The Knot

The Knot

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Craig Wilkinson, Founder of Lunar. "I enjoy living here. Let's create something cool"

/ 01:12:36/E5
James Routledge:

Welcome to the knot pod. I'm your host, James Routledge. And the knot is the home of good news for Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire. We're on a mission to change the narrative about where we live. And that's why every day, we share with you positive stories, events, things to do, and journalism that all shine a light on what's great about this place we call home.

James Routledge:

You can find us online at www.thenot dot news, where you can sign up by email to get curated, no ads, no clickbait news direct to your inbox. On this podcast, we're interviewing inspirational creatives, entrepreneurs, and leaders from across Stoke and Staffordshire. Episodes are out every other Wednesday. And you can watch the entire thing on YouTube too. Before we get into it, I'd like to thank our partners, Dissident Creative Agency and Stone, for recording and producing this podcast.

James Routledge:

Duchess China, for providing the great tea sets. And Wandering Bee for providing the candles. I hope you enjoy this episode and join the knot for everything great about Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire.

Craig Wikinson:

I was actually not a beater once, and I was talking to Wayne Linacre at Ocean Beach Club, and I was telling him. Yeah. And he was like, oh my god. You're the most passionate person from Stoke I've ever met in my life. You know?

James Routledge:

Wait a sec. So you're talking to Wayne Linacre Yeah. About Stoke. You're not even from Stoke?

Craig Wikinson:

No. I know. My partner is.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

So I chatted to him, and that's what he was saying. So he was chatting to my partner. Yeah. He's he's he's having a enjoyable conversation with us. So I'm at the bar with them.

Craig Wikinson:

And, and now I'm I'm talking about Stoke, and Hailey's like, all of a sudden, he's just chatted to me, and I'm just owning the conversation to him.

James Routledge:

He's about the canal

Craig Wikinson:

and the side price and the pot bags.

James Routledge:

You just started giving him the sort of yeah. The pitch that he didn't he didn't know he needed.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I

James Routledge:

love that. Well, mate, welcome to the Knot Pod. Thank you, family. Here we are. I always give a shout out to Dissident, which is, our partner for the pods.

James Routledge:

So Crave Agency. We just had the tour of the studios here, haven't we?

Craig Wikinson:

It's looking

James Routledge:

great. It's looking really cool. Yeah. Great setup. Great quality audio.

James Routledge:

Great quality video. And then, yeah. Should we pour should we pour the brew? We've got fresh ginger today, which I think is quite a cloddy.

Craig Wikinson:

I'm very excited by this.

James Routledge:

Oh, dear. Okay. It's a lovely teapot. I think a bit of feedback is the poor a bit of drippage going on. Could be

Craig Wikinson:

a bit of user error.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yeah. It could be. It could be actually. I could I could've I could've got something quite wrong there.

James Routledge:

Very topical as well. Glastonbury this weekend. Yes. You know, Glastonbury mugs. You've been to Glastonbury?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah. I've been there quite a few times.

James Routledge:

I thought you would.

Craig Wikinson:

I worked a few times for different, brands. Yeah. That's cool. Yeah. Very cool.

Craig Wikinson:

Saying to my partner, you we need to go to Glastonbury. And, I'd tell her about, you know, 3 hour walk across the site and, all the

James Routledge:

That is a no, is it?

Craig Wikinson:

That is a no. Yeah. It's the toilet. She just she just put off by that.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yeah. Fair.

Craig Wikinson:

Watch her. Actually, even at home, it's great on the TV, isn't it? Every all week.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Big screen or whatever. Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Well,

James Routledge:

you were just saying that about you're just saying you were living in Parkmore, then you went to Ibiza, and you were telling Wayne Lynelynecker about how good Stoke was. Yeah. How long were like, how long have you lived, like, kind of in this area? Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I moved to, to Sandon by just down the road from Stone Yeah. Yeah. In 20 brought a place there 2017, renovated it for a few years, moved into it. So I'm Patmore. I moved to about 2017, 2018.

Craig Wikinson:

So what's that? 7 years? What? 7 years? What?

James Routledge:

So you bought the place in Sander and then you lived in Patmore just while you were doing it all

Craig Wikinson:

over the place? Renovating it. Yeah. I got it. So my partner's from Stoke.

Craig Wikinson:

Got you. I always feel like I have to say that. When I adopted Stoke.

James Routledge:

That's how you got here, isn't it?

Craig Wikinson:

But I'm originally from Dudley in the Black Country and, my family is still there. I go down there frequently. They go up here. Got you. A lot of similarities in the in the area now.

James Routledge:

Same like sort of working class history, is it?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you've got I mean, you've got the Black Country Museum there. You've got the I think the the even the the the landscape and what's underneath the ground and the mining and everything.

Craig Wikinson:

So that part of the Midlands. Yeah. Yeah. I always say to Hayley when I'm going back down to today, I say, I'm just gonna go back down to the Midlands. She said, you are in the Midlands.

James Routledge:

I don't see. I I You don't feel like you're in the Midlands. Well, it's it's funny. I see a lot online about, I end up I end up on Reddit a lot at the moment. I find the Reddit community about Stoke is really, it's much more balanced.

James Routledge:

The online conversation about about Stoke is often pretty, can be quite hateful and can be quite off putting actually for a lot of people and gives quite a negative perception. But if you go and read it, it's just quite it's just a good community on there. I think they're generally pretty helpful, but I often see stuff on there like, you know, would you class Stoke as North or Midlands? And it's quite mixed. I personally think Stoke's more it's got more northern values.

James Routledge:

I don't really know what that means.

Craig Wikinson:

No. I I I get it. Yeah. I get it. I get it.

Craig Wikinson:

And but, yeah, she's always quick to remind me.

James Routledge:

What do

Craig Wikinson:

you feel

James Routledge:

like what do you feel the difference is?

Craig Wikinson:

Do you

James Routledge:

because like, do you feel like Stoke is the Midlands? Do you feel like the Midlands?

Craig Wikinson:

Well, I mean geographic well, where I'm from is on the cusp of staff it it was Staffordshire. So Staffordshire bled into part like even Smethwick when in Birmingham where Yeah.

James Routledge:

Because Staffordshire goes as deep as Kinver, doesn't it? That's Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So that one born, South Staffordshire.

James Routledge:

I'm from a place

Craig Wikinson:

called Sedgley, which is right on the border. It kind of kicks down, doesn't it? As this narrow

James Routledge:

Yeah. It's got like a little boot.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. But so I guess Staffordshire has the Midlands, but Stoke geographically has always been north. And the the as the dialect starts becoming more northern as well, that's in there. So I never thought of it as being north and part of the Midlands. And it wasn't until Hayley had to tell me here several times, you you're in the Midlands already?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Okay. Okay. So I'll go back there to the black country.

James Routledge:

I always thought I noticed as well like I find that this is a generalization but I find that people that have grown up in Stoke often look to go north. So I know like a lot of people I went to school with when they went to university, they go to a northern university. I think a lot of people in Stoke feel, you know, like Manchester is now their city of choice as opposed to Birmingham or as opposed to London. And that I think that that says something as well.

Craig Wikinson:

That's probably a really big point of it actually, isn't it? Because I I would have gone to Birmingham would well, Wolverhampton's nearest city, but then it's Wolverhampton if you if you if you're feeling really, you know, adventurous Yeah. You'd go to Birmingham. Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Whereas, yeah, I I totally get that. So that makes sense. And I get that's it's not a 1,000,000 miles from Manchester either. Is it?

Craig Wikinson:

It's, you know, Cheshire border comes just up the Wall

James Routledge:

and doesn't it? Yeah. It's it's it is it is close. So you you've only found yourself here because of Hayley you said?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I I yeah. I I mean other than I studied at Manchester Met University where I was based in Crewe. And on a Monday night, I would come down on a bus to Creations in Hanley.

Craig Wikinson:

Oh, wow. Yeah. So I oh, yeah.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yeah. Strongly. Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I used to visit Stoke on a Monday night. Yeah.

James Routledge:

Yeah. In the early 2000s. And yeah. And that was that was your but that was like a tenuous connection.

Craig Wikinson:

That was a tenuous connection. Just a

James Routledge:

you were looking for a night out at that point.

Craig Wikinson:

Looking for a night out. Yeah. Never thought it was yeah. 1920. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Looking somewhere to, yeah, have a night out and whatnot. And it but I've got a 3 year old now which I'll take it to football. And I would take it to Olsager. And my in laws live in Torke Mhmm. Olsager way.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. And the university was crew in Olsager so we would train for the football team and it was all sports in Olsager campus. Got you. Ausager as a place was really I never ever thought I'd be back there. And then we were some of Matilda's classes lessons on a Sunday, we moved out to Ausager Les Centre.

Craig Wikinson:

And I found myself in Ausager. I was like, how on earth have I ended up here?

James Routledge:

I feel like you're fully spanning Staffordshire. Like, you've grown up, like, almost on the edges of South Staffordshire. That's true, actually. Then you've ended up going to university Yeah. Like, on the edges of North Staffordshire.

