Flock to ancient English town for baked potatoes

Ben Newman, also known as Spudman, recently saw diners queue up for three hours to taste his "famous" baked potato in the ancient town of Tamworth, Staffordshire, West Midlands, England.

Baked potatoes are a popular appetizer and snack in the West, made with potatoes and a little butter, garlic, or cheese baked at high temperatures. This popular dish has many variations, but through Ben's hands it becomes a delicacy that many people want to try at least once.

Tourists from as far away as the US, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia lined up around Ben's baked potato truck after his videos went viral.

His TikTok account now has 2.6 million followers and 41.6 million likes. Since his sudden rise to fame, the 39-year-old sells up to 1,500 baked potatoes a day, at prices ranging from £4 to £5 each.

Ben Newman's Spudman menu includes cheese potatoes and beans (£4 per portion); chilli potatoes with meat and cheese (£4 per portion); cheese potatoes, beans and coleslaw (£5 per portion); cheese potatoes, beans and bacon (£5 per portion).

The father of nine said he doesn’t understand why he has become a tourist attraction, especially among young people. He joined TikTok just to keep up with his kids. However, simple videos of him sharing cooking tips and his daily life as a potato chip vendor have become popular online.

Ben even has his own fan base in Hawaii, and admits he's still confused by his rapid rise to fame.

Customer April Hall, 38, travelled an hour from Telford, Shrops, to try Ben's Spudman's baked potato with cheese and tuna. She said "he's done a fantastic job of building up this following and we're delighted to support him."

Another customer, McDonald's manager Lewis Rochelle, 18, said: "I just wanted to see what the fuss was about. I paid £5 for a baked potato with cheese and beans. It was really good so it was worth the trip."

Tamworth resident Lee Vickers, 29, added: "Spudman has made Tamworth famous. He really sells top quality potatoes."

Since the baked potato hit the scene around October 2023, the town of Tamworth has seen hundreds of visitors line up at Ben's truck every day.

Situated in the rural county of Staffordshire, Tamworth's unique location makes it one of the most visited towns in the UK. It was the capital of England in the 8th century.

The rich history and the old world charm that still remains today are some of the compelling reasons to visit. Top attractions in Tamworth include the Snow Dome, Tamworth Castle, Ash End House Children's Farm, Drayton Manor Theme Park and Statfold Country Park.