Hello Spud opens stall in Warrington Market

Hello Spud is now open and is run by a pair of great friends from the town.

They provide traditional jacket potatoes with a quirky gourmet twist such as jacket potato and chicken curry, ribs, pork and wild boar as well as chilli con carne.

Of course, if you just want a traditional spud too, you are welcome to get one.

The men behind the business are good friends Graeme Keast and Jimmy Bannister who came together when Graeme bought Dead Eyes Cocktail Bar off him and from then on, they have stayed in touch.

“I didn’t just buy a bar, I gained a friend as well as we got on really well straight away,” said Graeme.

“Jimmy had this idea and concept for Hello Spud and asked me if I would go into partnership with him.

“We both have a lot of different skills.

“Eventually, Hello Spud won’t just be one place in Warrington we want to spread it out there.”

Jimmy with one of the new, quirky dishes

The twisted spuds

The idea came about when Jimmy visited the Cookhouse during the Christmas Markets and his daughter fancied a jacket potato which couldn’t be found on the menu.

Jimmy, 42, said: “I decided to go away and create a brand. Some companies who have been established for a long, long time have upped their game and ‘gourmed’ them up a bit.

“I got excited and thought that it doesn’t have to be just cheese and beans, why can’t we make it more like a restaurant and takeaway with the potatoes?

“It’s going back to my roots with Dead Eyes Cocktails N’ Dogs too.

“I felt like it would be an exciting venture for us.”

Friends Graeme Keast and Jimmy Bannister are working together at Hello Spud

The market stall providing a new take on the traditional spud

Graeme said the menu will be altered based on what the customers are enjoying.

The 36-year-old added: “The real eye-catcher is the pork and wild boar sausage – I’m not sure where else you can go and get one of them from.

“It’s great to see the idea come alive. We’re learning as we go along.

“We’re making sure we can get orders out as fast as we can in minutes too.

“It brings all of our experiences together.

“We don’t need to have just one place for spuds in Warrington.

“We’re offering something different.”

Staff with some of the Hello Spud food options

Hello Spud review

We put the Big Pork and Wild Dog to the test along with some of the Twisted Spuds.

Just based off these two products, you get the feeling Hello Spud will succeed in the market.

The sausage combination on the spud is a quirky take on a traditional meal and the flavour is fantastic.

Additionally, the twisted spuds don't just look great, the soft potato is tasty and the element of spice adds a nice kick to it too.

Don't be surprised if you are soon met with a line of people getting their hands on the spuds at tea time soon.