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 Treats
You can apply online. But when it's open they want people to apply in person.

Online application form

You may be subject to a medical examination, be aware (possibly involving a tape measure?!).

And they're having an open recruitment day tomorrow afternoon apparently between 1pm and 4pm if you are interested!

JIA

DavidStHubbins wrote - "My guess is that a 'hooters girl' is not employed as wait staff, rather that they describe the role more as an entertainer. This would potentially allow them to claim that being female is a 'Genuine Occupational Qualification' as can be the case with modeling, acting and indeed stripping."

Perhaps if that sort of euphemism was used, a careful eye should be kept on whether the contract stated e.g. female entertainer or if it was non-sex-specific "entertainer". Perhaps there is a sex discrimination angle to consider there?

David, thanks for your sensible constructive comments. If you are here to help, we can play nice.

I knew you wernt thanking me. I'm aware that its impossible for most of you to accept that someone with a different view could ever post anything of value to this thread.

'Hooters Girl' isn't one of the roles where the are soliciting online applications. My guess is that they will 'cast' for this role.

I really would be interested in hearing a legally qualified opinion on both the harassment waiver and the discrimination issue.

I'm fairly sure that a harassment waiver wouldn't be worth the paper, but the discrimination issue is interesting and I'm sure Hooters must have some defence up their sleave. If not, then I'm going to apply myself and start looking for a 'no win no fee' law outfit to represent me

It looks like the recruitment open day is being held in the council owned @Bristol site!

We are trying to clarify this as this is obviously even more disappointing!

You seen this Jess - I don't see it on your list of coverage
www.guide2bristol.com/news/933/The-Bristol-Hum-This-week-Tom-Mitchell-tackles-Hooters

Sorry meant to also say that is a disgrace! Forget that my brain is not directly linked to the internet, one day

David - thanks for your response. I was suggesting looking out for recruitment literature precisely because I thought it might be something we could take to court rather than arguing about on an internet site. Clearly they're going to be more subtle than openly recruiting in a discriminatory way on their website, however. I'm sure the company have taken specialist advice - however, it's a fine line they're treading and it only takes one under-informed employee before there's a case.

If I was going to be in central Bristol between 1 and 4 tomorrow, then I might be tempted to swing by just to see what they were up to. Bit far for me to travel unfortunately....

Go for it, David!

BTW, I think your last few posts have indeed been constructive and helpful.

They are discussing Hooters on Radio 5 at the moment.

Some of the people calling in to Radio 5 are coming out with the most stupid arguments!

I have my head in my hands!

CORPUS CHRISTI ? A Corpus Christi man is suing Hooters, accusing the restaurant chain of gender discrimination for not hiring him as a food server in a filing that attempts to reopen an issue that was settled 11 years ago.

Nikolai Grushevski's suit acknowledges the earlier agreement, which established that the chain's signature Hooters Girls would continue to be the restaurants' only food servers and established gender neutral jobs. But the suit challenges the policy, saying it still is discriminatory, and invites other men to seek a class action suit.

He asserts in the suit that when he applied to be a waiter at the local restaurant in May he was not hired because of his gender. The suit says that even though food servers are referred to exclusively as "Hooters Girls," the job should not be limited only to women.

"Just as Southwest Airlines attempted nearly three decades ago with stewardesses, the waiter's position addressed herein is being limited to females by an employer..." the suit states.

Grushevski says in the suit he isn't trying to prevent the company from employing Hooters Girls but wants to ensure that men also have the opportunity to work as wait staff.

In 1997, Hooters agreed to pay $3.75 million to settle a sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by a group of men. That class-action settlement allowed the chain to continue to have only Hooters Girls serve food and beverages.

Hooters also agreed to create gender-neutral positions such as bartender, host and kitchen staff.

Grushevski's suit, filed Thursday in federal court, seeks an unspecified amount of money including for emotional and punitive damages. It also asks the court to grant an injunction to stop Hooters from "discriminating against male applicants for the waiters position."

An e-mail seeking comment from Hooters officials was not immediately returned.

Attempts to reach Grushevski were unsuccessful.

Houston-based attorney Martin A. Shellist, who represents Grushevski, said he wanted to make it clear his client didn't sue to become a Hooters Girl.

