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.

Oh Tess, that's so funny!!! I wonder if Hooters will try and sue them for copying their gimmick!!!

Someone had the idea of having lots of people going into Hooters and breastfeeding their kids. I mean, that would be disgusting right - to actually use them for the purpose that they're intended!!

I wonder what Hooters pregnancy and maternity policies are?

Dear Mr Rose,

Following your decision to lease a sight in Bristol to the restaurant chain "Hooters", I will no longer be shopping at Marks and Spencers and will be advising my friends to do the same.

Yours Sincerely

fuschiagrown PMSL @I suppose they need all the money they can get, seeing as their clothes are shit...

Thank you for your post op - my DH and I went to Bluewater today and were going to buy about £2K worth of furniture, we also do most of our food shopping at M&S ... we will not be doing any shopping there anymore until they change their stance.

Hi there

Hooters have recently been granted a licence in Cardiff. I was advised that going down the 'sexual discrimination/objectifying women' route would not be a succesful as you have to fight it on the provisions of the licensing act.

Unless there are grounds to refuse the licence, for example the police objecting over concerns of an increase in anti social behaviour, then it may be difficult to stop.

I thought my "advising my friends" was a good one. They know what gossips women are

Thanks JessinAvalon I will keep an eye on planning. I have a friend who lives practically in the centre of town and much of it is listed so will try TheSmallClangers suggestion.

We are middle-class central here. Really can't think who would be going to such a place locally.

If they open one up I shall ask the NCT to do regular meetings. Lots of small children can cause quite a lot of trouble and breasts being used for their biological purpose will hopefully be a bit of a turn-off to any dodgy clientele that might be in.

If anyone knows the proposed site in Richmond do let me know. I really hope it isn't where Tootsies used to be

signed and posted on the other thread.

bloody M & S as well. Has there been a response from MNHQ about the LGBG campaign?

WTF are hooters?

God, I've had a sheltered life, haven't I?

I'm in Chester, we are on the list: what do I do?

Email sent

Just so disappointed and angry that my daughters and nephews may have to walk past one of these places regularly

Would like to get involved in the lobby to prevent this happening in Edinburgh/Scotland/everywhere so will get on the case...

OK have now googled a bit and seen what these places are and am fucking incandescent that this is being allowed.

If these places open, we need a big campaign of disruption about them. I'd consider having another baby if I were in a relationship and young enough just so I could go and breastfeed indiscreetly there. I think the idea of using it as an NCT meeting place is bloody brilliant. Having a noisy demo there every single day, would soon demonstrate what a bloody nuisance it would be. If you can disrupt traffic, so much the better.

I'd also like to photograph wankers going in there and name and shame anyone respectable locally, putting up their picture and taking the piss out of them on the interweb. That way, it becomes an embarrassing thing to do and the brand is very tarnished meaning that it's less likely to get planning permission in other places.

FFS all those wankers who say we don't need feminism. How much shit will some women eat before they wake up and see what contempt we are held in?

HerBeatitude - so glad I posted on here! Thanks for the support from you & everyone!

The whole idea of 'Hooters' makes me really mad and I'm really glad that others find it abhorrent too. Have you seen the posts on the other thread on AIBU? It is very mainstream in the US and I would hate it for that to happen over here.

What can we do? ( I have signed)

I really think we need some direct action against this kind of attack on us.

Why the fuck should we lay down and let this happen to us?

What can we do that is legal but effective?

Ooooh - now there's a good point. Can you breastfeed in Hooters? If they do open the one in Cardiff I thik I might do that.

The only risk with the mass breastfeeding is that the company will turn it round and use it as evidence of how family-friendly they are!

Can you imagine: 'We have become the regular meeting point for a group of mums who bring their babies here (see photos), which proves what a welcoming and safe environment we are for all the family!'

I have just received a reply to the email I sent last night - very quick but also very brush-offy

"Thank you for your email to our Directors about the sub-letting of our former Simply Food store at Bristol Harbourside. I am replying on their behalf.
We have agreed to sub-let the site to Gallus Restaurants. This is a commercial decision and Gallus has received A3 business use permission from Bristol City Council for the property.
It has been reported that Gallus plan to open a branch of ?Hooters? in 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 understand your concerns; however, we do not feel it is appropriate for us to comment on the Hooters brand and I'm afraid that we are unable to disclose the specifics of our store property deals. If contacted directly, Gallus Restaurants may be able to provide more information on their plans for the site."

Is this a standard reply or is there someone in their offices actually responding on a Sunday ?

x posted prolesworth - just proves what I thought.

"There's a small contingent of Lib Dems who seem to want it"

As we've seen this year, Lib Dems just pimp themselves to the highest bidder, and having done so attempt to pretend they are moral. If they're scum enough to claim to be an electoral alternative to the Tories and then all vote to support the Tories, being scum enough to want to spend their evenings pawing desperate women who have no other source of income is hardly going to cause them a problem. They've probably got a policy against it, but Lib Dem policies are simply a fiction for a bunch of unprincipled hacks.

According to Radio Five this morning, David Steel believes that had it not been for Spitting Image's model of him in David Owen's pocket, he would have achieved more with the Lib-Lab pact.

Fact 1: The Lib Lab ran from March 1977 to July 1978.

Fact 2: Spitting Image's first edition ran on 26 February 1984.

Another dishonest reinvention of history from the Lib Dems.