James Routledge:

And then Now ready to dive in. And, yeah, what about your like, your your career, like, did that where did that take you? That's it was London you were London for a bit?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So what I after university, I applied for internships in the States. I wanted to travel, but I thought so wasn't confident in the I I did a HND for 2 years, topped up into degree, so I flunked my a levels. Mhmm. And I thought I've got to do something out of the box here.

Craig Wikinson:

I think Yeah. Radical because I'm not I wasn't getting anywhere with job applications. So What did you wanna do?

James Routledge:

I wasn't sure. Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I really not really didn't know. I was I'm from a family. My dad was a Britlayer. Mom worked in a factory. We also I'm one of 3 boys, middle child.

Craig Wikinson:

My older brother's Sparky, well, he still is. And I I well, I always thought I'd get a trade and it was that was the conflict with me growing up with my dad. It was get a trade, get a trade,

James Routledge:

get a trade.

Craig Wikinson:

And never really knew. I I I thought, and this is genuine, I I thought at like 17 that at university you would wear a cap and gown as your uniform every day.

James Routledge:

Yeah. That's that's

Craig Wikinson:

Genuinely. Genuinely. Genuinely. And my my girlfriend at the time, her parents were teachers and they said, well, have you thought about going to university? I was like, no.

Craig Wikinson:

So then there's this conflict in my family. It's like because it was, you know, what what are you gonna do after? What are you gonna do after?

James Routledge:

Yeah. Had anyone in your family been to university before?

Craig Wikinson:

Cousins? Yeah. Who you didn't really see much of, you know? And they were Yeah. Moved to London.

James Routledge:

So your path was like a tray. It was

Craig Wikinson:

That's what I've that's what I felt it was. And I had I had no issue with that. But I also thought, well, I've I've done this with my dad and my granddad growing up as well. Going on building sites. I've got on the back of my dad my granddad's wagon as a kid, you know, and all this.

Craig Wikinson:

And then I I I yeah. So I applied for a couple of internships in the States, got offered them. They're voluntary so I couldn't afford to do it straight away. So I started working building site well, call center for a few months and building site with my dad. Saved up enough money and, reapplied to the internships and got offered 2.

Craig Wikinson:

1 with a a company who provide football agents and 1 with a film festival No way. In Southwest Florida. So I I I thought actually I'll take the film festival. That looks good. Beach.

James Routledge:

And was that random? Like, or did you have an interest in film?

Craig Wikinson:

I had an interest in film. Yeah. Yeah. My my granddad's in in Smethwick, granddad Ben, he had this beautiful film library that none of us dared touch that was all VHS boxed off in these beautiful embroidered box sets. Everything was numbered and in his bureau he had a handwritten you know database.

Craig Wikinson:

Wow. And if somebody lent it it was almost like a video shop of the family

James Routledge:

it was you know you couldn't It was the family blockbuster.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah yeah yeah yeah. But you don't you know he he was I mean he's wore a trill but he looked like Al Capone you know smoked his cigars and whatnot. And he yeah so I realized because I worked with, I looked after Robert Redford at one part in my career, of Sundance Film Festival. So I worked with them for a decade or so. And it dawned on me when I was at the ambassador's house in US ambassador's house in in Regent's Park in in London.

Craig Wikinson:

I I was our Bob as we called him, obviously his artist liaison. And I'm with Bob. The US ambassador is doing a talk and Bob turns around to me and he goes, great. Am I in after this guy? I was like, yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

That's the US ambassador. But yeah, you are. And on it dawned on me until that moment that Bob stood up and did his talk. And I was like, this is so cool. I'm actually that's Robert Redford.

Craig Wikinson:

If my granddad, God bless you so I could see me now, I must have sat at my granddad's and watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, westerns, and all that.

James Routledge:

So you fully landed in the film industry then?

Craig Wikinson:

With the festival circuit. Yeah?

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yeah. And that was that a jot like you ended up working out in the US then?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So I did the film festival. So the internship which was 6 months. So the 1st 2 weeks I was doing kind of data entry basic spreadsheet stuff. And Pat Barry is the festival director.

Craig Wikinson:

She's, she's a good friend of mine now. She's in her eighties. She said she's a tough cookie from Chicago. She took her took her 4 kids, 5 kids from Chicago. I mean, she won't mind me saying this.

Craig Wikinson:

She had a a breaker from her husband. He stayed there and she took them down to this island in the Gulf of Mexico. And there are probably about a 1000 people on the island at this point in time in the seventies. She she was like she was on I think she's she I'm very much of she trained me, I guess, if you will. She but she had so many jobs even into her 7 late seventies.

Craig Wikinson:

She had a local theater she had. She ran a festival. She would work at a restaurant. She had so many jobs. And, she she said would you after 2 weeks, would you be interested in being the director of operations?

Craig Wikinson:

And I was 21, 22. I was like, I would but what does it involve? She said well you could I said she said you can do it. Barry's disappeared in when the festival's in a couple of months we haven't got anyone else and you've got a CV that's got a business degree on it so you can do it. So and Pat Berry's like yeah, yeah, you can do it, come on.

Craig Wikinson:

People adults would leave her office in tears because she was just to the point. No, you know, no BS. So I did it and so I I had a truck and we had Leslie Nielsen, you know, Leslie Nielsen, thank you, Gunne. He's he's one of the great comedy actors. He's he's dead now, but, Leslie Nielsen, Naked Gun.

Craig Wikinson:

He was at the festival then. Who do

James Routledge:

you like the blonde guy?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Whitehead. Whitehead. Whitehead. You see a lot

James Routledge:

of his little videos I know I've seen Naked Gun. Yeah. I'm not really bad with actors' names as well. I'm not the worst

Craig Wikinson:

person for it. Yeah. So he was there.

James Routledge:

Brilliant. Wow.

Craig Wikinson:

And we had filmmakers from all over the world. And, and then And where are you? Where is he again? Marco Island. It's in the Gulf of Mexico, Southwest Florida, off the coast of Naples.

James Routledge:

I mean, as if you've landed there. Yeah. That is actually crick considering considering what, 6 months ago or 18 months ago Yeah. At that point. You're thinking, like, should I be a Sparky or a Plumber or, you know, a Bricky?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. And I'm like, oh my god. There's a Filmer. Their web their website which of course were terrible at that point in time, 2004. No.

Craig Wikinson:

20 years ago. It's the August I went. Their website's got, you know, smoothies on the beach. I was like, yeah. I'll have a bit of a

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Tell them what I'm going to,

James Routledge:

but I

Craig Wikinson:

like the sound of a beach. My thinking was I I wanted to travel, but I couldn't I didn't wanna do a year of traveling, save up to a year of traveling and be in the same boat.

James Routledge:

You wanted to do it was like intentional traveling. Yes.

Craig Wikinson:

It's like

James Routledge:

I go and experience something, but I'll also be moving forward with my career

Craig Wikinson:

a little bit or or at least exploring

James Routledge:

what you might wanna do.

Craig Wikinson:

And I thought events, film, got quite interesting film, events, social.

James Routledge:

Was how did it square with your family life? Was that hard? Because I know a lot like, a lot of people who grow up in whatever you wanna call it, whether it's working class families or or just families that have maybe traditionally stayed where they are. Mhmm. You know, that's can be quiet.

James Routledge:

It can be quite a stretch, that.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. And it was, I mean, at that point in time as well, mobile phones, 2004, you know, 20 years ago. Yeah. Not that like, it doesn't seem that long ago to me. But I didn't have a mobile phone that I could call home with.

James Routledge:

Call. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

So I'd I'd go to the the gas station. I'd get a phone card. I'd go to the pay phone. I don't have so many minutes left, so communicating through that. I think it even predated Facebook probably.

Craig Wikinson:

So it was it was hard, and they never my my dad in particular never really knew what I was understood what I was doing. Yeah. So he didn't he didn't mind such a challenge, isn't it, that way?

James Routledge:

When you've got, like, a creative or entrepreneurial career Yeah. I feel like it can take years or never for your parents to understand what you're doing.

Craig Wikinson:

Well, the truth of it is is I didn't know what I was doing, of course. And and I don't think you do well, you don't at that age, do you? You don't have any confidence in it. So really it was a gamble of me going, oh, you know, my dad's all my life guarded me and looked after us. And I've grew up with a very blessed that we had a caravan we'd travel around go to different, we were gypsies but we'd go you know travel around caravan sides France and

James Routledge:

a

Craig Wikinson:

couple of we've got a couple of weeks in Spain here and there but yeah very very blessed upbringing and lovely family community, we're still all really close. And I remember being in tears one day in my bedroom and I probably left uni and it was, you know, what are you going to do? What are you going to do? Those classic questions that you don't know the answer to. I had my mum consoling me and my mum always was just consoling, you know, you gotta do whatever's right for you.

Craig Wikinson:

But my dad's like couldn't see the Yeah. That world. And it I can understand why because it wasn't what what was I going to do in his world of his knowledge back of yeah. So so I did I did that festival and I met a guy in a bar. This is how generally a lot of my stuff works.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. I met a guy in a bar who's

James Routledge:

It's the bridge to the story, isn't it?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. I met a guy in a bar whose daughter ran the Cannes advertising festival.

James Routledge:

Right.