"My client wants to be a waiter. He does not want to be a Hooters Girl," Shellist said. "He wants to serve food and earn tips, and why can't he?"

Interesting - they reached a "confidential settlement".

The guy on from Hooters tonight said it wasn't about how the girls looked (they don't have staff requirements but they do have uniform requirements - but he forgot to mention that).

Stephen Nolan asked how many men they employ in hotpants and the guy stuttered before stammering out "none".

Then he asked how many pensioners were employed. The guy from Hooters could barely stammer out an answer. Which was one.

Hello All on Mumsnet,

I have been a customer of Hooters for over a decade. I frequently visit Hooters Nottingham and various Hooters in the States. I and feel very dissappointed with your comments about this issue.

I'm aware that there is to be a new Hooters in Bristol that you are unsure about. Perhaps I can reasure you about the Hooters brand, as i'm sure you don't believe everything you read in the tabloids?

Firstly I just wanted to put you right on a few points... Hooters certainly does not and never has done any 'wet t-shirt' contests, lap dances, we do not do 'extras' sit on customers laps etc.

What do Hooters girls do? They work hard, put themselves through university, provide excellent customer service, do charity fundraisers, and host family days.
Yes Nottingham does hold a bikini contest once a year, that is a professional show not some seedy event. The winner goes to the states and participates in contest (similar to the swimsuit round of Miss England/ Miss World) This year the swimsuit contest raised money for the victims of Haiti.

I am aware that our outfits are small, and the Hooters brand is somewhat based on image. However it is a wholesome cheerleader image rather than a sleazy one.
Don't you agree that most companies have a degree of marketing around image these days? Would you boycott Virgin Atlantic for being 'Red Hot'.
What about most pop stars who certainly wear less than they do?

There are around 450 Hooters in the states which have a much higher percentage of female and family orientated patrons compared to the customers you might get in Bristol. Perhaps the concept is a little more understood overthere. It would be so nice if you could keep an openmind and perhaps visit and decide for yourself. I frequently visit with my children! Yes, my children very much enjoy going to Hooters on Kids eat Free Sundays. They are provided with colouring books, hula hoops etc, my daughter percieves the Hooter girls as cheerleaders. I don't see anything wrong with that.

"I have been a customer of Hooters for over a decade"

"I am aware that our outfits are small"

Blimey. They even make the customers wear hotpants.

reads like marketing blurb to me.and no i dont have a wholesome family orientated image of hooters edinburgh,cant say i seek it as crayons and food destination destination

is this a marketing C&P- sure smacks of it
"my daughter percieves the Hooter girls as cheerleaders. I don't see anything wrong with that"

@hooty, Dude, you're fucking this up, leave it to the pros.

I've got this gig in hand, if you don't mind.

@hooty, if you are from Hooters, PM me for terms. I'll strangle puppies for the right deal, so I'm sure I can accommodate you.

LOL LOL tethersend

Dave's got this gig in hand. He starts off by ridiculing people who boycott Nestle, realises it wasn't the way to handle us gals then changes tact

Sakuua, I'm playing the long game here, and then some Muppet comes along and blows the whole popsicle stand. What I I supposed to do?

DAve, I don'T know what you're doing here. I don'T know why you made a quip, or a joke, or whatever it was about dead babies on a mother's website.

Shit, is this a mothers website - I should really lay of the crack. Must pull my shit together...

No, you don't have to stop making quips about dead babies because this is a mother's website. Carry on doing it, if you like.

My point was, I can't see why you'd want to

remind me, what quip did I make about dead babies?

DavidStHubbins Tue 21-Sep-10 01:01:14
I like to think of a boycott as the adult equivalent of a toddler's temper tantrum: self-indulgent, attention seeking, spiteful, invariably futile and often a little embarrassing for the protagonist to look back on.

Good luck with it though - don?t be too disheartened that Nestlé haven?t stopped killing babies since a few concerned folks stopped drinking Gold Blend.

The ink appears to be dry on this contract, so I think the best you will get out of M&S is some kind of carefully worded non-apology that stops far short of actually criticising their sub?leasee. Will this be enough to end the tantrum and put your toys back in the pram?