BBC Dragons' Den contestant now Reform UK candidate in GE

If you were to describe Simon Llewellyn’s background in a word; ‘interesting’, ‘exhaustive’, ‘tenacious’ and ‘extraordinary’ could all be used.

Mr Llewellyn, 52, from Rhoose, served as a submariner in the Navy for 11 years. He then ran TV company Hot Diggidy Dog before facing the dragons on Dragons' Den to try get investment for his hot sauce company – for which ‘king dragon’ Simon Jones was willing to invest.

Then Mr Llewellyn opened Sausage Revolution in Atlantic Trading Estate and despite its unique premise – hot dog and hot sauces – and great food (best piri piri chips in Barry!) Mr Llewellyn sadly closed the restaurant in November last year, and then he went silent…

Until now!

We met Mr Llewellyn in Penarth in his new persona as politician and logistics manager.

Mr Llewellyn will run for Reform UK – led by Nigel Farage – in the upcoming General Election on July 4.

When we sat down with Mr Llewellyn the first thing we spoke about was the Sausage Revolution where he revealed what really happened and why he had to close.

“We could all see what was going on,” said Mr Llewellyn. “SR was a disposable income type of business that people could no longer afford.

“Food costs prohibited profits. For example I was paying £500 for pallets of tomato paste – that rose to £2,000. I remember I was paying £300 for certain supplies, after Covid it was £1,000. I couldn’t pass that on to the customer. I couldn’t charge £10 for a bottle of sauce.”

Many said Sausage Revolution was in the ‘wrong location’ being situated in the middle of an industrial estate, however Mr Llewellyn explained he was well aware of where they were based.

“Our location was not the best,” admitted Mr Llewellyn, “but that was where we ran the sauce factory and SR was the experiment on the side to see whether it would work, and it was cheaper to test it there rather than pay sky high rates for a premise on the high street.”

Simon Llewellyn used to run Sausage Revolution in Atlantic Trading Estate (Image: Newsquest)

From the Navy, to Hot Diggidy Dog TV, to BBC’s Dragons Den, to Sausage Revolution to Reform UK: Simon Llewellyn

Gone is the restaurateur and now we sit in front of the politician.

Mr Llewelyn explained how he came to run for Reform UK.

“I was watching the news one evening and I was so compelled it was time for me to stand up and do something,” said Mr Llewellyn.

Now he's a Reform UK candidate in the GE (Image: Newsquest)

So why Reform – a party built off the back of the failed Ukip?

“I feel so strongly about the way the country is run at the moment,” said Mr Llewellyn.

“The system needs to be revitalised. The Tories are dying, Labour is rubbing their hands, but it is the same old story. There is not a lot of difference between the two parties now.

“I believe the country should be run like a business. You do not spend what you have not got, and that’s where Reform has it right.”

Mr Llewellyn is running in the General Election as a candidate for Reform UK in Penarth and Cardiff South – a full list of candidates can be found clicking here for Penarth, and here, for Barry.

To contact Mr Llewellyn, go to the contact section on Reform UK’s website.