Craig Wikinson:

She's a festival director, Carolyn, Laubury, I think it's called. His name was Morgan Lambert. His nephew is a basketball legend, Bill Lambert. Wow. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Pretty cool actually. So he looked like Santa Claus, old eccentric English guy. And there's I'm in this dive bar. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Because I just go to bars and stuff on my on my own. I do stuff on my own. And, he sat at one end of the bar and the the bartender it's it's like, you know, classic movie The bartender's, polish and the glasses. Are you English? Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Like, yeah. He's like, go out the bar is English.

James Routledge:

It's like that scene now. If you know those, like, detective films when the detective just can't quite figure out the case and they, like, sit down and Yeah. I had my tie up often.

Craig Wikinson:

I wasn't wearing a tie. So I go to Morgan at the end of the bar, didn't know him. Hey, are you English? Clearly didn't want to talk to me.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yes.

Craig Wikinson:

So yeah, me too.

James Routledge:

Me too. Where are you from?

Craig Wikinson:

Well, no. Sorry. Wrong accent. He was English. That was a bartender.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Where

James Routledge:

are you from? Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I said, I'm from, Birmingham? He's like

James Routledge:

Was that your go to, was it? Birmingham? Yeah. You that yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I then I I then actually went to Dudley because I used to think, actually, I won't be able to work a bit from this. Where are

James Routledge:

you from?

Craig Wikinson:

Birmingham is a little well, I still still have to work for it. But Dudley's EBO. It gets a bit so it's a, yeah. Well, I I used to live in Birmingham. That's how right where it's like when I was a I was born in America and when I was a child my father was brought over to Birmingham to manage the custard factory there.

Craig Wikinson:

What? I was like, no way. Well, the custard factory is Digbeth area. Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Right? Yeah. It's a really cool part town. So we then started talking.

Craig Wikinson:

He said, what are you doing here anyway? And I was like, you know, I've lived lived from the black country, so I actually just a little thicker. Yeah. So So I say

James Routledge:

Did you have a thick accent? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

And it and it and it's naturally dilutes, I mean, to you guys. You're probably like, no. It hasn't Craig. You're still No.

James Routledge:

I think it's quite mellow now. It it comes up a lot on this part, I think, like, people's accents and Yeah. Did it hold them back or

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Well, I could I remember first going there and calling around looking to hire some tables, and it's like, I'll I'll look at some tables.

James Routledge:

And then, like, what are you what? Yeah. Like, a table? What?

Craig Wikinson:

What? What? What? What? What?

Craig Wikinson:

What?

James Routledge:

What? What? What? What? What?

James Routledge:

What? What? T a b l s.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So I just through survival.

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So Morgan me and Morgan are talking about, what are you doing here? Internship on a film festival. Oh, my daughter runs a Cannes Festival. So then we hit it off.

Craig Wikinson:

He's like, I'm also chair of the yacht club. Do you ever race yachts? Like, I'm from Dudley. Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I was

James Routledge:

That's far away from the coast as I can get. Yeah. It is. It is. Literally.

Craig Wikinson:

Anyway, I he's like, come and meet us, Biminis, on a Friday night, 5 o'clock. We meet there. So I go over and I meet him. And they're all their yacht friends are there. So, Craig, come over.

James Routledge:

Such a new world as well, isn't it? You know? Yeah. I've, like, opportunities Yeah. That happen like that.

James Routledge:

You know, if you go down the pub on a Friday night in where where you're smethick, you were saying?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Dudley or Yeah.

James Routledge:

Dudley. Yeah. You're not you're not it's unlikely you're gonna bump into it, you know, an eccentric chap that that has a business opportunity

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. For

James Routledge:

you. Like, that's yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. I mean, I think a lot of I think a lot of I mean, the pubs are probably networking places at the time of of their time as well, aren't they? Or they have builders in there. Oh, I need someone to come and

James Routledge:

do this. Yeah. True. True.

Craig Wikinson:

So but I I remember at the time thinking I had his his number because he'd give me his phone number. I picked up Morgan. You know? And and I was I was the confidence thing of going over to that place to meet them on that Friday, I remember it pretty clearly going oh, yeah. I don't fucking go in there on

James Routledge:

my own. Yeah. You're nervous.

Craig Wikinson:

I was. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I thought I don't think I don't know if I should.

Craig Wikinson:

I don't know if, you know, it's 20, 21. And and I did. I went in and, yeah, went out and raced with them on a yacht for the next weekend and sleeping on the Wow.

James Routledge:

I suppose that's what I'm getting. It's just not as much the done thing. Is it like networking or connecting and just being maybe opportunistic and speculative? I think because I know I learned that Yeah. At a similar age.

James Routledge:

It's kind of fallen into an entrepreneurial journey of just, you know, what does it mean to just go and have a coffee with someone? Alright. You know, growing up didn't do that. If if you wanted to hang out with your mates, you just went to the pub. Like, you didn't sort of connect.

James Routledge:

Like, what what for? Whereas I think I had to learn. And I do think in more affluent areas perhaps where like Yeah. You know, people's dads or moms or aunties or uncles have got businesses and family friends. Maybe that that just seeps into your knowledge a bit more.

James Routledge:

Whereas I feel like if you've not if you're not from that or the area you're from, isn't that? You do have to kind of learn that.

Craig Wikinson:

It's alien, isn't it?

James Routledge:

It is alien. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

So how how old were you when you?

James Routledge:

Well, I I went to uni at 19 and then me and George sort of fell into starting our own business at at 2021. And I think that that environment, even though he's a bit forced because it was all like investment and he's a bit more forced, I think. It's still I still think we had to fall into this world of, you know, asking for help or just talking to people and just I think it just I don't know. I think by doing that, your world gets bigger each time as well. You know, you meet more people who've got different experiences and if you just listen, like, yeah, the world is a big place.

James Routledge:

Like, there's a lot of opportunity. There's a lot of amazing stuff you can work on. And I think, like, you meet enough people to realize that most people are not any more talented than you are. Yeah. That's I think that's what I got to know.

James Routledge:

I kept meeting like, you meet people that have run big businesses or and you just I just maybe a little bit arrogant, but I can away be like, ah, like, if they could do it Yeah. You know, I can.

Craig Wikinson:

That's it. That's exactly it. I know. I was I was talking to a guy the other day and he's, he's, a CEO of a massive retail company and that and he he was saying this was Sunday and he was saying to me he said and he sold out at, like, 2 massive companies. He's like and he's retired at 55?

Craig Wikinson:

Mhmm. He's saying, nice fish luck. Really down to earth. But he's like, we took a bit of a risk at the 2008 recession. He said it was a risk and if he said but the recession ended up working for us?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. And then you're like, oh, yeah. A lot of it is Yeah.

James Routledge:

You're making that look and so you're you're out there in in the US having a good time Yeah. Exploring yourself and understanding what you're into. And it sounds like you're starting to develop an interest in film and events. Yeah. And

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. And started learning about events and people and whatnot. And then I met I also met a guy who co wrote Sliding Doors, the Gwyneth Paltrow movie. My films my my my film. My life's not just film references.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yeah. That that's sort of quite apt, isn't it? Sliding doors.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. It is actually. Yeah. So Douglas walked into the film office, and, he was he was an actor in Sliding Doors as well, and he co wrote it with Peter Howitt. And he was having real problems with the ladies checking him in.

Craig Wikinson:

And I I just knocked off a flippant remark and I have bloody English people. And he turns around and he's like are you a West Brom fan? I was like yeah. How'd you know that? He's not my my my little office.

Craig Wikinson:

So his partner Samantha Meer, she, she was a radio presenter, TV presenter. She's she was most recently on radio WM, BBC Radio West Midlands. And, long story short, they had a film exhibit in there. And then when I I moved to London to follow-up with Morgan's daughter, Carolyn, ended up working on Cannes Advertising Festival, met Doug for a pint in a in a bar watching West Brom Chelsea and he goes would you have you ever thought about setting up your own film festival? I was like, Doug, I didn't know what a film festival was until 6 months ago.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. It was maybe 7 months. So, but we said I said he then started telling me about his appetite too. So we then formed a a company in 2005, the Stratford upon Avon Digital Film Festival. Uh-huh.

Craig Wikinson:

Because we saw that film at the at the film festival, the the one I interned at, I was driving a truck around with film cans of film reels, taking them to the the Got it. The the projection list. Yeah. And it was the same as Sundance, in the beginning. It was 2,008 when I first went there.

Craig Wikinson:

And then that it was all digitized. So we set up Stratford and Avon Film Festival because Doug liked going there. And we thought, well, okay. There's this story of Shakespeare Yeah. Playwrights Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

History. It's just down the road from where I'm from. Yeah. And, and we did that for a couple of years, but it was kind of we would organize it away from the area and then we'd go and do it in the Civic Hall there. We had filmmakers come from all over.

Craig Wikinson:

What I

James Routledge:

think is mad about like the opportunities that have arise is they've both kind of arise from like you talking kind of openly about where you're from. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

It's true. How am I? It is actually

James Routledge:

You know what I mean? If for some reason you were really like ashamed of where you were from or you weren't discussing it, maybe those opportunities wouldn't have wouldn't have come about.

