Hooters serves 'breasts cake' to 12 year olds

[JessinAvalon]

Hi all
So not only have Hooters in Bristol started putting on bikini contests at 7pm (children allowed in until 9pm), terms of licence state no semi-nudity, they also held a 12 year old's birthday party last week and served a cake that was very similar to this (we are not posting the original photograph but this one on Google is very similar):

tinyurl.com/66hexn4

Hope the image works. If it doesn't, Google 'Hooters birthday cake' and it's the one with the breasts bursting out of the Hooters t-shirt with the huge nipples.

We've taken some action but, because forums have eyes, I don't want to post too much. However, if you'd like to urge BCC's licensing dept to carry out a licence review please e-mail: [email protected] and don't forget to thank Marks and Spencer whilst you're at it for allowing Hooters to open up in Bristol ([email protected]).

I also came across this image when I was googling, posted on a blog by a mother who thought it was hilarious to have her 7 year old daughter's birthday party at Hooters and pin big orange balloons to her chest.

tinyurl.com/5u7ry3t

I know I should post this in activism but thought it might get more attention here.

Thanks all
JIA

Surely, everyone knows what Hooters is about? And if you choose to take your children there for a party, you're presumably quite relaxed about the seaside postcard/Benny Hill atmosphere? No surprise. The same people that think saucy images are appropriate on a kid's birthday cake will be the ones that put the same kid in the 'future porn star' t-shirt etc. Whilst poor taste exists, there will be businesses willing to supply poor taste goods.

I think campaigning against it is counter-productive, to be honest, because all it does is give them publicity. By far the best protest is to vote with your feet, boycott the place and hit them in the cashtills.

That is vile.

I think that it is absolutely right to campaign against the chain. I mean - i wouldnt vote with my pockets if a strip club opened in the next street. I'd be complaining like crazy to the authorities.

Jess, that blog is bizarre.

I spent almost the entire post waiting for the sarcasm, the satire to kick in. But it isn't a joke!

WHO takes their child there for a birthday party?

Lots of people on another forum I frequent, called the Dibb, would and do take their children into hooters, I've been ridiculed on there a couple of times for speaking out against it - it's harmless fun you see.

What a freaky blog post. And the comments about how cool she is, and how her dd may grow up to be Charlie Sheen's 7th or 8th wife.

I was in Interaken last week and noted that one of the busiest restaurants was Hooters. Lots of families in there too. DH commented that it was a weird place to take your kids to.

I found this blog - look at the video - who would do that to their son? And post the video on the net. Poor little guy.

Will email BCC.

Hooters disgusts me, after watching that programme last year "undercover boss" I think it was, whereby a manager of a hooters made the girls eat plates of beans without using their hands in order to leave work early I could never set foot in one, nevermind how disgusted the undercover boss was.

Thanks for keeping up the campaigning Jess and seeing it as a social issue, rather than some individual just don't go there thing. It's people like you who make the world a better place.

Thanks Alice and everyone else who has supported this campaign. Really appreciate the kind words.

I'd like to be able to report on what's going on but had better keep quiet for the time being. We should know more in a week and then I'll be able to report back. Whether it's positive or negative, I'll report back anyway so that if this happens in other cities our experiences can be used by others.

Completely inappropriate for a childs birthday party.

Thank you for taking action on this Jess.

I blogged about this and one of the comments that I got was, "IMHO part of feminism is recognizing that one of things we fought for is the right to show our bodies where and when we want"

and "these women are not forced to work there. They work there by choice. There are a 100 similar places they could work w/o the boobs"

Hope you get a good response, Jess.

I can't not comprehend how parents think Hooters is a place for a child's birthday, absolutely vile. These poor children don't stand a chance to understand equality when they are subjected to this at 7/8/9 years.

Keep fighting Jess!

Hi all
Just letting you know that I've posted a link in the activism section for a new petition that has been started urging Bristol City Council and responsible authorities to take action against Hooters.

Grateful for any support that you can offer.

The petition went live this morning and got about 300 signatures within a matter of hours. We got 1000 on the petition from last year (1025 if you include the trolls' signatures!) and are hoping to surpass that this time.

Thanks everyone!

Good for you, Jess.

It's hooters .... What the hell did the parents think they were going to encounter when booking a party at a place such as hooters ... Bit dim of the parents I think. don't like, don't go!

It wasn't the parents who were complaining, Cookcleanerchaufferetc. This point seems to have been missed by the complainants in the Daily Mail. The parents (sadly) thought it was absolutely fine.

More coverage in the Daily Mail (sorry!), picked up from the local reporting:
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1394454/Hooters-bar-Bristol-served-boy-12-boob-birthday-cake.html

And a good blog post from a Labour councillor candidate in Bristol:
debbonaire.co.uk/2011/06/hooters-so-called-restaurant-and-the-sexualisation-of-children/#comment-40

Here's the petition calling for the council to investigate the potential breaches of licence if anyone else would like to sign. Jonathan Ross and David Mitchell have!

www.gopetition.com/petitions/close-hooters-in-bristol-now/signatures.html

that cake for 12 year olds?!

that's so tacky apart from everything else. Weird, weird choice

Yep. And they handed out party bags with girlie calendars in. Just what we need to teach young boys to treat women with respect.....

And when they're a bit older, they can go along to one of Hooters' bikini contests where they women are tagged like cattle and parade up and down to be judged by sad men who have paid £15 to leer at the Hooters waitresses.

As a former employee of this restaurant chain, you should know that the restaurant DOES NOT bake cakes. There isn't even an oven in the restaurant. Any birthday cake that is served in the restaurant, has been brought in by the party. I repeat, Hooters does not bake cakes....especially breast shaped cakes.

That little girl has such sad eyes. You can see she's trying to go along with the big orange balloons hilarious joke but she just looks so awkward. No doubt the adults were amused on her birthday, that's the main thing.

Thanks JC2011. The council are investigating whether it was brought in by the family or served by the restaurant. We should know in a couple of weeks what their conclusions are.

I'm intrigued though - how does Hooters they heat/cook the food? Is everything deep fried or microwaved?

I've never worked in a restaurant so apologies if that is a stupid question.

Rather than being rude

pls support people when mistakes are made - insults and further gossip are dangerous things unless you are perfect of course !

A friend

No I am not perfect but would not take my children to this place especially when they are 12 years old - that woman has more money than sense! Chav with a capital C!!