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.

jess - hope you got my email

pixie - it's always better if it's a bit different - then they can't c&p their answer

Dear George,

I feel fobbed off by your response and truly hope your attitude on this issue is not reflective of your attitudes when sourcing your goods abroad, this once removed lack of responsibility may see your suppliers using sweat shops. I am pretty sure this would actually be the responsibility and reputation of your brand. When you joined the Mumsnet campaign I was certain that this was a small victory for both the campaign and Mumsnet and now feel it?s just a little PR that is quite meaningless to M&S. Afterall no point agreeing not to reduce our daughters to sexual objects and then providing an outlet where that is the main goal of the women that work there.

I do hope you stop supporting and endorsing this type of activity and return to a brand that I can trust.

Kind Regards

pp

I sent this

I may be a minortiy of one but I don't see anything wrong with celebrating the female form. It is amazing and its not pornography.

Emailed as well... and just received the automated response... how appalling! And how un-M&S!! No more food porn shopping for us...

Atlas....celebrating the female form, now that is funny, I nearly fell off my chair.

Celebrating the female form as long as it's under 30, is size petite but has big 'hooters'.

I wouldn't say that the 'Hooters' celebrations are particularly inclusive and I wouldn't say that those who go to 'Hooters' are there to celebrate it either. I guess that's the polite way of what men go there for.

And do you think children should be involved in celebrating the female form too Atlas?

I don't think there's anything wrong with celebrating the female form in the traditional sense. But I do think it's wrong to reduce women to a pair of breasts with a human being attached and to make it acceptable to treat them as that (as it says in the handbook, they have to sign up to working in a potentially "hostile working environment").

I do think it's great if children can be taught that women's bodies come in all shapes and sizes and that it's unhealthy for them to be bombarded with the stick thin but big breasted (often airbrushed and surgically enhanced) ideal that has become so ubiquitous on tv, in magazines, and now in places like 'Hooters'.

(I know this question was aimed at Atlas, btw!)

damn, has anyone seen a nice, plain black cowl-neck jumper around? was just about to buy the marks and spenver one

" But I do think it's wrong to reduce women to a pair of breasts with a human being attached"

If places like Hooters did that, it would be a step forward. As things stand, they're not too certain about the "human" part.

Is you wish to get some clout behind your protests can I urge you to write a letter to Sir Stuart Rose (Chairman) and Marc Bolland (Chief Executive) at:

Marks & Spencer Group Plc
Waterside House
35 North Wharf Road
London
W21 NW1

I want to celebrate the male form. Can you point me in the direction of an establishment where gorgeous young men are prepared to laugh at my jokes, wear tight outfits that show off their bums to perfection, and are generally willing to serve me food and put up with any indignity that ogling, explicit comments and catcalling can produce?

Or the mainstream soft-porn mags aimed at straight women that are sold at child-eye-height in normal shops?

M&S: Plan A. Because there is no plan B.

Oh, hang on a second...

blardy hell. There's one planned for my town as well. Have just emailed:

I have today been appalled to hear that M&S - who's brand and ethical polcies I have always respected - have taken the decision to lease a building in Bristol to Hooters, via the Gallus holding company. I am further appalled to read some of the brush-offs your company have been sending to concerned customers writing in to you on this issue. Surely if you can be the first high-street company to declare carbon-neutrality targets, use only free-range eggs in your food-hall products (and many more such pioneering stances) then you can break this deal with
Gallus now it's been made clear to you the negative impact this 'family restaurant' will have on the lives of families in Bristol?

I've been a customer of M&S since I was old enough to have my own clothes budget, but if you can't stand up for families on this issue, then I'm afraid I won't be able to bring my own family's custom to you any longer.

Hope tonight's meeting going well...

M&S are assuming the reputational risk of letting a building to a sleazy restaurant that degrades women is not going to affect its market amongst women who don't wish to be degraded. The property people aren't responsible for brand stewardship, and vice versa. Mumsnet's task for the week is to link those two departments into a harmonious resolution to this.

"This isn't just sexual degradation. This is sexual degradation on Marks and Spencers property".

This isn't exploitation, this is disguised as family fun Marks and Spencer Exploitation.

Wasn't Stuart Rose the one who made some ridiculously crass and sexist comments about his female staff? Anyone remember?

""I mean, what else do you want to do, for God's sake? Women astronauts. Women miners. Women dentists. Women doctors. Women managing directors. What is it you haven't got?"

A woman in charge of M&S, Stuart. Fancy stepping down?