Craig Wikinson:

Do you know wherever you are in the world as well? I think everyone gets it, don't they? You talk to somebody about where you're from and

James Routledge:

you go, oh, so and so Anyone. Yeah. All the time.

Craig Wikinson:

I talked to some friends in America in January about the restaurants and Wedgewood and Waterford Crystal. They're like, oh my god. Yeah. Wedgewood Waterford Crystal. That's amazing.

Craig Wikinson:

And I've I've there's a story about that in a friend's restaurant on the island. Yeah. He'd asked me to clear out because I was busing tables for a bit

James Routledge:

of Mexico. This is on the island in the Gulf of Mexico.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Marco Island, Gulf Mexico. The oldest so the islands, was was discovered by well, I'm I'm I'm not somebody probably discovered it several 100 years ago, you know, but officially in the history book. A colonel in the 1800 from had settled on the island and he built this colonial house. My friend had a restaurant in there called the, the Old Marco Inn, beautiful big old wooden building.

Craig Wikinson:

You walk around and you kind of yeah. And Denis, French chef, he was, you know, he was, you know, I saw him in January, great friend. But he's like, you know, very very classically stereotypical French chef. He called me roast beef. And so he said, hey, roast beef.

Craig Wikinson:

You and Shannon, I need you to clean out the the closet. Yeah. So he's like, what do you want us to do with it? And, he said, I just put it into skip. So he's got a big skip outside.

Craig Wikinson:

So we're clearing stuff out. We go. There's this in the back where of this this big room. It's just all plates. What the heck is it?

Craig Wikinson:

Wedgwood? Wow. And, and we go to

James Routledge:

Wedgwood plates on Mark Wyland.

Craig Wikinson:

Mark Wyland.

James Routledge:

That's crazy, isn't it?

Craig Wikinson:

So they say, Denise, these are Wedgewood. I think they're probably worth some money. I'm talking 2,000 this is 2,006, 2,000.

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

He's like, I don't care. I need the space for a mister Skimp. So my friend Shannon lived there. I was I was there for for 3 months. I was like, Shannon, you gotta I said, can we keep them, Denis?

Craig Wikinson:

Can we can yes. Have them get just get them out. That was the mouth of it. So, apologies to any French people Yeah. For the accent.

Craig Wikinson:

But, so Shannon kept them and I kept one plate which was a plate, and I've still got it called the, and he said had on it, the Pennsylvania Society of New York which people are very quick to say to me but Pennsylvania is not in New York. Yeah. 1904. So I did some research on it and the Pennsylvania Society would meet in New York. And it was kind of a a group of, people from Pennsylvania who would want to entertain, some of the to do.

Craig Wikinson:

They'd have George Bush was there. They have different politicians there as guest speakers. There's always a plate that's designed for that lunch.

James Routledge:

And it was designed by Wedgewood?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So I've got this I've got this one that's from 1904. Yeah.

James Routledge:

So That's crazy. So almost the Wedgewood will come onto the Wedgewood story, but it's kinda starts Yeah. Starts there a little bit. Yeah. Yeah.

James Routledge:

It starts. And then so you've you've ended up with this career building businesses essentially because you've gone into the the, the film festival. That sounds like your first thing you've started, then events, then like London. So So

Craig Wikinson:

I need it the film festival wasn't paying Yeah. Arts arts event. So we relied on a few grants, needed some money to live with. So I I I started freelancing as an event manager. And I got somehow got involved with brand events.

James Routledge:

Right.

Craig Wikinson:

It was actually, I saw a job ad for needing people to go travel around the country and essentially open stores. So I go to Birmingham, I'm I was back home at this point, and I go, I say home, back with my folks. And I go to I think it's like a comedy club. And they kind of had the X Factor thing, stage, different, and everyone's in the audience. Right?

Craig Wikinson:

You're gonna split off into groups. And I didn't really know what it was, but it was an event company who were gonna go around the country opening T Mobile stores. Remember T Mobile?

James Routledge:

So it's like immersive events basically on behalf of T Mobile. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

So Pink Tuk Tuk's.

James Routledge:

Yeah. 4 to 8 to 10. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

So it's telling them what I've done and and ended up working on that freelance as an event manager. So they drop a car from my house, go around and we'd go all

James Routledge:

over the world. Creative, isn't it? Every everything you're in is yeah. It's from film and to events. It's all making people feel something and Yeah.

James Routledge:

Creating an experience.

Craig Wikinson:

And then and then for about 4 years, I'd I'd I'd do that. Get my payday then do the festival. And then I'd go back to Marco Island and I'd help them organize a charity fundraiser where we bring TV actors from soaps in America, guiding light, one life to live. And we do charity events around the island, golf tournaments, and raise money for local children's charities. So I do I'd and then Pat was like, why don't you volunteer at Sundance?

Craig Wikinson:

I'm like, I can't keep volunteering. I need to earn some money. So she's like, no. You should look into it. It's a great festival.

Craig Wikinson:

So the one year I thought, actually, I'm free in January. I'll look into it. 2008. So I I thought This

James Routledge:

is the biggest film festival in the world, isn't it?

Craig Wikinson:

Isn't it? Pretty much. Yeah. That and you know, you got Cannes, but it's it is. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

So 2008, so I I turn up there and I'm I'm I'm in the film office as a volunteer. And, they put me up in accommodation. I get a stipend but, yeah. You don't need

James Routledge:

You volunteer in Vegas? Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

You don't need to be to do any volunteering. So, you know I'm working I'm volunteering for some serious hours. But I'm checking in film aches like Spike Lee and Wow. Giving them the credentials, meeting them at the premiere. And then I did that up until 2018.

Craig Wikinson:

So I did that for 10 years, and then Sundance came to London, worked with them there, hence the Robert Redford thing. But the team I've also led into working with Brand Experiences. I was then always asked to recommend people. I thought, well, I could set my own. Well set my own thing doing that.

Craig Wikinson:

But how that came about, and that's my kind of second company coalition, 2011, was that I was supposed I'd been on a tour with the Premier League and I was in Dubai And I I'd had enough of living out of the bag. So for between like 2,005, 2010, 2011 I was out of the bag. Back at my folks' hotels, travelling around and whatnot. And I thought I'm gonna I'm gonna draw a line in the sand with events. I'm gonna figure out what, you know, what happens next.

Craig Wikinson:

And, and I was supposed to be on the America in an America's Cup job for 2 weeks. So on this Monday it's a Monday morning I had a Skype call with the Doha Film Festival because I've been offered some work out there for a couple of months and I didn't wanna travel, so I said no. As soon as I'd hung I was more polite about it than as soon as I'd hung up Skype call, I then called I then got a call from the agency I was supposed to be going to the America's Cup with. And they said, we've gotta pull you off the America's Cup job because there's no budget. And I was like, alright.

Craig Wikinson:

Okay. Well, I'm gonna rethink this. And they said, but we've got a job for Barclays every weekend for the next 6 months. Can you do can you manage one team and get somebody else to manage another team? Well, I wanted a Monday to Friday routine.

Craig Wikinson:

It's a girl I was seeing at the time. I had a proper job. Now I need to fix my life a bit more like that. And they said and I was like, oh, no. That's completely the opposite of what I wanted.

Craig Wikinson:

So I was so it's any chance I can come in and see you guys? So go in and see them. I said, look. Here's where I'm at. I've been touring all around for you guys and I'm exhausted and I'd like to work Monday to Friday.

Craig Wikinson:

I'm thinking about setting up my own event manager agency

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Like what I do, but provide other people. So because we work for some agencies that we're not very good. They don't pay you, delayed paying and all. And I had a guy at the time, Chris Ciccarello, amazing guy, really real, like, incredible leader and he's, he's really really senior executive at at this agency now. He said, you know, set up your own company.

Craig Wikinson:

Do it. We'll use you. So that was the first job I set up Coalition Events Salesforce.

James Routledge:

So you were doing it yourself, and then you got tired of it. And you're like, right. Yeah. I've got a good network now.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. And and it was never anything I'd really planned to do. I just thought hang on a second. I've got some

James Routledge:

I've got really good it's a really good company. That by the sound of it really. It's not like obviously, you've you've been creative and I would say entrepreneurial and, like, kind of instinctive, but it doesn't sound like you've had this, like, desperate desire to start your own company.

Craig Wikinson:

Exactly. It

James Routledge:

sounds like it's happened.

Craig Wikinson:

And I love events. So I was still event managing myself and then they'd be like, oh, can you get someone to do that? Yeah. Great. Great.

Craig Wikinson:

And it and it worked. And then, and then I've been I think I've admitted that I was with the with the film festivals and friends involved in that world like have you ever thought about doing a bit of acting? Like no. I mean you can't really how can you make a judgment on that by meeting me? You know?

Craig Wikinson:

So but I was free at the time, and I thought, well, I'm gonna start exploring this. Yeah. So I started reading different methods, looking at drama school. I thought I was mid to late twenties. I thought I've got a degree, got debt.

Craig Wikinson:

I'm actually enjoying this freedom. I've got money coming in from the events. I'm building something. Don't know where I'm going, but it's great. So I started reading up on different methods, different theories, doing short courses, and auditioning for stuff.

