Local Heroes Podcast

EP66 | Rob Sampson | Shields, Shandies and Sausage Rolls | Local Heroes Podcast

This week on the Local Heroes podcast, Chris and Dan sit with Rob Sampson, the man behind "Gan for bait, like?" One of the North East's most-followed food voices, the conversation that wanders from Capri Sun smuggling tactics and a wonky table nicknamed Gordon, all the way to foie gras at the old Cafe 21. Rob talks us through how a lockdown creative itch, fed by Anthony Bourdain, years of writing band reviews for Narc magazine, and a hunch that nobody was telling Newcastle's food stories properly, turned into an Instagram blog, then a YouTube channel, then a 170,000-view Pickle and Peach video that changed everything. We get into the ethics of food reviewing: why he won't slag off struggling small businesses, how one sentence can undo five years of a chef's work, and why a hyped London restaurant left him cold while somewhere like St Vincent would walk a Michelin star if you picked it up and dropped it in Soho. Then it gets personal. Dropping out of two universities, running the Mill Tavern in Hebburn at 23, the panic-attack night the dodgy football boxes blew up mid-match, and the boss who laughed at him for it. And here's where it gets uncanny, Rob and Chris realise they've basically lived parallel lives. Same hospital, same year, same South Shields college, same tutors (shout out Keith and Ben), same media studies and sociology dropout arc, same brutal Thursday-night crawl from Oscars to Venue, same Smirnoff Mules, same bouncers who'd dent their own car bonnet on your head to teach you a lesson. Two lads who somehow never crossed paths but absolutely should have. We close with the important stuff: chip butties (double salt, no ketchup), the perfect cheese savoury (half mayo, half salad cream - non-negotiable), the pop man, chalk ices, Bass Shandy at the kids' disco, and a forensic breakdown of the ideal Greg's order. Sausage roll first, obviously. A proper Local Heroes one. Funny, honest, and very North East.

Jo Feeley | Forecast, Fashion and Trend Obsession | Local Heroes Podcast

This week on Chris and Dan sit down with Jo Feeley, co-founder of TrendBible, the Newcastle based trend forecasting agency helping some of the world’s biggest brands understand what people will want next. From growing up in rural Northumberland to building an internationally respected futures and trend forecasting business, Jo shares how curiosity became a career, spotting patterns in human behaviour, culture, fashion, interiors, lifestyle, and consumer habits long before they hit the mainstream. The conversation dives into the psychology behind trends, nostalgia culture, social media influence, fashion identity, home decor, masculinity, community, and why people suddenly all start doing the same things at the same time. From Stanley Cups and skinny jeans to Stone Roses fashion, gym culture, and the rise of wellness communities, this episode explores how culture shifts beneath the surface. Jo also opens up about moving to New York to work in fashion, hustling her way into the industry, building TrendBible from the ground up, and advising major global brands on the future of consumer behaviour. Along the way, there’s plenty of Local Heroes chaos too, Greggs Empire biscuits, fish and chip shop curry sauce debates, weird dreams, bucket hats, berets in the North East, and why your sofa might actually be ruining your life. A funny, thoughtful, and unexpectedly deep conversation about identity, creativity, trends, and the future of how we live. Help support the podcast at Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/c/LocalHeroesVIP

EP64 | Laughs, Life and Lady Parts | Lauren Pattison | Local Heroes Podcast

This week Chris and Dan are joined by comedian Lauren Pattison, one of the sharpest stand-up voices to come out of the North East in the last decade. From doing her first gigs at 18 in Newcastle to becoming an Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee and touring internationally, Lauren talks honestly about the strange reality of growing up through comedy, while everyone else was off travelling, she was doing gigs in Derby and trying to survive the Fringe. We get into where her humour came from, growing up in a family where making each other laugh was second nature, discovering Billy Connolly and Only Fools and Horses young, and realising later in life that maybe she was just the funny one all along. Lauren tells us her industry stories from the Fringe, viral twitter wars, touring life, panel shows, Last One Laughing, Ross Noble, Sam Campbell and why comedians are often still laughing hardest at the dumbest things imaginable. But like all good conversations, it also spirals beautifully off track. We do a deep dive on controversial jacket potato methods, emotional support sausage rolls, dogs judging ex-boyfriend and why hot-and-cold puddings might be one of humanity’s greatest achievements. Funny, chaotic, brutally honest, and very, very Northern. Help support the podcast and join our Patreon Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/c/LocalHeroesVIP

EP63 Toby Davison | Coffee, Cost and Culture | Local Heroes Podcast

This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, we’re joined by Toby Davison, the man behind North Shore Coffee, one of the North East’s fastest-growing specialty coffee brands. From selling coffee on the Quayside with a small setup to building a multi-site business with cafés, vans, and a roastery, this is a story of graft, instinct, and backing yourself when there’s no clear plan. We get into how it all started, from New Zealand inspiration to COVID survival mode, where Toby took a coffee van into local communities and accidentally built the foundations of a serious business. The conversation digs into the reality of running a coffee company in 2026 — rising costs, tight margins, staffing pressures, and why being busy doesn’t always mean being profitable. Toby breaks down the numbers, the mindset shift from passion to business, and why understanding your margins is now everything. We also get into the evolution of coffee culture, from flat whites to matcha madness, social media trends, viral videos and the shift away from nightlife towards coffee, fitness, and community-led experiences. From dodgy cafetière attempts and coffee snobbery to Greggs orders, empire biscuit addiction, and the great curry vs gravy debate, plus stories of building a business on gut feeling, taking calculated risks, and learning to handle pressure when everything’s on the line. Support the podcast and join Patreon. Patreon - patreon.com/LocalHeroesVIP Insta - https://www.instagram.com/wearelocalheroes/ [https://www.instagram.com/wearelocalheroes/] TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@wearelocalheroes?_t=ZG-8tKWkdyntYm&_r=1 [https://www.tiktok.com/@wearelocalheroes?_t=ZG-8tKWkdyntYm&_r=1] Website - https://www.wearelocalheroes.com/

EP62 | Matt Ord | Pain, Purpose and Perspective | Local Heroes Podcast

This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, we’re joined by Teesside’s very own Matt Ord, a straight-talking grafter turned business leader helping shape the future of the region. From growing up in Middlesbrough to carving out a career without a clear path, this is a conversation about instinct, resilience, and making things happen when there’s no blueprint. Matt shares his journey through early graft, sales, and the Chamber, building relationships, spotting opportunity, and backing himself every step of the way. At the heart of this episode is something deeper. After 20 years living with colitis, Matt opens up about the decision to undergo life-changing surgery and living with a stoma, and how that moment shifted everything. This isn’t about setbacks, it’s about perspective, confidence, and helping others by being open about the reality. We get into leadership, integrity, and what it actually takes to create opportunities for the next generation, not just talk about it. And as always, it goes off on one. Childhood chaos, grafting for your first job with nothing but bus fare, dodging trouble on the estate, and the moments that quietly shape who you become. There’s our usual food rabbit holes, this week includes, parmos, saveloys, and his Greggs order. It's a proper dose of North East culture throughout. Help support the podcast on our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/LocalHeroesVIP [https://www.patreon.com/c/LocalHeroesVIP] Insta - https://www.instagram.com/wearelocalheroes/ [https://www.instagram.com/wearelocalheroes/] TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@wearelocalheroes?_t=ZG-8tKWkdyntYm&_r=1 [https://www.tiktok.com/@wearelocalheroes?_t=ZG-8tKWkdyntYm&_r=1] Website - https://www.wearelocalheroes.com/ [https://www.wearelocalheroes.com/]