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Hooters to open in Southend
6:59am Tuesday 15th April 2008
Comments (22)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".
Your Say YourEcho
Jim, Westcliff says...
7:39am Tue 15 Apr 08
Shame the support one got 137!
http://www.ipetition
s.com/petition/welov
ehooters
ShipShape, Basildonk says...
10:11am Tue 15 Apr 08
I may visit, or I may not, but I'll say this to the good women folk of Southend, you will be perfectly safe around me afterwards.
Dan, North Leigh says...
11:32am Tue 15 Apr 08
There are far too many empty units in the town centre as it is, at least somebody wants to bring a bit of life in.
Andrew, Shoeburyness says...
12:09pm Tue 15 Apr 08
EXCELLENT NEWS! A triumph of common sense over ignorant politically correct hysteria.
Sue, Essex says...
12:17pm Tue 15 Apr 08
James, Southend says...
12:49pm Tue 15 Apr 08
miss leah, southend says...
8:15pm Tue 15 Apr 08
Kim Gandy, Rayleigh says...
10:38pm Tue 15 Apr 08
westcliff willi, says...
12:10am Wed 16 Apr 08
Kim Gandy wrote:possibly your shortest and most readable post to date :)
Yawn!
Tony Winchester, W-O-S says...
9:15am Wed 16 Apr 08
Southend council should include free gym membership in its council tax to give the people a chance.
Dan, North Leigh says...
9:56am Wed 16 Apr 08
Tony Winchester wrote:Either you fancy yourself as a bit of a comedian or you're just plain bonkers.
no wonder obesity is rapidly on the increase with so many restaurants in such a small area , Southend council should include free gym membership in its council tax to give the people a chance.
n, south woodham says...
11:21am Wed 16 Apr 08
rob atkins, Leigh says...
11:43am Wed 16 Apr 08
perish the thought of people getting somethiing out of there taxes.
MERV, kent says...
11:47am Wed 16 Apr 08
Dan, North Leigh says...
1:00pm Wed 16 Apr 08
rob atkins wrote:give everyone free gym mmebership and we'll all be paying £5000 council tax bills!
yeah must be bonkers , perish the thought of people getting somethiing out of there taxes.
The Vicar, Basildon says...
3:36pm Wed 16 Apr 08
Dan wrote:£5000? Why so much?
rob atkins wrote: yeah must be bonkers , perish the thought of people getting somethiing out of there taxes.give everyone free gym mmebership and we'll all be paying £5000 council tax bills!
Would Renaissance Southend be running these gyms?
If so, I could understand the high costs for very little result.
Fanny Blood, Essex says...
11:29am Fri 18 Apr 08
And women carry on being raped and harrassed and beaten and killed and raped and harrassed and beaten and killed ...
This chain just gives license to it. If you can't see that, then you don't want to and there is only one reason why you don't want to see it. Misogyny.
Cheeky Monkey, Up a Tree says...
3:14pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Fanny Blood wrote:Misogyny - is that another bar full of saucey ladies?
Well, I certainly won't be voting Conservative in the local elections in May. Get them out. And women carry on being raped and harrassed and beaten and killed and raped and harrassed and beaten and killed ... This chain just gives license to it. If you can't see that, then you don't want to and there is only one reason why you don't want to see it. Misogyny.
counosboy, Leigh says...
3:31pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Fanny Blood wrote:Are you a loony? Surely you're either a lesbian (and an ugly one to boot) or a raving nutter. The idea that a skimpy outfit encourages sex crime is an idea that went out in the sixties! I say you should forget about Misogyny and think more about your sinful jealousy!
Well, I certainly won\'t be voting Conservative in the local elections in May. Get them out. And women carry on being raped and harrassed and beaten and killed and raped and harrassed and beaten and killed ... This chain just gives license to it. If you can\'t see that, then you don\'t want to and there is only one reason why you don\'t want to see it. Misogyny.
Fanny Blood, Essex says...
6:43pm Fri 18 Apr 08
Say no more.
Cheeky Nana, Up a tree says...
3:54pm Fri 25 Apr 08
Fanny Blood wrote:you sound like you'd be pants in bed
Well, I certainly won't be voting Conservative in the local elections in May. Get them out.
And women carry on being raped and harrassed and beaten and killed and raped and harrassed and beaten and killed ...
This chain just gives license to it. If you can't see that, then you don't want to and there is only one reason why you don't want to see it. Misogyny.
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Fred, In the manor says...
7:28am Tue 15 Apr 08
EXACTLY IT SHOULD REPLACE THE COLLEGE CANTEEN AS THERE NOT ENOUGH TIME AT LUNCH TO WALK THERE.