Craig Wikinson:

And the the the this this is another nice link to Staffordshire. I I was at I was I was back at my folks. I I don't know where I was actually but I the first audition I ever had was at Stafford Uni Right. For a final year film, Maybe 2009? And I did my first audition and, the guy came out and it was a graduate film, final year, sorry.

Craig Wikinson:

And, one of the other lads came out, he was on camera and said, can you do an American accent? I said, well where about in America? You're getting fancy. And he said, well, it's just it's a duck and cover kind of black and white 19 forties video. So have you got a script?

Craig Wikinson:

I said, yeah. So he gives me a script. I was like, yeah. Give me a minute and then I'll come in and read for you if you like. So he said, yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Okay. So that one audition, I've got 2 films. It's my first ever audition, but it's Staffordshire. Yeah.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Wow.

Craig Wikinson:

And it's a student film, but I was like, oh, actually, it's, you know, a little confidence there. Yeah. So then I started and then I trained at the cockpit theater. I was living in London. I trained at the Cockpit Theatre in Marlybone for a couple of years, studied Meisner, which was part time, which worked nicely around my business and the events.

Craig Wikinson:

And then the brand experiences, we got brands asking for actors for events. Let's say I want an actor. What do you want them to do? What's their motivation? And and they they won't really know.

Craig Wikinson:

So I I then started helping them create the narrative as to why they have an actor there, and then helping to direct the actors. And then ended up creating immersive experiences with with agencies, like, for large brands in, Austria, Barcelona, London, and then we did it. This European tour came about for a well known gin gin brand. Mhmm. And I was heavily involved in that writing, casting, directing, all of that.

James Routledge:

Aren't you, basically? You're creating a film for a brand?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Pretty pretty much.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah.

James Routledge:

Yeah. And an experience. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

And and my world's kinda kinda collided there. And I go, oh, actually this is great. My the acting and the

James Routledge:

And how how are these because you've ended up with a couple of businesses there. And like how fast forwarding, like how has all that brought you here? Because I feel like people would hear what you're saying and think, if I'm honest, people might think why the hell does he live here? Yeah. You know what I mean?

James Routledge:

Or how, like, there's so a lot of people outside in or in or on the insides.

Craig Wikinson:

Well, a a lot of people around me just think, well, you thought I'd end up in America and live in America.

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I love visiting there. Yeah. But I wouldn't wanna live there. Yeah. I think the when you live there it's very well you live somewhere it's very different.

James Routledge:

And living in London made made sense.

Craig Wikinson:

Living in London made sense.

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I moved back here and I met my partner a similar time because my my folks obviously getting older. My brothers are here, my nieces and nephews. And I thought well I'd had enough of living in London at the time and and I thought I've I've done London but more to the point the the cost of living down there was just

James Routledge:

Did you feel so yeah. Did you feel sort of like ousted from from London financially?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. To a degree. Yeah. And I'm yeah. I was.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Really. Because I mean I was paying probably £900 a month in the end, West London, but sharing a house with 4 other guys. Yeah. Who I love dearly, I don't know, but I was like, I'm in my mid thirties.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. I've got I've got my own business. I'm Yeah. Doing alright. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

But I still can't stomach paying this much money for something. Yeah. And but it was it was more the moving back to the region be because I was working remotely for my business as well. So I toured the world with events, you you know, in that in that 2010 to 2,007 16 was one of the last ones in Cape Town. But I was still working remotely, so when the so I could be based anywhere.

Craig Wikinson:

And Stafford came about because a friend of mine at the time, he said, you know, he was from Stafford. He said, you know, it's only an hour and 17 minutes into London. And I I I didn't quite believe him because I knew that Wolverhampton took a lot longer and Stafford's the next stop It's about an hour

James Routledge:

and 17 minutes. That just sounds really close, doesn't it? Yeah. Like, it's not Yeah. I know I know it sounds silly, but I don't know if psychologically, you know, an hour you feel because you could you could be an hour from London and live in Surrey.

James Routledge:

Yeah. So an hour and 17 to be in Stafford

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah.

James Routledge:

Is yeah. It's it's pretty mad.

Craig Wikinson:

So I saw a beautiful little cottage that This is the one in Sandon? In Sandon. And I've been I've been looking at it all over. I was talking to so I was talking to somebody who was commuting from Glasgow. And I was looking up in Scotland.

Craig Wikinson:

I was like, yeah. Glasgow. It's a cool city. I went to Wales. I saw this beautiful place.

James Routledge:

You were really thinking I could live anywhere and I could live at this point. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I wanted to be in the UK. Yeah. Yeah. And then Wales. I looked in Wales house on a hill.

Craig Wikinson:

I looked at little airplanes. I was like, no, Craig. Stop it.

James Routledge:

That's too bad. Calm down.

Craig Wikinson:

Calm down. And this place came up in Stafford and I thought well that that works. And I met Hayley at the same time. And, I actually met Hayley on a job, over in Telford. Right.

Craig Wikinson:

And she shouldn't have been there. I shouldn't really have been there. That's so random. And then, yeah, we end up.

James Routledge:

So but you were so it wasn't that your relationship brought you back. It was actually you were already

Craig Wikinson:

on your way back and

James Routledge:

then it just so happens that the person you've met is in the same county. Yeah. Wow. That's crazy. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

And, I go down to London. Yeah. And how how

James Routledge:

how has it been like, I suppose, creatively and professionally for you? How long you've been here now? 7 years. 7 years. So how is it how is it being because you've had experiences in the US.

James Routledge:

You've had experiences in London. We all know what that's like in terms of the people you can meet and maybe the opportunity. Yeah. How would you rate how would you just compare the the 2? Because it they're very different places.

Craig Wikinson:

Very different. I think there's a lot of people who've, I mean, you'd I have to choose my words carefully here, don't I? No. You're deaf. No.

James Routledge:

Well, you've asked there's a lot of people who have never left.

Craig Wikinson:

No. There's a lot of peep there's a lot of people who have left London or other places that have come back here.

James Routledge:

Yeah. So Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

You know and I'm surrounded by quite like those people here who are brilliant Yeah. To be around, open minded Yeah. Are working. The businesses that I've the businesses that I've been involved with here have been the biggest business the most struggling of businesses. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. From the cafe, the driving Yeah. Financially. Yeah. They're more they're business and consumer.

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Like the theater in London. I mean it's very different isn't it putting a immersive theater in East London.

James Routledge:

Yeah. And putting it in Sandon. Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. But the the the driving that we did at Sandon was fantastic. Yeah. Great experience. We had a lot of people come.

Craig Wikinson:

But it was, you know, you talk about the online trolls if you will, you know. Some of them might I can't help but

James Routledge:

Did you get slammed for doing that?

Craig Wikinson:

I can't help but laugh at some of them, you know. One just sticks the the ones that stick in your head are the negative ones aren't they? Yeah. This guy was like, he was a guy because his his username is yeah, £25 to sit in my car and watch a film. No.

Craig Wikinson:

Thanks. I'd rather sit at home with my 4 pack. Yeah. And and then but then it I always think it just polices itself because someone will put an

James Routledge:

Someone respond not be missed. Yeah. You won't be missed. Yeah. But it but it's still

Craig Wikinson:

But it still exists.

James Routledge:

Yeah. And that's hard, isn't it? As someone that's creating, especially events, you know, that it takes a lot to put an event on.

Craig Wikinson:

It takes a hell of a lot to

James Routledge:

see. It's massive risk. Show up. Literally, events are only good if if they're full.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So I think on a level of you you may get negative reviews on your you know, we get negative reviews on the Murder Express every now and again. Yeah. Generally, they're they're pretty solid. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

You might have one, but it's it's something that it's it's not berating you as an individual for putting for having a go.

James Routledge:

Yeah. That's such an interesting like, it's very subtle that, but it's it's a big difference. Because I it's interesting. I had Beth on the other week about the, who who's got the Wondering Bee. And she said she actually said that a couple a few of the comments that she'd received from, well, I'm assuming a residence of of Staffordshire or Yeah.

James Routledge:

Or Stoke or Staffordshire or whatever. Yeah. It's interesting now I think about it. They were about her.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Because

James Routledge:

it's okay. Someone knocking, someone saying I've

Craig Wikinson:

had bad mail or not.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Or someone saying, look, £25 seems a bit steep. Yeah. Fair enough. Yeah.

James Routledge:

But there's that underlying tone of, like, who did you think you are? Or, like, you're an idiot for putting that on. Yeah. That that yeah. That I've noticed that.

James Routledge:

I know what you're saying, and I don't I don't know. Yeah. I'm not I've got some ideas of where that comes from. Where do you think that comes from?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. I think it's probably the the nature of territory. You know, if you look at it biologically, you know, you think London is a you've got transient amount of people coming in there. It's very rare that you get a Londoner, isn't it?

James Routledge:

True.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah. But whereas in in a place I've never actually never never faced, you know, you're not from Stoke or or any of that stuff, but I think I don't know if it's a territorial thing. That's all I can kind of think of it. But you you do see those online pieces and and actually the restaurant recently we we we announced that we'd won a couple of AR rosettes.

