Marks and Spencer support new 'Hooters' in Bristol

[JessinAvalon]

Dear all
This is my first post on here so I hope I am doing this right!

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".

Thanks everyone.

"Future Hooters Girl" babygros :(

I'll try to get round to sending an email this weekend.

Thanks RamblingRosa.

There's more information on Hooters here.

nohootersinbristol.blogspot.com/

I'm very disappointed in Marks and Spencer!

I suppose they need all the money they can get, seeing as their clothes are shit...

Maybe they'll be doing some tie ins with 'Hooters' to sell the scratchy orange hotpants and inappropriate babygros!

Surely it should be bring your own boob?

Oh god, please don't let this godawful company expand to the ~36 stores it has planned across the UK!!

www.hootersgear.com/Merch/MerchCategoryHome.aspx?cat=3

I meant to type a link! Still learning!

www.hootersgear.com/Merch/MerchCategoryHome.aspx?cat=3

Eeek! I was just googling 'Hooters' and it appears that in the US, they have tried to start 'Little Miss Hooters' contests. Thankfully pulled after there was an uproar.

img.moonbuggy.org/little-miss-hooters-contest/

That's just so vile it beggars belief.

email sent.

this is my text, if anyone finds it useful. All a bit naff but I had to dash it off quickly - bit busy this am.

Dear Mr Rose

I am shocked to hear that Marks and Spencer will be leasing a site in
Bristol to the restaurant chain 'Hooters'.

The Hooters restaurants are degrading to women and have a disturbing
approach to children (I understand their merchandise includes babygros
with the slogan 'Does my butt look big in this?', to give just one
example) and I am astonished to hear that a company which I thought
believed in ethical business would facilitate this.
I understand objections have been met with the statement that it is a
'purely commercial' decision. Well, I expect companies I patronise to
act with integrity at every level, whether in the sourcing of their own
merchandise or their disposal of their property.

I will therefore no longer be shopping at M&S, for either food or
clothes for my family (and I do currently get most of my husband's
clothes and all the underwear for my family of 5 there) until I hear
that this decision has been reversed, since your status as an ethical
company has been called into question.

Kind regards
SethStarkaddersMum (Dr)

just told dh we would be boycotting M&S and he went

Hi Sethstaraddersmum
Thanks for e-mailing Marks and Spencer. So far, everyone who has e-mailed them has just had the brush off. I think they believe that this will just go away and that they can ignore us.

I e-mailed them to ask if they had lower standards than a pizza restaurant chain! Someone else has e-mailed to say that becoming a hitman is a purely commercial decision but that doesn't make it right!

I am pretty amazed that they would want to be associated with this company. Sexual exploitation and impact on women aside, it's really pretty tacky and Marks and Spencer has always prided itself on quality. I would have thought that it would be one of the last companies they'd want to be linked with, let alone actually facilitate their expansion in the UK!

Thanks to everyone who has e-mailed. I wonder if Marks and Spencer should be reminded of their commitment to the 'Let Girls be Girls' campaign.

LOL re hitman!

I'm going to go to Ask next time I'm in town and then email them to tell them I did it because I heard they had acted ethically in Sheffield

I'm used to brush-offs . There have been 2 things recently where feminists have won though (the rape anonymity clause and Danny Dyer being sacked from his lads' mag for advising someone to cut his ex-gf's face) so if we keep plugging away at all these things sometimes there will be victories.

Good luck with your campaign. I really hope you succeed.

Jesus will email this weekend.

Bloody hell. I will email too.

As someone who shops in M&S a lot they can go and fuck themselves. I will never spend another penny in there, see how much they like my "purely commercial decision"?

I have emailed them too.

Really do not want this...will be opposite Pizza Express and we have often gone there on a Sunday afternoon after a stroll around the Waterfront - not exactly what I want DS to be staring out at

Or myself or DH for that matter...I mean I'm pregnant and flabby - do not wish to see perfect bodies and perky tits out the window while consuming my bruschetta!

MNHQ - are you going to drop M&S from the MN let girls be girls campaign because of this??

I think you should, and get it in the papers.

Bump. Have emailed now.

Wonder if MNHQ are aware? Will link this thread for them on site stuff and see....

I've sent my email. This is appalling.

Thanks all for supporting people in Bristol with this. It's really appreciated. I hope that M&S get the message now that they can't ignore us. Women are their core customers and yet they are totally ignoring us with this.

Here the link to a blog we've set up to record what's happening.

Hooters blog

I'm happy to email them and I think you'll get a bigger response if you post something in AIBU directing everyone to this thread.