This is how
The Hot Potato Tram conquered the world

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A Bit About Our
Tiny Spud Tram

Our story…

Ernie Rhodes set up his hot potato cart on the flag market in 1955. His nephew, Keith Roberts, began working for him at the age of ten, stoking the converted fire pump which had once served the folk of Blackburn, with wood, coal or anything combustible. Covered in soot, little Keith looked like nothing more than a Victorian chimney sweep. At length, the apprentice became the master and Keith took over the enterprise in 1978. His son, also Keith, in turn took over from him in 2008 and four years later bought the tram which has become an attractive and reassuring feature of the town centre.

Sadly, much mourned, the popular Keith Jnr died prematurely in 2020 and he contacted his old friend Tony Nelson to ask if he would be willing to take over the business. Keith had given Tony’s daughter and son, Brittany and Jake, their first part-time jobs. He wanted the venture to remain a family affair and trusted Tony to retain its character. A trained chef, former sales director for Carlsberg, and married to Helena, a consultant in the food industry, Tony accepted with alacrity. The father and son tradition will be continued as Tony and Jake take over.

The wood and coal, of course, are long gone but the old ethos of friendly service will endure. Tony intends to expand the menu and is thinking of adding pancakes, breakfasts, hot and cold drinks.

Prestonians always have looked for the familiar sight of the welcoming tram in its customary place on Preston Flag Market, serving hot, tasty food to cheer them up. And we look forward to many more years of doing so! If you want to get in touch so we can provide your special occasion with our snazzy tram, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

What we do…

We sell jacket spuds, parched peas, hotdogs, and sweet treats on Preston Flag Market – but that’s not all! Our Hot Potato Tram now goes on tour and can attend all your special events and occasions! If you’d like our stylish tram to rock up at your next party, get in touch so we can provide the spuds!

Preston Legacy? Damn right we are!

Harold MacMillan was Prime Minister and a pint of milk cost three pence when Ernie Rhodes set up his hot potato cart on the flag market in 1955. Many a restaurant has come and gone in that time, but the trusty old tram still remains as a Prestonian favourite, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a single local that couldn’t tell you the location of the best parched peas in the UK. (It’s on the Preston Flag Market in Preston town centre in case you aren’t from these parts.)

What’s important to us?

Well apart from potatoes and parched peas, we value family and our local community. The Hot Potato Tram has become a pillar of Preston and we believe that keeping a steady stream of parched peas available to the masses is just as important as sourcing all of our sweet treats and baked goods from local bakeries. Our family-run tram relies on the people of Preston just as much as we rely on them – so thank you, we wouldn’t be us without you lot!

The Preston Parched Pea
The Holy Grail of Lancashire

A Brief Timeline of the Parched Pea

Some say that in the original story of Adam and Eve, it wasn’t an apple that tempted Eve – it was actually a pot of parched peas. Others say that Guy Fawkes only attempted to blow up parliament because they said they’d ban parched peas for being too delicious. Now we can neither confirm nor deny those claims, but here’s what the history books have to say about the Prestonian delicacy that we all know and love: the humble parched pea.

  • 504

    The Romans broke off their stern march

    From Luguvalium to Mamuciam:

    “We’ve commands from our Caesar

    Who craves his mouth-pleaser

    So without delay

    Or we’ll make you pay

    Hand over your store of parched peas, sir.”

  • When the Angles crossed the North Sea

    And came west to found Preston

    What brought them? A little black pea

    They declared through their beards was the best ‘un;

    Read your history

    You’ll find the plain fact is

    They lay down their swords and their axes

    And ran to the Tram crying: “Please,

    Give us a cup of those peas.”

    611

  • 1066

    In the Domesday book is recorded

    Prestune, a fine prosperous town

    But 1066

    Wasn’t merely for kicks

    Bill the Conqueror wanted to seize

    England, so he’d be rewarded

    Not with silver or gold

    Something else made him bold:

    Preston’s Tram and its tasty parched peas.