Craig Wikinson:

This is for Luna? It's for Luna. And, the it was amazing because the the team in there has been, you know, up against it the last few months and they and they've all pulled together. And this is great recognition for them because we were inspected 2 weeks ago. But the comments some of the comments on, you know, certain online Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Publication. Yeah. I thought I actually thought maybe I should invite some of these guys and girls in Yeah. To come and eat with us. And Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

And then and and actually ask them Just go to it.

James Routledge:

A rice asset. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

And you go embrace it and go. Yeah.

James Routledge:

Yeah. This is Sentinel or SOT Live, isn't it, or something?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah. And it's like, you know, do you wanna why don't why don't you come in and train yourself and Yeah. You know, on us and we'll let's

James Routledge:

let's let's see to be honest. I mean, like, to to dig into Luna a bit. Obviously, you've done this, like, I mean, from what I've picked up, like, Sandon, Sandon Hall Drive in Cinema was, like, your first venture here really in this area.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

James Routledge:

And and then you've you've taken on Albert's Cafe in Stafford. Now I think the drive in cinema from my perspective, that that's pretty I imagine that was quite unique here. I don't think there would have been another drive in cinema. Yeah. It's, you know, it's it's on that edge of like, oh, that's a bit different.

James Routledge:

It's I see. You know, I hate amazing. I hate using these statements, but that's the kind of thing that you have in London. Right? And then you've brought that here.

James Routledge:

Albert's Cafe is is a lovely coffee shop. It's it's a coffee shop though, isn't it? There's nothing like massively groundbreaking about that other than it's a nice spot and

Craig Wikinson:

We we we op I operate the park as a as a whole. So we do events in the park and stuff. Yeah. So

James Routledge:

you've got the whole park

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah.

James Routledge:

Which is very cool actually. I didn't know that. I'll come on to that in a minute because that's interesting. But Luna, I mean, that that's like that that is pretty it's just just big. Big.

James Routledge:

Like, I think when you launch Luna, it's like you launched it with Nalkeetan, obviously. Yep. You've launched it at World of Wedgwood. It's like a flagship site in Stoke. It's it's a brand and a place that's in a lot of people's memory.

James Routledge:

Yeah. And then I think then to be I think to to face that, I don't know, that same level of criticism. I just think it's a big challenge basically is what I'm getting at. Like, it's a bit it's a big challenge though. Yeah.

James Routledge:

It's a big challenge. And to bring that kind of, like, fine dining, high quality, stuff.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Like I say, I think it's I think it pleases itself online but you, you know, for anyone having a go at, with Beth Sue and yourself or anyone you think why?

James Routledge:

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

James Routledge:

Why? Why? Why?

Craig Wikinson:

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

James Routledge:

Why? Why? Why?

Craig Wikinson:

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Craig Wikinson:

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Craig Wikinson:

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Craig Wikinson:

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Craig Wikinson:

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Craig Wikinson:

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Craig Wikinson:

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Craig Wikinson:

Why? Why? Why? Why The I I was, when I went over to site so I my grandparents are from Birmingham. Great Bar.

Craig Wikinson:

My my dad grew up in Great Bar. My mom grew up in Smethwick. My grandparents would take us to the parks nearby in Sower House. It's in there where the Lunar Society would meet.

James Routledge:

Yeah. So when And you knew about the Lunar Society?

Craig Wikinson:

Yes. But it wasn't at the forefront of my mind. Wow. So I when I went over to Edgewood and I saw this was July 2021, so was the site closed? It was very quiet, so people weren't doing much.

Craig Wikinson:

I saw the old dining hall and I thought, well, with what I've done in bringing experiences to life, brand experiences, immersive experience, immersive theatrical dining experiences, I saw the old dining hall and I thought well I could there's there's not much work to do in here to to give it some life. Yeah.

James Routledge:

And to create a story and a narrative and Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

And I I know and with my the Lunar Society I I thought, why Josiah Wedgwood? Let me have a look at that. And then, wow, we know what Josiah Wedgwood did and the Lunar Society. That there was a, you know, part of my growing up.

James Routledge:

Yeah. It's all like in front of you in a way, isn't it? It's like Yeah. You you're, you know, you've grown up near Birmingham. You now found yourself on a site in Barleston.

James Routledge:

There's the connection there between the great industrialists of Birmingham and the great industrialists of Stoke. Like, it's pretty deep. And for anyone that doesn't know, the Lunar Society was it was a group of enlightened thinkers and industrialists in sort of 18 fifties. 1700s? 1700s.

James Routledge:

Sorry.

Craig Wikinson:

It still exists, but they were the founders. Yeah.

James Routledge:

They're the founders. So it's like Darwin, Wedgwood, Priestley. Who else we got? Matthew Bolton. Matthew Bolton.

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

And then So he he's he's let me go to Matthew Bolton College and Yeah.

James Routledge:

Bentley. I think Thomas Bentley is another one. And they would meet under the light of the full moon

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah.

James Routledge:

And discuss the biggest challenges of Yeah. Of our time. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

And it's beautiful, isn't it? And

James Routledge:

the It's amazing. It's incredible. Like, just imagining them coming together and, you know, just talking is Yeah. Yeah. It's special.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So and so understanding that and thinking, wow, that's 1700 years ago, that was the day with all the way advancing, you know, humanity. And I think, well

James Routledge:

It's like Steve Jobs meeting up with Bill Gates. You know, that literally Yeah. It's like that. Yeah. At that point in the industrial revolution, like, the UK was was very much the center of the world and pioneer in that.

Craig Wikinson:

And and and Wedgwood was at the forefront of the abolition movement. So he would give these medallions Yeah. My mom Yeah. Yeah. My mom and brother to, like, Benjamin Franklin and

James Routledge:

Well, that's what's cool, isn't it, about those people? They weren't it wasn't just business. You know, they weren't just meeting up thinking, like, how could we make more money? Yeah. We can assume, like, they were meeting up talking about abolishing slavery or yeah.

James Routledge:

Workers' rights. Workers' rights and welfare. Yeah. Improving the, you know, talking about the creation of the canal system. And that, you know, that's the famous meeting that I think, Wedgwood had, I can't remember with who, in, in the leopard in

Craig Wikinson:

Bursley. Yes.

James Routledge:

Yes. So all these amazing stories. And at that point, did you just feel I've gotta do this then?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. 100%. Yeah.

James Routledge:

Because you've never you've never actually owned even though you've set up a couple of businesses, you've never owned your own venue. No. No. That's like a new Yeah. You've probably always just taken space in people's venues or

Craig Wikinson:

Well, say I say no. I've so I'm a co founder of the Murder Express in London. So book Okay.

James Routledge:

One of

Craig Wikinson:

the 3 directors. We've we've got a venue down there at least, but not my own. And then I'd had the cafe Got it. Which is a different proposition to a fine dining restaurant. You know?

Craig Wikinson:

With Nars Accolades, you know, and his

James Routledge:

skills, you know, it's

Craig Wikinson:

very different. Yeah. But, yeah, I thought I'm here. I events had stopped. Didn't know where the world was, you know, is this the end of the world?

Craig Wikinson:

Mhmm. I'd I'd also staffed some pan COVID test centers through the pandemic. And that being lucrative, so I had some money. And I thought, actually, I didn't feel a 100% comfortable with that money. I didn't do anything dodgy.

Craig Wikinson:

No. But yeah. Yeah.

James Routledge:

I thought I get that. Yeah. Yeah. It's not mon like, it's not it wasn't money or or a business that you would necessarily wanted to do, was it? You were you were filling a hole.

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah. So I so I thought I'd take this and I'm gonna be here. I enjoy living here, and let's create something cool. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

So, so yeah. Hence Luna.

James Routledge:

Yeah. And what's your you've you've had you you know, last couple of months I don't know exactly when this go out, but last couple of months, Niall's left. So you started with Niall Keaton. Niall's moved on. Yep.

James Routledge:

So you you've changed the menu a little bit. So Yeah. It looks to me like the menu's, become a bit more accessible. That's that's my take on it from what I can see. Just from your perspective, like, I suppose it's it's not an easy question to answer me, but just just how is it how is it going and where do you want it to be Yeah.

James Routledge:

You know, compared to where

Craig Wikinson:

it is? It's it's going in the right direction, in my opinion. We the the AR Rosetta really we we got those literally 2 weeks ago. Yeah. And that for me is a and and for the team.

Craig Wikinson:

It's like such an amazing accolades of and to have that acknowledgment of

James Routledge:

of what they've The quality of the product the

Craig Wikinson:

product. Quality of the product Yeah. And what they've all been putting in. And so and really it was, you know, not Niall's, you know, brand himself is fantastic, isn't it? Incredible product, incredible menus.

Craig Wikinson:

But the, the venue that we've got really is neat for me was just too big. So it was making that more yeah. Because

James Routledge:

it is a big venue. You know, if if you're in there,

Craig Wikinson:

it's a big it's a big space. Yeah. So so I thought, well, look, let's let's try and I'm gonna give it a go and let's try and make it more accessible. So create an a la carte menu that's on a price point with, you know, other offerings in the area. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

But keeping the values of as local, you know, as we can, sustainable, And, and also putting on a we put on a set lunch, 2 courses for £20 Thursday to Saturday Yeah. Which we priced which is fair. Yeah. Yeah. And thought, okay, how can we utilize the space?

