Spudman remains hopeful after meeting council. Engineers will review flowerbed plan.
Spudman might stay in Tamworth. He faced issues about his potato stand. A flowerbed could replace his spot, and this plan caused a lot of concern.
Nearly 100,000 people signed a petition wanting Spudman to stay put. He met with Stephen Gabriel on Tuesday, who is a council chief executive.
Ben Newman, Spudman’s real name, said the council will consider options. Engineers will review the flowerbed plan to see what changes they can make.
Spudman hopes the council listens because the petition shows strong support. People want him to stay there, and he hopes they remove the flowerbed idea.
The flowerbed’s purpose surprised Spudman; he learned it was meant for drainage. He mentioned his location never flooded in 23 years, as it sits on a slight hill.
The council will assist with a permit, as he wants a shipping container for his work. Spudman said the chief executive seemed nice and apologized for the whole problem.
Council leader Carol Dean expressed concern earlier, stating they want to work with Spudman, not against him.
Spudman helps Tamworth’s reputation. The council awarded him Freeman of the Borough, and Dean wants his work to keep going.
The square’s revamp uses funds coming from the Future High Street Fund. The old council started this project, and Dean wants to consult all traders because the changes impact their businesses.