  • Henry 2 in eleven seven nine

    Said: “A Guild Merchant for Preston?

    That’s fine. I ask only one thing

    Can somebody bring

    Not beef, lamb, good ale or fine cheese

    But as fast as you can

    From the world-famous Tram

    A steaming hot pot of parched peas.”

    1179

  • 1593

    St Wilf put down in his diary

    The reason he set up his priory

    Wasn’t worship of god

    That was all cod

    When he fell to his knees

    It was not for the Lord

    That left him quite bored

    But to pray for eternal parched peas.

  • Preston’s lamb’s said to stand for the saviour

    And PP for Proud Preston it seems;

    Consign that to your dreams

    The lamb betrays common behaviour;

    She craves something tasty

    To the Tram she’ll be hasty

    PP? Well, it’s clear, our Parched Peas.

    1613

  • 1642

    Ollie Cromwell came here for a battle

    So the king could be put in his place

    And though men were there slaughtered like cattle

    Still, it wasn’t a thorough disgrace;

    When the killing was done

    Ollie said, “Now, some fun

    With parched peas I shall stuff my fat face.”

  • The Jacobites rose in revolt

    To crown their man James, so they thought;

    In Preston they fought

    Though they shouldn’t have ought

    For who but a dolt

    Would embrace war’s unseemly unease

    When they might gorge our Tram’s gorgeous peas.

    1715

  • 1745

    On his way down to Derby Prince Charlie

    The Bonnie Pretender of lore

    Saw Preston’s fine Tram

    To his minders said, “Scram

    I’ll have some of those, oh yes, cor;

    This uprising stuff’s just a breeze

    When you’re filled up with Preston’s parched peas.”

  • Richard Arkwright achieved lasting fame

    By inventing a new spinning frame

    The Preston wig-maker

    A mover and shaker

    Had a secret: his belly he’d cram

    With parched peas from the Market Square Tram.

    1769

  • 1816

    Daddy Dunn said, “Well Preston’s a gas

    So the people must have it, en masse

    Let London inspire us

    So folk will admire us

    Street lighting the public will please

    But first, let me get some parched peas.”

  • “Demon drink,” said the Temperance folk

    Give it up or you’ll sink, it’s no joke;

    Joseph L took the pledge

    But what gave him the edge

    Wasn’t water, juice, coffee or teas

    But a habit for Preston’s parched peas.

    1835

  • 1854

    Charles Dickens while penning “Hard Times”

    Was appalled by the mill owner’s crimes

    In locking out workers

    They treated as shirkers

    “Preston’s weavers,” he cried, “who agrees

    Must have unions, rights and parched peas.”

  • Uncle Karl thought that Preston might be

    St Peterburg 2 only he

    Neglected to say

    That still to this day

    Though the news might V. Putin displease

    On Red Square there’s no Tram for parched peas.

    1883

  • 1888

    Pursued by the mad Hound of Heaven

    Francis Thompson would, now and then,

    To escape from the wild heebie-jeebies

    Have recourse to an opium den;

    The Meynells implored him, “Cold turkey

    Give up Frankie, pack it in please.”

    What kind of fool chose

    To shove dope up his nose

    When he could have got high on parched peas.

  • ’26 and the General Strike

    Alan Taylor was riding his bike

    Round the mean streets of Preston

    To spread the suggestion

    That workers should do as they please:

    “We need a solution

    Let’s have revolution.”

    “Yes,” they said, “pay our wage in parched peas.”

    1926

  • 1957

    Down the wing Tommy Finney would scoot

    While the thousands as one shouted, “Shoot.”

    When they poured from the ground

    You could hear the high sound

    As ten times five thousand feet marched

    Into town, to the Tram, for peas, parched.

catering events in Preston
catering events in Preston

Making events even better!

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That’s right! The Hot Potato Tram now goes on the road and can provide your special event or occasion with the world’s best parched peas and potatoes! If you’d like to see our Menu, you can peruse our package deals here. Once you’ve picked the Tier that works for your event, get in touch!

Give us a buzz!