Craig Wikinson:

But also be more of a kind of destination for yeah. I I feel like it was more niche before whereas actually we can be more open. Yeah. You So you still offer

James Routledge:

some quality. Feels like with where you go and, you know, it's my birthday or it's someone's graduation or just looking for a nice meal on a Friday night. Like, it's just a bit more

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. It's

James Routledge:

a bit more open to that rather than a maybe a once in a lifetime Yeah. Venue. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah. So the so we're going on the we're on the right path, changed menus, and, you know, got a new chef coming in tomorrow. So, yeah, wait and see. I mean, who knows where it'll go.

Craig Wikinson:

But

James Routledge:

And what sort of what role do you think do you want it to have in, like, the the community? Like, do you want it to sort of do you want to sort of recreate the Lunar Society there? I know that the Lunar Society already exists somewhere else. Yeah. But yeah.

James Routledge:

Because I know you do, you know, you do the art and wine evenings. There are regular events. Like, what yeah. What else?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So so do learn the Art and Wine Society at last Wednesday of every month. We've got, we we've we've just, developed a strategic partnership with the Chamber. So we do a few of those events there. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I know we spoke before like, you know, Luna Society makes sense to be. Yeah. Yeah. And that's and that's I mean, you've got things going on there as well. I I haven't created any other events around it and I think really it's you know I mean I'm in the with being completely open that I am I'm frank with it that's what that's what you want right?

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yeah. Please.

Craig Wikinson:

I'm I'm in I'm in I'm in you know the weeds with it right now of sticking with the values that we created it with. Yeah. You know the past celebrating the past. Focusing on the present, where are we today? Not only physically in Stoke on Trent but you know economically as a as a society.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. The sustainability with that eye on the future. Mhmm. So all that's at the core of it. Right now it's about stability within our team.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So we're getting stability doing more recruitments.

James Routledge:

Mhmm.

Craig Wikinson:

So our partnership broke up, just over a month ago. Yeah. So just getting that stability in the team at the moment. And, you know, can this can this work as it is Yeah. Is is the biggest thing.

Craig Wikinson:

So we had visions of, you know, could take Lunar anywhere. You can have pop ups in different places. Yeah. There's a Lunar Art and Wine Society. Could we take them on tours of vineyards?

Craig Wikinson:

Mhmm. You know, all the there's all these visions there. We have I haven't we haven't got any plans at present to, you know, do much more than what we do right now which is keeping the quality, focus on that quality. We've got a new chef coming in so we're looking at evolving that experience menu. So we call it the experience menu on Friday Saturday night which is about them the chef, you know, showing that showcasing their flair and creativity in their cooking.

Craig Wikinson:

Mhmm. So but we're we're open as you know, you know, to whatever I I love it as a venue that's accessible, open, not just for the food, but, you know, whether it's a film screening.

James Routledge:

Yeah. We do we did that. There was there was a film screening there last year, which I was sort of just just helps send some invites to essentially. But that that just felt like the perfect Luna felt like such a good venue for that. Anything that's sort of, I don't know, like a venue in a space where you can come together to it's a meeting of minds, isn't it?

James Routledge:

That's what the Luna Society was. I think I I've got no vested interest in in in Luna in your restaurant other than I sort of I personally feel connected to that story and I suppose selfishly would. I love the idea of those spaces coming back into our community and having a place where, I don't know, you know, whatever on on the full moon, there's a there's a feast and you know that the people that that go there are gonna be are gonna be interested or there's a talk on, you know, like, and this is a not it's it's not necessarily a strange, segue, but if you if I look at the success of the TED Talks at Staffs Uni Yeah. And the quality of those TED Talks

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah.

James Routledge:

There's a I know there's a demand. I know there's a thirst for kind of intellectual conversation. So

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah.

James Routledge:

Yeah. It excites me as as to what what people could use Luna for because it's not just on you, actually. It's not just on you to to put everything on. I think, you know, you can be a venue where if the right person reaches out or gets in touch, you know, like you are doing clearly with the Chamber and and others, you can be a space for people.

Craig Wikinson:

That's a that is the case. Well, yeah. Like, we are open and I don't I try and tell people that as well, you know, if there's anything you wanna do, you know, tell us because we can

James Routledge:

Yes. You were we're here. Yeah. Yeah. We're we're we're here.

James Routledge:

I think it's I think it's I'll I'll I think I've noticed that when I was in London, I I think people are more aware that when you're sort of engaging with, like, a startup, you as a as a patron or consumer almost have a chance to kind of, like, shape it. Do you know what I mean? Like, if if yeah. I don't know. There's that sort of acknowledgment of, like, my power as a as a consumer essentially.

James Routledge:

And I do I have noticed since I've been back in here, for example, I find it a lot harder to get any feedback. I I just find people are less willing, to give me feedback or and when people do, like, someone made a comment on the knot the other day about, I've got the link wrong or something. Yeah. And the someone put like, you've got the link wrong. And then I heard that the emoji was like a rolling eyes emoji.

James Routledge:

You could just tell me I've got the link wrong. And and maybe I've misread the emojis. Things are different. I know when there's so I've just noticed that when there's rather than being constructive, it still seem to be more critical. And I do think, like, we we need to sort of coach and encourage people that, you know, the people that here that are here that are out putting themselves out there to create businesses here, build stuff in spaces that are hard, like in hospitality or whatever.

James Routledge:

You know, let them know. Tell them they're doing great. Tell them what they could be doing better. If you've got an idea for an event, see if they'll help you put it on, see if you could put it on there. Like, you know, I don't think we can just sit here in an area that wants to regenerate clearly.

James Routledge:

We can't just be passive. Some people will choose to be passive, and that's absolutely fine. That's that's not I'm not not going to issue with that. But for those people that are interested and actors, it is on us to, to collaborate and to help each other because on your own, trying to build Luna and just trying to give people something without the help of a community, it's it's gonna be really difficult. Yeah.

James Routledge:

It is. Whereas I think if you've got, you know, if you've got people behind you who want Luna to exist Yeah. Then it's gonna be much easier.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah.

James Routledge:

And it's gonna be more possible. Because from my perspective, we want Luna. We want and we want World of Wedgwood.

Craig Wikinson:

You know,

James Routledge:

we want that we want that space and, you know, you want to go from, you know, you want to go from Luna and have some food at Luna to then go to the, 6 towns and have a drink there maybe or or go down or on a Sunday I've gone for a walk around Hem Heath Woods and then I'm going for Sunday lunch at Luna, like, you know, we we want that, and it and it's definitely possible when you look at, you know, how busy Trenton Gardens is just down the road. Like, there's clearly, and obviously and Wille de Wedgewood's gone out it's open 7 days a week now. So clearly, that's a signal of intent Yeah. By them. So, yeah, we all want it and it's on it's on all of us, I think, too.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. And that's and and and, you know, those conversations are happening as well. Yeah. You know? And being here or

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Dealing with World of Wedgwood on a daily basis as well. And it's it's interesting, you know, I was at an George Staffordshire event at Western Park last week and they were talking about tourism and how many international tourists visit Western Park. World of Wedgwood, I'll see a busload of tourists come in, go there for the day, and then get back on the bus and go away. Yeah. It strikes me as to say well, you know, that and and and I speak to people at World of Wedgwood who have been to Middleport and Longton and Duchess and they've been around the potteryx because they wanna go to all of the, the manufacturers.

Craig Wikinson:

I think well, it's keeping people here as well, isn't it?

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

How do you keep people here and

James Routledge:

do those tours? There almost needs to be a bus route that's just like a circular bus route around that so good.

Craig Wikinson:

I was talking to the guys that Wedgwood the other day about that. And, you know, it's like, is there is there this, you know, group ticket?

James Routledge:

Yeah. The ceramics bus or

Craig Wikinson:

something.

James Routledge:

Well, yeah. Because you you do well on public transport to get around to all the sides. You wouldn't be able to

Craig Wikinson:

do it.

James Routledge:

You'd have to drive or get a taxi

Craig Wikinson:

or whatever. That's it. The Ceramics bus.

James Routledge:

The ceramics bus would be so cool. It would be cool wouldn't it? Yeah. It would be really cool. Stopping stopping out just maybe on a And there's also I mean, there's other spots, isn't there?

James Routledge:

You know, it's it's not easy to get to Walton Towers

Craig Wikinson:

on public transport. No. It's not. You know,

James Routledge:

you land at Stoke Station or Stafford Station. Yeah. It's actually not easy. It's not easy to get there. No.

James Routledge:

And given that you know, so there'd be I'm sure there'd be should there be a lot of attractions and and places in this county that would be very interested in some sort of Oh, don't start me. Yeah. You can't do that as well.

Craig Wikinson:

Well, I

James Routledge:

think But it's important, I think, that we'll have these these are the ideas, and that they these are the these are the projects or the the ideas that are gonna kick start change. Yeah. Yeah. And that's where it all all comes. What's your what's your where would you love Luna to be?

