Staffordshire TikTok sensation Spudman with over 4 million followers forced to temporarily close after gas leak
A TikTok star with over four million followers has made a shock announcement that they have been forced to temporarily shut their shop.
Ben Newman, affectionately known online as Spudman or his TikTok handle @spudarmy, has been servicing customers from the same pitch in Tamworth since 2003—selling loaded potatoes with creative toppings—transforming a simple street stall into a viral sensation.
However, due to an unexpected gas leak, Newman has been forced to temporarily close his Tamworth stall and updated fans on his TikTok page with a video message.
"The little gas leak has turned into a major overhaul," he said in a TikTok video on Wednesday, September 3 morning. "It's going to be a few days, and I did have worries about this because we knew there were a lot of issues with this trailer.
"We need to get these things sorted and I'm thinking this is a good time. I get back from Croatia on the 12th (of September) so we'll be back on the Monday after that (15th)."
This is not the first issue the Spudman has faced with his site.
Earlier this year Tamworth Borough Council planned to place a flower bed where his trailer usually sells spuds, prompting Spudman to express feelings of being “destroyed” since he has built his business on that spot for 22 years.
A Change.org petition to restore his pitch rapidly gained over 65,000 signatures in just a few days, and later soared past 100,000 as other towns offered him sites in a bid to bring his customers their way.
The council later issued an apology for their communication and pledged to review and honour previous contractual arrangements.
