AT the start of my telephone interview with Michael Dickson I am feeling a bit peckish. Half an hour later and I’m in desperate need of an early lunch after the boss of pork butcher Dicksons has talked about pies, sizzling bacon, and North-East delicacies such as pease pudding and saveloy dips.

Pork shops used to be a common site on every North-East high street but the stifling presence of supermarkets and chains such as Greggs, means that smaller, family-owned purveyors of sausages and cooked meats have become increasingly scarce. More’s the pity.

“Our kind of shop – distinct from a butcher where you would go for your chops or Sunday roast – were the delicatessens of the 1960s,” Michael explains.

“To survive into the present day we have had to adapt our offer. Whereas back then people would call in two or three times a week to pick up a few slices of ham and some pease pudding one day and some pies the next, it is now more about satisfying the food on the go market. We are also providing eat on the premises facilities at our new branches,” he says.

Dicksons, which has built up a strong presence across Tyneside and Wearside since it was started by Michael’s father Irwin in 1953, is expanding into the south of the region. A new branch at Peterlee will soon be followed by a site in Durham City. Asked if Darlington is also on his target list of new locations Michael tips his hat to the renowned Taylors which he believes already does a fine job of feeding the locals.

“It would be like them trying to move into South Shields where we a very strong, I don’t think it would make sense,” he says.

Michael says that when he was a youngster the business was an extension of family life with everyone lending a hand. He grew up above the shop and recalls being a toddler as the aroma of roast pork and freshly baked pies wafted up through the floorboards.

“My father had started the business at a time of great poverty on Tyneside,” he says, adding: “I don’t think there was any great 'vision' as we might say now. For him it was more a matter of survival in those days. He couldn’t stay on at school and ended up starting the business with a mate at a shop in Wallsend and later went on his own in South Shields.

"He always hoped I would go down an academic route, or as he put it ‘get a proper job’ as an accountant, solicitor, teacher..

"In that sense he was like a lot of people who set up family businesses and want their kids to get a profession rather than face the same struggles they endured," says Michael, who was just 14-years-old when his father died, which meant a plan to attend university was shelved. After leaving grammar school he joined his sister Christine to carry on their father’s work.

"We made mistakes but lots of sleepless nights, enthusiasm and a willingness to graft carried us through," he says.

Within four years the young entrepreneurs had helped to steer the struggling business back into profit. "That was a big moment. Chris and I were a great team and we knew then we were heading in the right direction," he says.

The firm now employs more than 250 people at its shops and South Shields production facility. It also has a wholesale arm supplying major supermarkets as well as an online business offering delivery services to ex-pats eager for a taste of home.

Michael, 64, is determined to maintain the family’s influence.

He says: “It is held in trust and overseen by a family council. We will keep it family-owned even if it doesn’t stay family-run. That helps to protect it because this is not just about the Dickson family. Lots of families rely on the business to earn salaries and pay their mortgages. We have a duty to do things properly for them."

FIVE minutes with Michael Dickson, managing director of Dicksons Pork Butchers.

Favourite North-East building and why?

The SAGE building on the Gateshead Quays for its bold exterior and aesthetic impact which brings real pride to the whole area.

What was your first job and how much did you get paid?

It was of course food-related but my first job was making Christmas pasties for my dad. I was 11 at the time but I most certainly didn’t get paid enough.

What is the worst job you've had?

Probably lighting ancient coke ovens on Sundays as a teenager so that they were ready for the week ahead. I would have been still at school at the time but it certainly beat Latin homework.

What would you cook for me if I came around for dinner?

I’m a traditionalist so it would have to be an old classic of pie, mash, mushy peas and gravy - you can’t go wrong.

What would your superpower be?

It might sound a bit sinister but laser powered eyes could come in handy, although that could get me into a lot of trouble and bring new meaning to the expression 'if looks could kill'.

Name four people, dead or alive, who would be at your perfect dinner party.

I would have to go for a bit of an eclectic mix of Bill Bryson, Lauren Bacall, Paolo Ceolho and Kate Winslet.

Most expensive thing you've bought - other than car or house - and how much?

The Dicksons factory in South Shields which is our main production facility supplying all of our shops and the regional supermarkets with Dicksons products. How much? Well, it was a business investment for the future so it was money well spent.

Who is the best person to follow on Twitter and why?

Unfortunately, I have very little to do with twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or any other digital media and we have some great people within the business who give Dicksons a great digital presence. It’s a bit beyond my generation. I’d much rather to talk to someone in person than over a computer.

Favourite book?

The 5 People you Meet in Heaven.

When did you last cry?

I’d rather not say the moment but I will say that grief is the price we pay for love.

What is your greatest achievement?

Marrying my wife and watching her bring up our four fantastic kids, to all intents and purposes as a single parent family as I concentrated on the business.

What's the best piece of advice in business you've ever been given?

Don’t let problems define your life, but the manner you deal with them.

Favourite animal and why?

I loved our two black Labradors and they were very much a part of our family. They are now sadly gone.

Most famous person on your mobile phone.

I hate to disappoint but sadly there is no one famous on my phone.

What was the last band you saw live?

Does the stage version of The Sound of Music with my grand daughters count? If not it would be Jools Holland.

Describe your perfect night in.

Dinner with friends and family, plenty of intelligent conversation and lively debate with a good dose of laughter.

In another life I would be...

I’m a passionate mountain walker so in another life I would love to have been a full time mountaineer and climber.

Who would play you in a film of your life

Obviously, I’d say George Clooney but I’m not sure I could see him enjoying a saveloy dip.

What irritates you?

Well put it this way, Victor Meldrew is my hero, my grandchildren used to call me Grumpy so the question should not be what irritates me but rather, what doesn’t irritate me.

What's your secret talent?

It’s being able to get completely lost up a mountain yet managing to find contentment and then blundering back down.