Hooters bar will harm our town (From Echo)

Hooters bar will harm our town

10:49am Thursday 13th March 2008 in

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I was concerned to read of the licensing application recently submitted by Hooters in relation to 42-44 London Road, the former site of the MVC music store.

While the Echo accurately reported the restaurant chain is famed for its scantily-clad all-female serving staff who wear orange hotpants and low-cut tops, the adult nature of these restaurants was not made entirely clear.

The only existing branch of Hooters in the UK in Nottingham organises regular bikini competitions and promotes itself as a venue for stag parties.

Events companies in the city offer stag night packages where a trip to Hooters is followed by a visit to a lap dancing club.

It is clear Hooters restaurants are essentially adult entertainment venues and I think local residents have a right to be made aware of this.

A Hooters restaurant trading from these premises will have a number of negative consequences for the area.

The venue will attract large, all-male groups intending to consume large quantities of alcohol and it is highly likely there will be an increase in public nuisance, anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder in the area as a result.

The site is near to both the taxi rank and bus station, and this raises issues of personal safety for women travelling in Southend.

The tacky, crude and unpleasant nature of the restaurant's image will also adversely affect the business of the many family-oriented restaurants nearby.

The deadline for objections this Friday.

Additionally, people can sign a petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/ notohooterssouthend Hooters is a business the town could do without. Southend deserves better.

Sophia L Deboick
Broadway West
Leigh