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.

Malificence - I've been to vegas and would never take my children there on a family holiday. I just don't see it as a family place.

But then I think it's very unlikely that I'd choose to go back there myself. We had great fun (pre-kids, no gambling, trips to grand canyon and just pottering and seeing the fountains and stuff. And getting married). But we're in a different place now, and there are loads of other places I'd sooner go to that I either already love or would love to visit for the first time.

Amazing links Jess!

Particularly like the Sir Stuart holding aloft the latest Autumn/Winter Must-Have Vest Top...

Jess - if you have a minute, email me at:

[email protected]

ta

I just saw the words "liberal democracy" in Atlas's post. Altas liberal democracy is one strand of feminism only. Many of the women on MN are not liberal feminists, some of us have a problem with the concept altogether, and believe that it has, in fact, kept the women's movement back by aligning itself with the patriarchy; and I increasingly get the feeling that liberal feminists have a great fear of rocking the boat. Which is rubbish for a political movement.

It is also possible that academia has been hijacked by the patriarchy (judging by some of the subjects taught today) and that women who have studied "feminism" may be out of touch with grass-roots feminism.

By the way, liberal democratic Nick Clegg is on web-chat tonight.

But I'm not speaking for all feminists or all feminists on MN. I'm speaking for me only. I've already said I'm nto trying to convince anyone, but I do think an alternative voice is good for debate. This is not a one sided discussion, even on MN. Nick Clegg is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, that doens't make him alone a supporter of liberal democracy or that there arent things to discuss within that. All the main political paties supscribe to liberal democracy.

I have work to do today so won't be on here.

And obvioulsy, I have a fear of 'rocking the boat' lol

without liberal democracy there would be no feminism. Essentially, feminism began as an alliance of the weak. Increasing liberal thought brought greater humanitanianism in all areas of poitics and social change with it. Just try being a feminist in a non-liberal democracy if you don't believe me. To believe that liberal democracy is holding women back is staggering - open your eyes.

partiachy has hyjaced academia?? We are back to Goody Procter seeing the devil everywhere. I reallly won't be wasting my time in this discussion if this is the level of thought.

If possible I am more cross about this today than I was yesterday.

The picture of the 12 year old boy at his birthday party in Hooters has made me shake with rage! Ok, she's not naked or gyrating on a pole but this boy is pretty much being groomed for lapdancing clubs that he will attend in a few years time... Would any girls have their birthday patties there?? NO!
It encouraging children (not even teenagers, but children!) to see women as objects used for their own sexual amusement. If I was this childs mother I would be shamed.

if we disagree with Atlas she accuses us of being like Goody Proctor seeing the devil everywhere . Argue by all means, Atlas, but don't you see how what you're doing with that little dig is just another version of calling people a bunch of hysterical women?

"without liberal democracy there would be no feminism."

Well..first you have to define feminism. Feminism exist in Islamic regimes for example, it exists in CHina, it exists anywhere that women organize to liberate themselves. So your first argument is ethnocentric and flawed.

"To believe that liberal democracy is holding women back is staggering - open your eyes"

Atlas, liberal democracies do not help women, especially under capitalism, because they are based on individualistic principles, which on the whole, benefit men-as-a-group, as opposed to socialist principles, which benefit women-as-a-group

"partiachy has hyjaced academia?? "

Yes, here is a discussion about the subject
link

Not being funny, atlas, but siding with hooters does sort of sound like the patriarchy talking. That is why hooters has managed to get the go-ahead so easily. YOu're not putting accross an alternative debate, you're putting accross the patriarchal debate.

I've had my response. The bit at the bottom, starting "I can appreciate..." was in a different font, so has obviously been added later.

Dear Pookamoo,

Thank you for your email to our Chairman about our decision to lease the Bristol Harbourside buildings to Gallus Restaurants. As a member of his personal team, I am responding on his behalf.

We have agreed to sub-let the site to Gallus Restaurants and they have received A3 business use permission from Bristol City Council for the property. I have noted your comments about Hooters, and your concern that the reputation of Marks and Spencer may be tainted by our arrangement with Gallus

I can appreciate from your email how unhappy you are about this decision. I am disappointed to read that you feel you can no longer shop in M&S as a result of this business decision.

Kind regards

Simon Hoskins
Executive Office
Your M&S Customer Service

( Tel: 0207 9354422

• E-mail: [email protected]

Same old, same old. I've not had a response back to mine yet but no doubt it will be exactly the same as the one above.

Atlas, Goody Proctor was accused of witchcraft and sent to jail.

are you serious? Atlas is on a witchunt? Is that what she's on about when she talks about goody proctor? That we're witches?

Now that's an original patriarchal idea: accusing women of being witches when they don't toe the line

I think she was accusing us of being on a witchhunt. Hence my 'confusion'.

Yes it's always nice when feminists come out with a load of defamatory and inaccurate shit about a woman who went through a hell of a time: Goody Proctor

What, the patriarchy aka: multinational conglomerates are witches now? And the mums on mumsnet are the patriarchy on a witch-hunt?

Yes elephants, or when feminists have no idea about what feminism is i.e the notion that feminism wouldn't exist if it weren't for patriarchal liberal democracy. By that flawed argument, patriarchy are the founders of feminism, seeing as it was patriarchy that created nation-states
When in fact, feminism actually exists under any regime or patriarchy. IT has to. That's how women survive.

sorry, didn't mean to imply you weren't a feminist if you didn't know abotu liberal democracy. BUt I've noticed that Atlas is keen on using Big Words to put accross a flawed and patriarchally-slanted argument

Have emailed them.

Thanks Mookle.

Does anyone know if MNHQ has heard back from the contact at M&S? I don't know how to get on the MNHQ section to check.

Just about the food? - this photo makes me cringe!

Hi all
I'm really sorry but I've just been told that the list I posted of possible sites is now out of date. It was the list obtained from the original franchise holder's plans in 2008 (Wings Over England). We'll have to do some digging to find out what plans Gallus Management has.

So far they've tried Sheffield (Ask Pizza pulled the plug on the lease so it didn't happen), Brighton (licence granted), Bristol (licence granted), Cardiff (licence granted) and Southend (licence granted but it didn't open).

I will do my best to find an updated list but, in the meantime, I'd still recommend keeping an eye on your local planning/licence applications to check that they're not trying to sneak one through in your town/city.

You can also join the No to Hooters in the UK Facebook site for more news (and I'll ask the person who set the site up to update the location information).

Sorry all!