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.

Hi Tabouleh
I've e-mailed you.

@TheButterflyEffect - I'm not sure which article you were reading but I've kept a close eye on any that have been printed and the comments. And me and several others have had the worst comments taken off as well! I can't remember reading such vitriolic comments as I have on there!

On one article, rather than responding, I just listed all the insults that we'd been called so far to make the point that anyone disagreeing is just abused or insulted. Someone even said that they wished we were dead and that was one of the nicer things they said!

I work for an organisation on the harbourside, and suspect my boss will be going to the harbourside forum on 6 October.

Although I'm on maternity leave at the moment, I will email her to check she knows about the impending Hooters arrival, and whether or not it has been/will be discussed at the forum.

I know that the Directors of Watershed, Arnolfini, at-Bristol etc (members of the forum) are pretty outspoken, passionate about the area, and not afraid of rocking the boat. Might help.

Any Bristol ladies fancy going to that meeting and having a little drink after?

I have just spotted this on Sian's blog (link above):

"Did you know hooters fired a woman worker because she was a victim of domestic violence? or give women a 30 day limit to lose weight or they get fired? are you really comfortable defending a company that fires a vulnerable woman because her black eye doesn't reflect the brand?"

This just makes it worse and worse.

Wow.....

There is a meeting this evening at 7pm in Bristol to discuss actions.

If anyone is interested could you pm me and I'll send you the details?

I don't want to publicise it on a public forum!

I wish, DH is away and dcs are unwell!

But if I can mail you and pledge my interest in helping?

No worries, I know it's short notice.

Yes, please message me and I can keep you updated on what we're doing. The Forum meeting sounds worthwhile too.

May I just say how proud this thread makes me? I will keep an eye out for the Bristol developments and have my spies in planning on the lookout for Hooters/Gallum applications in Glasgow.

Very best of luck, ladies!

Following this with interest...

Jess you mentioned Bubo above - apparently Bubo Limited is the name of the company operating the franchise in the UK, so we should keep an eye on licensing applications in that name too. See this article (if I can get link to work):

www.bighospitality.co.uk/default.aspx?page=articles&ID=205481

Interestingly, licence already granted for Brighton, which is not on the list above. Anyone know status (or level of objection) there? (Apologies if this has been covered above, might have missed it...)

• forgot to say, best of luck with Bristol campaign!

Brighton:

Go to this page.

Click on Publlic Register (at the bottom of the middle block of the website).

Under applicant name type "Bubo".

Then the info comes up.

Unit 1 First Floor Waterfront Brighton Marina Brighton BN2 5WA

Application received 25/06/2010

Click through and is says "status:Checks Outstanding "

The police and fire consulations ended 25/07/2010 not much info but re licenced activities:

Licensable Activities for licence number: 1445/3/2010/01341/LAPREN licensable activity:

Exhibition of a Filmtimes:11:00:00 - 00:00:00 Every Day

licensable activity
:Late Night Refreshmenttimes:23:00:00 - 00:30:00 Every Day
licensable activity:Opening hourstimes:-

licensable activity:Performance of Dancetimes:11:00:00 - 00:00:00 Every Day

licensable activity:Performance of Recorded Musictimes:11:00:00 - 00:00:00 Every Day

licensable activity:Sale by Retail of Alcoholalchohol consumed:On Premises: YES
Off Premises: YES times:11:00:00 - 00:00:00 Every Day

Wonder what the dance and film are .

Anyone in Brighton - perhaps could go and look at the documents?

Is it worthwhile taking this to DM and other newspapers? This is simply disgusting and a shame for M&S to be involved with the sleaze-shop that is Hooters. I will email, too.

Hi yes please, if anyone can get the nationals on board that would be great. Unfortunately, I don't think the local paper in Bristol is interested as they prefer to focus on the 'ugly feminists protest against Hooters angle' but any coverage in the nationals would be welcome.

Having seen the responses from M&S I have send something a bit different:

Sir Stuart Rose,

I was very pleased to see that Marks and Spencer signed up to the Mumsnet campaign "Let Girls Be Girls":

"Let Girls Be Girls was launched in early 2010, and grew from Mumsnetters? concern that an increasingly sexualised culture was dripping, toxically, into the lives of children. The campaign aims to curb the premature sexualisation of children by asking retailers to commit not to sell products which play upon, emphasise or exploit their sexuality."

I also note from your latest report and accounts that you stress the Ethics of how you do business (for example):

"One of the things that sets up apart from other retails is the way we work with our suppliers. This year we've helped our suppliers t set up 10 Ethical Model Fatories to demonstrate how good employment practives can result in a more productive workforce and allow for higher wages."

I was therefore shocked and dismayed to learn that you have signed a lease for premises in Bristol, to a company who are plannning to open a Hooters restauant.

For a company who has agreed to not sell products which play upon, emphasis or exploit children's sexuality you have negated a lot of the impact this would have by allowing a company which states it is a family friendly restaurant, yet objectifies its female employees and has a poor employee relations record (within the US).

(See www.hootersukmerch.com/index.php?route=common/home here for the "delightful" merchandise offered by Hooters).

I am interested to know why you thought M&S should be associated with a restaurant with www.hootersmagazine.com/ these values.

Please can you let me know whether M&S has a ethics policy as to which types of companies it will sell or lease surplus space to.

If you currently do not have such a policy then please will you agree to in the future abide by a wider definition of the Let Girls Be Girls philosophy, eg:

"The campaign aims to curb the premature sexualisation of children by asking retailers to commit not to sell products which play upon, emphasise or exploit their sexuality and to confirm that they will not sell or lease property to other companies whose business models rely upon exploiting sexuality."

Kind regards,

tabouleh

• BRIGHTON. Has anyone talked about that? That is the next one, and they are already mentioning it alongside Cardiff and Bristol on their job application site.

Brighton Licensing Application here

Doesn't say it's been approved yet.

I have had the same response Pixie.
Perhaps we should re write with taboulehs comments?

Thread about Hooters in Brighton

yes of course - use my wording if you like it - that's why I shared it here!