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.

I got another reply to my email.

Dear Ms Framey,

Thank you for writing to M&S about our decision to sub-let our property in Bristol to Gallus Restaurants.

Thank you for making us aware of the discussion forum running on
www.mumsnet.com. We are currently aware of this and have received a number of responses from concerned individuals after reading this site.

This is an issue we take seriously and all correspondence is dealt with accordingly. I am sorry you don?t agree with this decision.

Thank you again for your feedback on this issue.

Kind regards

Simon Hoskins
Executive Office
Your M&S Customer Service

Hi there
I did e-mail a number of women on the Board about 2 or 3 weeks ago now but all the messages got redirected it seems and I had the same standard response that you're all getting from Duncan Wellerman in the chairman's office.

I tried guessing at Martha Lane-Fox's e-mail address but couldn't get it right. I thought she might be more sympathetic.

It's definitely worth trying again though as if the women on the Board realise the strength of feeling here, they might be willing to speak up about it. I can't see that they'll be too happy about having a work's Christmas party there for example:

popular venue for Christmas parties in the US

mairimc - I tracked down your thread on Babycentre. .

Can I suggest an approach?

Link to www.object.org.uk/ so people can read the arguments about objectifying women.

State that you are worried that the existance of this type of restaurant will perpetuate sexual harrassment on the streets etc.

See lashcampaign.org/ and might get people thinking.

I think the video clip will get people thinking.

Surely there are women on that thread who have been made to feel uncomfortable with ogling etc?

It's this attitude that it's ok to objectify women - it's the wider implications that people don't realise.

So they say oh well the woman wants to work there (her choice etc) and have her tits complimented etc - but this leads to an attitude where women are seen only as body parts - so on street harrassment/violence/DV/rape - women not taken seriously at work and politics etc.

How about suggesting the Equality Illusion to them?

These woman's individual choices to work in such an establishment are red herrings what about the choice for women to be seen as equal in this society. gah.

Jess - you must be pleased about the response you've got on here, three threads running and must be nearly 800 posts :o

M&S not responded to me yet - apart from the automatic we got your email reply.

So - I assume they are very busy digging around for their policies/creating a policy re sub-letting?

I've spoken to a councillor in Swansea this morning and have stressed how strongly I feel on this issue. He is going to represent our views to the Licensing Committee and I have told him that I will put together something in writing for him.

Martha lane fox has contact details on her personal website www.marthalanefox.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=60

chocolatejunkie I also emailed the licensing dept at our local council (our town also on target list) and got a really comprehensive and helpful response that included a link to the open applications page on their website, which I will be checking regularly - don't know if this is standard council policy but might be worth investigating? This is certainly the most reliable way for me to keep tabs on it as can't guarantee I will see the notice in the paper or the sign up in the window of the targeted site.
All current applications are available to view at the local library too.
She also said she would personally look out for Gallus/Bubo and anything relating to American sports bars and would try to email me directly to alert me - was very impressed by the swift + supportive response! Hope you've had a similarly encouraging response from the licensing dept you mailed.
I also mailed our local MP a link to this thread, and he replied saying he was concerned and would 'keep a close eye on planning applications as will
many of the local councillors'.
Forewarned is forearmed!

I've just sold my M&S shares as I have a personal commitment to not making a profit from pornography.

Have emailed M&S to complain and received the same standard reponses that others have pasted above.

Hi all
Wow! Thanks all for your support & Checkmate - the way you put it is very powerful. I hadn't actually thought of it as pornography (I'm not sure why not) but you're absolutely right, and M&S are colluding with this.

Leningrad - will e-mail asap. Thanks! There was a lot about Hooters on the F Word a couple of years ago but nothing very recently as far as I am aware.

A (male) friend of mine sees things like the Hooters babygros and bibs and the mini pole dancing kits sold to children (not Hooters but on a theme) as 'grooming'.

The F-Word - it's a feminist online news site, Pixie.

I live in the US and so am unable to be of much help to you but I wanted to add a message of support to you all. Hooters is vile and degrading. I do not know of any woman who would choose to eat there. To anyone who suggests it is a harmless family restaurant I give you this little gem from Larry the Cable Guy (I think he is a comedian) talking about Hooters Airline (thankfully closed a few years ago - it was aimed at the male golfing market)
In the 2005 comedy album The Right to Bare Arms by Larry the Cable Guy, Larry talks about Hooters Airlines and how he got "80 thousand frequent boner miles" and how the flight waitresses took their shorts off when Larry asked where the "cock pit" was.
There was also an incident where a school teacher took a party of 15 year olds to Hooters during a school trip. She was fired. I think this points to the fact that this is really not viewed as a family sports bar as some are suggesting. The "saving grace" is that the USA is a vast country with miles of faceless strip malls where a Hooters can hide without me having to walk past with my children.
Good luck to you.

I've just emailed various local councillors who represent wards where I've guessed Hooters will be looking to locate.

Thanks SatinandTat
Interesting to hear another US perspective and thanks for the support. I had seen photos of the Hooters airline and it looked awful.

Interestingly, the Hooters in Nottingham is now doing golf days, whatever they involve. Having some Hooters girl caddy for you in little shorts judging by the pictures. It seems to be a market they are trying to capitalise on.

Any other stories about Hooters from the US would be welcome! I posted an American cartoon either on this thread or the other where it's running about men wanting to have their work Christmas parties in Hooters and their female coworkers feeling uncomfortable. I'm not surprised. There's no way I'd want my work Christmas party there or any other kind of party for that matter!

SGM you might not want to answer but I have a feeling you might live in the same city as me. Maybe we can start to put together a protest group for this. My dh is all up to be involved too - he sees enough indecent assaults when he's doing his casualty shifts that he certainly doesn't want any more.

Have also emailed M&S and got same basic reply (though have to say that we didn't shop there much anyway!) and am about to write to my MP, MSP and councillor about this issue. I don' twant to bring up my 2 girls, or my 1 boy, to think this kind of thing is OK.