fan of Spudman having seen him on YouTube and wanted to meet him in person.
He said: ‘I think he’s great and he has such a dedicated following.’
His dad Grahame Tyson, scoffing a chicken curry and cheese spud, said: ‘It’s just what you need on a cold day!
‘It’s the holidays and Albert wanted to meet the Spudman. We waited three quarters of an hour but it was worth it.’
When Ben bought the pitch back in 2003 for £100,000, it was sold to him as a transferable asset
Many were first time customers, young, middle aged and old, who had seen footage on social media of his ordeal
Tamworth council is currently carrying out renovation works and wants to place a flowerbed in Spudman’s pitch
Albert’s mum Laura Rogers said: ‘We’ve got three nice big spuds for £18. That’s a good value lunch. We do hope he can stay here and we’ll definitely be back!’
Landscape gardener Luke Young from Coventry, West Midlands, said: ‘I had a curry and cheese jacket and it’s amazing! It’s 100 per cent good grub!’
Luke, 27, explained: ‘I’ve been following him on TikTok and as I had a day off work thought I’d come over.
‘He does a great job, he works hard at it and let’s hope he’s finally allowed to stay put. He deserves a pitch here.’
Jim Harris, sales director of KP Films which makes special packaging for Ben’s potatoes, visited the trailer with his excited daughter Molly, 13, and three of her pals from Milton Keynes based MK Dons junior female football squad.
Molly, along with Lily Spenceley, 13, Edie May, 12, and Poppy Ward, 13, follow Spudman online and were keen to see him. She gushed: ‘It’s great to be here and help support him.’
Distinct-looking Ben, who is bearded and sports a flame-coloured mohawk hair, had posted a TikTok video discussing his planned meeting with leaders of Tamworth Borough Council.
Before setting up the trailer – which he has to transport back and forth from home in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire – he squeezed in a meeting with council chief executive Stephen Gabriel and the former and outgoing Conservative council leader.
Current leader Carol Dean didn’t make the meeting but later visited him at his pitchm only the second time Ben says he has met her.
When Ben bought the pitch back in 2003 for £100,000, it was sold to him as a transferable asset – meaning it could be passed on to his son or sold it on.Â
Tamworth Borough Council first requested Spudman relocate to the main high street in June – a move the potato chef is unhappy about as he does not want to upset other traders with his own high footfall.
But, following changes to his contract, it is no longer transferrable and he would have to apply for the pitches every 12 months to retain it.
