Hooters to open in Southend

6:59am Tuesday 15th April 2008

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SAUCY restaurant chain Hooters has been given the green light to open in Southend.

The American brand - famous for its waitresses in orange hot pants and low-cut tops - applied to open a restaurant in London Road.

Southend Council's licensing sub-committee approved the application yesterday.

Bosses now hope to open the restaurant, in the former MVC shop, in the summer. The site already has planning approval.

There were nine letters of protest, including one from South East Essex College which said the restaurant was in the wrong place. The objection claimed they didn't want to be known as "the college behind Hooters".

The application was made by Wings Over England UK. The firm owns the franchise to run Hooters across the country with the exception of the only existing branch in Nottingham.

Property director Mike Williams, who wants to open another 50 branches across the country, said: "We are very pleased with the decision. As we have heard today Hooters is a restaurant, there is nothing sleazy about it. This will be our first branch and we are very pleased to be coming to Southend."

More than 100 people had signed an online petition against the application, started by student Sophia Deboick from Leigh. Protestors claimed the brand exploited women.

But Hooters' solicitor Jane Walker said there would be no adult entertainment of any kind.

She said: "The Hooters brand describes itself as cheeky, suggestive but not offensive'. It is not a bar it is a restaurant. There is nothing here that will add to problems in the area.

"The only difference between us and any other restaurant is the uniform for the waitresses."

Ms Deboick declined to comment on the outcome of the hearing.

The only other Hooters is in Nottingham. The firm running Hooters was originally given the franchise - but it was taken away after failing to open any other outlets and not "operating to the brand".