James Routledge:

And I know we focus on that. I know you got Albus as well, but, you know, where would you like Luna to be in a couple of years next year?

Craig Wikinson:

So full self sustaining itself. Yeah. I'd I'd like to do more with education. I'd like to do more with, Link Up Better with the college. We have relationship, but, you know, getting people in their training, doing cookery schools, just be just being a bit more open in the Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

In the community.

James Routledge:

It sounds like you want you want more footfall

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah.

James Routledge:

And that's why Yeah. You know, and you want it to be a a venue that people can come to more regularly

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah.

James Routledge:

And then that means you can then open your doors a bit more

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah.

James Routledge:

And do more in the com you know, for the for the area. Yeah. And tell us tell us about, Albert's then sort of sort of quickly before we before we wrap up. Yeah. So because Albert's is that that park opposite Stafford's Station Beautiful.

James Routledge:

Is beautiful. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. The Kent's do a wonderful job there, the Rangers, and keeping it immaculate. And so they've they've got a bandstand there, a a small, what's it called? What's it called? The Romans amphitheatre.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. The Romans.

James Routledge:

And then Alberts is almost this kind of I see. It's like this circular glass venue in the corner, isn't it?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. So, so we operate the park in for an as an event space with the council and Albert's Cafe. So it's got a terrace down by the river. And and, yeah, we do we do, Stafford dining club. We'll do 3 events through the summer where we have about 1200 people come to the park, and that's street food, music.

Craig Wikinson:

We do some

James Routledge:

When are they?

Craig Wikinson:

Oh, I should have those dates, shouldn't I? So We we've done one in June and then, once August and another September. Brilliant. And then I think next Sunday, we've got Summer in the Park, which is completely free. But we team up with a couple of local craftmakers and they have stands there.

Craig Wikinson:

We have, wine and a funfair. That's completely free. So we say come to the park and, you know, enjoy it. And then we and there's Bowling Green there. You can use a Bowling Green.

James Routledge:

Mhmm. Cool.

Craig Wikinson:

Kids play area with water fountains and sandpits.

James Routledge:

And then the cafe is open. Cafe is

Craig Wikinson:

open 7 days a week. 7 days a week all through the day. And then we've we've we've just brought it well, about a month ago, brought a large TV. So we're screening, sports Cool. Events.

Craig Wikinson:

So Euros, Wimbledon, Tour de France, Cricket, Rugby, And, and we do a film night as well. So our friends who came to see us at the Great British Driving, we do Yeah. Once a month, we do a a Friday night film night on the terrace. So Nice. Yeah.

James Routledge:

And do you feel sort of do you feel settled here now? Like, do you feel does it feel like home?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. I love it here. I think I think there's so much to do. I was over at Lichfield Cathedral on Saturday. You know, I can't escape the Lunar Society, Erasmus, Darwin's house.

James Routledge:

You're at Darwin's house. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. I was over there and walking around and it's first time I'd actually walked around Litchfield. I've done the event in Litchfield in the park there before but first time I walked around. Little one goes to Newcastle under Lyme School. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Love it there. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I do I love it here.

Craig Wikinson:

Everyone's so friendly. Like, I say everyone, you know, it's a generalization but Yeah.

James Routledge:

Often that the trolls online.

Craig Wikinson:

The trolls online but I don't have to see them.

James Routledge:

Yeah. No. They're not your mates. Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. And I speak to people. You know? That that's the thing with London as well is that you can you don't speak to people as much. I remember I remember talking to a guy at a bar and he thought I was hitting on him, you know.

Craig Wikinson:

Like, no. No. Yeah.

James Routledge:

So what do you want from me?

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. Yeah. You know, so whereas you you've got that humor that I guess I grew up with. I play football on a Tuesday night up by the Bet 365 stadium, you know. I yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

I I do love it here and I think there's so many there are so many creative people doing things, then great things. And I think, you know, I've talked about what like, in Joyce Staffordshire and seeing what, yeah, what everyone's doing, what you want to do.

James Routledge:

I think me

Craig Wikinson:

and you

James Routledge:

are a bit good. I think me and you are quite similar in that well, I speak for myself. I've genuinely found that, you know, I like living here. Yeah. Like, it gives me what I need.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Family, countryside Yeah. Location that if I do wanna go elsewhere, I'm never too far from anywhere. That also really helps. Good people, good house prices.

James Routledge:

Yeah. You know? And then professionally and creatively, I think the challenge of improving and regenerating Yeah. This area and being part of that is absolutely keeping me here. Yeah.

James Routledge:

Creatively, I found that very stimulating. Yeah. I think, like, obviously, you can do creative work and and get a job or do stuff anywhere else, but I think the thought that I and we can be part of this kind of movement, that that really excites me. Yes. Because I don't know where where else I would get that other than moving to another area that was also in need of a bit of love and and was on was was searching for its new identity.

James Routledge:

But I wouldn't have any connection to anywhere else.

Craig Wikinson:

Oh,

James Routledge:

yeah. So I think being part of writing this new story and being part of Stoke and Staffordshire is is an evolution Yeah. Which has definitely been hard because I think we've we've seen the tail end of the the decline Yeah. And, you know, things things at some point have to get better. Yeah.

James Routledge:

But I think that's been difficult to see. So it's like one world's kind of ending and another's Yeah. And another's another's beginning. So, yeah, I certainly like the thought that, yeah, I could look back on, you know, in I don't know how many years and be like, yeah, we were part of that.

Craig Wikinson:

Yeah. It's fair. Yeah. I know you said can't speak for me but that's pretty much echoes

James Routledge:

Yeah.

Craig Wikinson:

You know, where I'm at and then yeah. I I couldn't think of moving anywhere else because you move somewhere for where what you're reasoning, you know, or you everything is right here, right now, isn't it? And it's Yeah. Exactly. Do the best with what you can find and try and make it

James Routledge:

Yeah. Right. Quick fire questions before before you leave. Now you can't answer any of these questions with any venues you own. That's all awesome.

Craig Wikinson:

Okay. Okay.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Yeah. So favorite place to get coffee? Bear? Bear.

James Routledge:

Honestly, Bear. Bear is Bear's won so far.

Craig Wikinson:

Do you want me to give you another one? Go on.

James Routledge:

Give us another one.

Craig Wikinson:

Chapel and Coffee in Canwick.

James Routledge:

Oh, yeah. Nice. I'd like to go there. You really have got Staffordshire down, haven't you? You you're like, mate, you must do some miles, honestly.

Craig Wikinson:

I can't do everything. You know, I can't do I haven't seen the stick man at the National Arboretum yet. Mate, you've got yeah.

James Routledge:

I'll tell you what, though. Your well travels. Yeah. Yeah. That's a good spot.

James Routledge:

Yeah. Favorite place to get food other than Luna?

Craig Wikinson:

Stock.

James Routledge:

Nice. Newcastle underline. Good shout.

Craig Wikinson:

Hope you're thinking to do. Walk around Trenton Lakes.

James Routledge:

Is it? I love it.

Craig Wikinson:

I was I've got a membership. My other half's not as happy about me. She's like, can we go somewhere else? I'm like, come on.

James Routledge:

I'm sad, aren't I? No. You're not sad. I'll give a quick one to that. I mean, if you've grown up in this area, getting it so I think getting a getting a membership at Trenton Gardens kind of feels like a real submission to the fact that you live here.

James Routledge:

And but I met a guy the other day, Phil, videographer. He's moved here from Leeds. I don't know because he's met he met his wife who's from here. And he was telling me about Trentham Gardens with such passion about how good it is. And I was just thinking like, yeah, it obviously is that good.

James Routledge:

Like, it actually is that good. He was like, you know, it's a beautiful lake. It's like £60, £70 for the, you know, walk the dog around there.

Craig Wikinson:

It's clean. People are

James Routledge:

lovely. People are nice. I was like, yeah, mate. You know what? Fair play.

James Routledge:

So I'm probably about 6 to 12 months away from getting

Craig Wikinson:

a manager. I need to get I need to get some more things in my in my social life, you know. I'm aware of that.

James Routledge:

I love it. So a good weekend. It'd be a coffee at a bear, a bit of food at stock, and then a walk around, try on some gardens. Yeah. Lovely.

James Routledge:

It's been a pleasure having you on. I mean, I love what you what you produce in here, and we need people like you to be creating great businesses and great experiences for us. So, I'm a Luna fan. I'm looking forward to trying out the new van, the new menu. And, I mean, I don't I don't think you need it, but good luck.

Craig Wikinson:

Thank you very much. Good luck. And thank you for having me. Pleasure.

James Routledge:

Thank you for listening to The Knot Pod. If you like this podcast and want more, please follow us on social media at the knot daily and subscribe to get good news from the knot direct to your inbox via www.theknot.news. Join the community, join the movement, and together, we're changing the narrative. And by doing that, we're gonna change the place. And please always remember, when you see something positive in our area, just think, that's one for the night.

James Routledge:

See you next time.

Craig Wilkinson, Founder of Lunar. "I enjoy living here. Let's create something cool"

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