HOTDOGS are often considered fast food for on the go.

But two Warrington bar owners are giving the snack a gourmet makeover with the launch of Dead Eye’s in Bridge Street.

James Maguire and Jimmy Bannister are hoping to reverse Bridge Street’s fortunes with a premium hotdog and cocktail bar which opens tomorrow, Friday.

“The inspiration came from bars from all over the world,” said Jimmy, a former Bridgewater High pupil.

“There’s one called PDT, which stands for Please Don’t Tell, in New York.

“You walk into a hotdog stall and then there’s this phone box in the corner and if you’re in the know you dial a number and the manager takes a look at you over CCTV.

“If he likes the look of you he opens this door and on other side is a massive cocktail lounge.

“That’s where the influence for our artwork comes from.

“We thought to ourselves: ‘Is this something we could do in Warrington?’

“We had our doubts but then we looked at it and there are bars like this in Liverpool, Manchester and Chester as well as Bubbledogs in London which offers champagne and hotdogs.”

James and Jimmy, who have more than 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, have also been inspired by the changing perception of fast food.

Jimmy, aged 34, from Latchford, said: “If you were taking someone out for a date you might go for a steak or an Italian. You’d never dream of going to a fast food restaurant and ordering a burger and chips.

“But people will do that at places like Almost Famous because it is presented in a certain way, looks funky and you can have a nice cocktail with it.”

James, a former Great Sankey High student, added: “We think we’re getting on the next boom early

“You can still get a hotdog from a hoagie wagon but what we’re doing is gourmet hotdogs.

“Places like Almost Famous have revolutionised fast food. They have made it cool again.”

So visitors can expect everything from the classic ‘Yank dog’ to the ‘monster dog’, a bratwurst sausage which comes with chipotle mayo, pulled pork and chillies before being sprinkled with Monster Munch.

At the bar you will be able to get luxury cocktails, craft beers and all American soft drinks like cream soda and root beer while munching on popcorn and M&Ms.

But Dead Eye’s also has to contend with the stereotypical image of Bridge Street in the early hours.

James and Jimmy hope to change the street’s binge drinking reputation by attracting a different crowd, particularly earlier in the evening.

Jimmy, who grew up in Stockton Heath, said: “We don’t want people coming to Warrington from out of town for a night out and all they see is kebab shops.

“We want to tie in with the Time Square regeneration. We’re just trying to bring Bridge Street up a notch or two.

“The Cultural Quarter has done so well. It’s taken off but it’s taken a good few years. Why can’t Bridge Street have that?

“Doing something different, we just feel we might be able to up Bridge Street’s game a little bit.

“We’re not saying we’ll be as busy as those bars but somebody has to try and break the trend. Hopefully we’re the start of it.”

DAVID MORGAN