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.

TBE, I'm just imagining the front of the St A Citizen at The Very Thought.

rofl.
I don't know St Andrews, but I am imagining Hooters in Frinton (too posh for a pub) and Hooters in Lymington (too posh for Argos or Wetherspoons).

and when that's done they can try and put one in Helmsley and one in Burford.

I heard this morning that the Women's Institute have set up a group and are releasing a single and that M&S are providing their clothes.

Is there any mileage in lobbying the WI about this? Along the lines of, why are they supporting a store which supports the objectification of women?

You know what HB, I think that's a brilliant idea.
I would hazard a guess that the WI would include quite a lot of women who do not relish the thought of having a Hooters in their town.

Whether the WI could be persuaded to actually boycott M&S is another matter

what ever is the single they are releasing?!

I know the mind boggles!

Jerusalem?

That's the best idea yet HB. How do we go about contacting the WI? I want to keep this thread bumped. I noticed it has been removed from discussions of the day for some reason. It will depress me no end if this just fizzles out to nothing.

Fyi Just had a call from the Independent on Sunday who are doing a piece about this story.

My latest response from M&S with specific questions about the lease:

Thank you for your email with further comments about the sub-letting of our former Simply Food store at Bristol Harbourside. I've noted your views but I'm afraid I'm unable to add to the comments in my colleague Duncan?s previous email.

Kind regards

Simon Hoskins
Executive Office
Your M&S Customer Service

Thanks for the message, Justine...interesting! Are you able to e-mail me off the forum?

I was wondering if Mumsnet have had a response yet from the contact at M&S regarding the "Let Girls be Girls" campaign?

Just had my reply:

Dear MOF,

Thank you for emailing Sir Stuart about the sub-letting of our former Simply Food store at Bristol Harbourside to Gallus Restaurants. As a member of Sir Stuart?s personal team, I'm replying on his behalf.

This is a commercial decision and I can confirm that the sub-letting agreement has now been completed and concluded.

Gallus has received A3 business use permission from Bristol City Council for the property and it has been reported that Gallus plan to open a branch of ?Hooters? on the site. I have noted your comments and concerns about Hooters; however, we do not feel it is appropriate for us to comment on the Hooters brand, and I?m afraid we are unable to disclose the specifics of our store property deals.

Thank you for taking the time to share your views with us.

Kind regards

Simon Hoskins

Executive Office
Your M&S Customer Service

"Completed and concluded"!

I'm worried Bournemouth will be a likely candidate. We already have a spearmint rhino, and quite a few clubs.

Hmmm..."completed and concluded" - that's more than I got in my e-mail from them - and it means "now leave us alone"!

That means that they are not willing to go back down on their decision - and that they have lower standards than a pizza restaurant chain!

I'm not sure why they keep telling us it's an A3 business decision. Have heard that a 100 times now and it's not that that we're interested in.

As I said before, I really am disappointed with M&S here. It's not the kind of decision that I would expect from them. The negative publicity for 'Ask Pizza' was only local and that was enough for them to pull out of the lease agreement with the company who were operating the Hooters brand at the time.

Thanks M&S.

So Justine, how do we go about getting our voices heard in the IoS's piece?

And oh yes about brothels and the WI. But I think hooters is a different issue from brothels - I once had 2 neighbours who ran a brothel and no-one had any idea, they thought they were English language tutors. It can all be v. discreet. Whereas Hooters is very much inyerface, normalising the pornogrification of our culture and the objectifying of women. So still think WI might not like them.

And also, they must be able to get someone who isn't M&S to dress them. And then they can tell us who they are, I am so pissed off that I won't be able to buy per una, I'm one of the few people on mumsnet who likes them.

I like Per Una too - they're the only jeans that fit me :/

Oh well.