Protest Hooters in Bristol
After opening in 2010, Hooters in Bristol closed down after two years.
The harbour-side retail unit previously owned by M&S was home to the UK's second Hooters "breastaurant", the American-style chain which promotes female sex appeal as it's USP. The core concept of the business is the Hooters Girl, who is contractually obliged to dress in revealing clothes, meet specific standards of appearance, be entertaining to the customers and not find her working environment offensive, hostile, intimidating or unwelcome.
Some people find this contradictory to gender equality and the elimination of sexual discrimination, for others it is just harmless fun. Opinions aside, the Council Licensing Committee seemed to have overlooked their gender equality duty, wide public opposition and police objections when they granted the licence in 2010. Similarly, M&S appearred to have forgotten their commitment to the Mumsnet "Let girls be girls" campaign when they leased out their premises to Hooters.
Many of the people who objected to Hooters protested against the concept of the business, the lease by M&S and the licence granted by the Council. The campaign gained a huge amount of support including a protest in London in solidarity with Bristol residents and the Mumsnet and UK Feminista boards have been alive with discussion. For more information please click here. You can download a template letter here.
For more details about this campaign in Bristol, see the statement by the Bristol Fawcett Society.
Please note that BFN does not have a problem with women who work at Hooters, in fact we think they deserve a lot better. Anyone who feels harassed or victimised in the workplace can seek advice here and here.
The harbour-side retail unit previously owned by M&S was home to the UK's second Hooters "breastaurant", the American-style chain which promotes female sex appeal as it's USP. The core concept of the business is the Hooters Girl, who is contractually obliged to dress in revealing clothes, meet specific standards of appearance, be entertaining to the customers and not find her working environment offensive, hostile, intimidating or unwelcome.
Some people find this contradictory to gender equality and the elimination of sexual discrimination, for others it is just harmless fun. Opinions aside, the Council Licensing Committee seemed to have overlooked their gender equality duty, wide public opposition and police objections when they granted the licence in 2010. Similarly, M&S appearred to have forgotten their commitment to the Mumsnet "Let girls be girls" campaign when they leased out their premises to Hooters.
Many of the people who objected to Hooters protested against the concept of the business, the lease by M&S and the licence granted by the Council. The campaign gained a huge amount of support including a protest in London in solidarity with Bristol residents and the Mumsnet and UK Feminista boards have been alive with discussion. For more information please click here. You can download a template letter here.
For more details about this campaign in Bristol, see the statement by the Bristol Fawcett Society.
Please note that BFN does not have a problem with women who work at Hooters, in fact we think they deserve a lot better. Anyone who feels harassed or victimised in the workplace can seek advice here and here.