Marks and Spencer support new 'Hooters' in Bristol

[JessinAvalon]

Dear all
(I've posted this under the feminism list but it's been suggested that I post it here as well.)

I live in Bristol and, last week, 'Hooters' was granted a licence to open in the city centre. The site is virtually opposite 3 apartment blocks, the lower floors of which are social housing and children are living in them.

What's most disappointing is that Marks and Spencer are leasing the site to 'Hooters'. They have been e-mailed by many concerned people to ask if they will reconsider leasing the building but they have just replied saying it is a "commercial decision" (as if that makes it ok!). In Sheffield, a 'Hooters' didn't even make it to application stage because the developer (Ask Pizza) realised that it would be better not to be associated with a company like 'Hooters'.

Marks and Spencer don't seem that concerned, however. Although they have signed up to the "Let Girls Be Girls" Mumsnet campaign they are not concerned about a company which sells merchandise including babygros which say "Future Hooters Girl" and "Does my butt look big in this?"

I have written to Marks and Spencer telling them that I won't be shopping in their stores again. If you feel strongly about this, please e-mail:

[email protected].

'Hooters' tries to sell itself as a family friendly restaurant but it is anything but. The Hooters in Nottingham attracts mainly stag parties and football fans. Hooters Girls take part in bikini contests and iced wet t-shirt competitions (the t-shirts are put in the freezers before the girls wear them). 'Hooters' has links to Playboy magazine....I could go on.....

I think Marks and Spencer should be shamed for facilitating this company's expansion into Bristol. They are selling women and girls down the river by leasing to this company and all just to make a "quick buck". As one former customer said to them, being a hitman is a "commercial decision" but it doesn't make it right!

Thanks everyone.

We have a petition here which we set up and a blog here which is recording articles etc and news on the Bristol Hooters.

Hi Posie
There are 3 articles that are most definitely not against it.

One appeared without a byline saying that those arguing against it were "fatuous". Another one by columnist Sarah Feeley called anti-Hooters campaigners "spitting", "ranting" and "militant" and said that we "played dirty" by claiming that there was a link to violence and abuse against women. (All we have is set up a petition and e-mailed a few councillors....apparently that's ranting and spitting and militant!)

There was also another one last Friday or Saturday which basically said, "what's all the fuss about, there used to be far worse in the 60s & 70s"!

Cue vitriolic comments after each one. The worst comments have been removed by moderators and comments have been closed on many of the articles because there were such personal attacks on some of those mentioned.

My personal view is that the EP is protecting future advertising by not slamming Hooters, as it seemed to 2 years ago. Plus, the EP is not known for its feminist sympathies!

Must read again!!

Americans have bizarre attitudes towards sex and nudity?

SWC - there are lots of Americans on this thread who do not have bizarre attitude to sex and nudity so generalising like that is rude and unfair and is not going to help the cause....

There may well be Americans who think like you describe but it's a big & diverse country so please don't tar them all with the same brush - I would not like it if someone said 'The Brits, with their acceptance of binge drinking and devotion to the royal family....'

Ah, don't worry ilovemydogandMrObama and Mingg, it was the whole of Australia earlier too.

smallwhitecat, America is a big country with many citizens - that's a bit of a generalisation, surely?! Some of the best arguments on here were made by Americans, imo. (I'm not American, btw.)

Seth....it is fair to say that there's a cultural difference between what the thinking American finds acceptable and the thinking Brit, all things being equal. The level of language used in kids TV is very different to that of the UK but adults don't seem to swear yet they support establishments like 'Hooters'. Likewise we love a bit of page three but are pretty shitty to bf mothers.....

yes there are cultural differences but if you start making rudely expressed generalisations when you are talking to a group of people which includes people from the group you are talking about it is just bloody bad manners and makes it look like you value their input so little you don't care if you are making the thread an unpleasant place for them to be.

You can think I'm po-faced if you like, I think you are being inconsiderate and ill-mannered.

You can have a conversation about those cultural differences without expressing it so bluntly that you are likely to upset and alienate people who are on your side.

(sorry, am off on school run now so if I don't respond for a while this is why)

As a culture we do slag off Americans but seem to follow all of their trends.

I think I've got something as offensive: restaurant called "Uncle Toms". Only black people can work there, and customers are encouraged to call them "boy" to which they have to sign away their rights to object to.

Utterly vile place, makes sexual harassment a daily expectancy with no right to complain.

I bet they break all the age and disability discrimination as well.

"What we don't have, however, in North America is the normalisation of page 3 girls, in-your-face-nudity in advertising, extreme sexualised advertising starring teenagers [Irn-Bru]."

You're kidding right?

Have you been to Las Vegas? Explicit card adverts for Prostitutes being handed out to CHILDREN (including babies in buggies), mobile billboards 20 feet high with naked women stating "girls to your room in minutes". .
In NY - fairly raunchy fashion/underwear adverts on buildings / buses etc.
Every other advert on TV seems to be for Viagra/Cialis.

Oh FGS check the Council's website - most Council's have all the applications on-line. Y

Oh ffs, if you don't agree with it don't give it any of your money!
Don't take your kids there.

And before you all get high and mighty about equal employment laws, how many of you fly on holiday, certainly part of their selection criterea is looks & size.
How many of you buy make up form the cosmetics counter in your local dept store?

Thanks for bringing this to my attention Jess - I actually live in cabot ward around the corner for where hooters will be. Had sort of known what's going on but been distracted by having baby number 2! have emailed my MP and signed petition. Hope it does something.

sorry for bad typing - snoring babe in arms....

YANBU - there is no way a company with publications like this is in any way, shape or form a family restaurant.

On a thread in the Feminism section we have found out that a licence has been granted for Brighton Marina..

So they are getting their licences.

No one (apart from the police) raised any objections.

"No one (apart from the police) raised any objections."

No doubt posters are doing their best to straighten this injustice out though. Like maybe posting it up on AIBU, and weaving in some bits about the corruption of chidren to widen the net of outrage?

ccp....Why do you have such an issue with people objecting to 'Hooters', are you a shareholder?