John Dickson, also known as John The Spud, has been a familiar face on a Liverpool street since 1999
John the Spud with his van on London Road, where it has been for over two decades
Over the past 25 years, London Road has undergone significant change.
The Islington road used to be central to the city’s textiles history and home to a wide range of shops, as well as 27 pubs and two cinemas. All but one of those pubs and both cinemas have gone and in 2023, TJ Hughes ended its 111-year association with London Road when it moved to a new location on Church Street. But one thing that has stood the test of time is popular street trader, John Dickson.
Known more lovingly as John The Spud, the businessman, from West Derby, has been found on the street since 1999.
The 62-year-old is based on Audley Street next to where TJ Hughes once stood – and while he serves breakfast items, hotdogs and burgers, it is his spuds which has gained him a huge reputation in the city – hence his nickname.
John the Spud says he loves where he is at in the city with his business
Speaking with the ECHO about his secrets to success, he said: “You need to have good service, good fun and good prices. The people of Liverpool aren’t stupid, you need to be affordable.
“When you come to me you can expect a good experience overall. That’s what life is about, experiences and enjoying them experiences. That is what makes customers come back again.
“I’ve been here 26 years and don’t plan on going anywhere. It’s always been a good business and lately its just gotten even busier with the craze. I’ve come to realise recently that social media is so powerful, it’s made me so busy.
“If you look at the comments on my Instagram and TikTok, you see a lot of people appreciate what I do. A lot of people say to me that it just isn’t the food they come here for, they come to see me and have a little chat.
“I’ve been here 26 years and don’t plan on going anywhere”
“I’m an affable person, easy to get along with and when others see that, it makes me feel good, very good.
John isn’t naive to the ongoing TikTok craze surrounding jacket potatoes. Yesterday, Thursday, September 4, hundreds queued for hours, in one instance, almost a full day, to be among the first to try Liverpool’s inaugural SpudBros store.
The same happened in the middle of August when SpudMan Ben Newman brought his tram to Crosby Beach for one week only. In both instances, it was business as usual for John – who continued to serve the same customers he has been for the last decades.
He said: “I think I’m in an advantageous position. My business isn’t created on social media alone; I had a good business before the trend. When social media disappears, so can the business. But I’ve built mine on interactions with people on an everyday level.
“I’m doing a good job because customers keep coming back and back, they clearly enjoy it. It’s so rewarding for me. You meet some really nice people, some interesting people and people from all over.
“You see, it’s all about the potato. Out there, there are thousands of different types of potatoes. People will tell you, when you go to a supermarket, that is a baking potato, but it isn’t at all. It’s the potato you use that makes it.”
When Ben came to Merseyside he made time to stop by with John and they filmed some content and, of course, whipped up some jacket potatoes together. Since then, John said he has been “busier than before” thanks to SpudMan publishing videos to his 4.2million followers.
John said: “I’m carrying on here on London Road. I’m building the business up to the point where you can’t move anymore. Right now, there is a little bit of movement still, but I’m operating not far from my maximum. I’m happy to be doing this as it is.”