A woman arrested outside the Hooters restaurant in Liverpool city centre has been released on bail.
Half a dozen police officers responded to a call at the Water Street venue just before 12.30pm on Thursday after reports of individuals acting aggressively towards staff. The alarm was raised by Rachel Moss, managing director of Hooters Liverpool, who called Merseyside Police.
Mrs Moss told the ECHO about the “alarming” experience on Thursday afternoon.
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She said: “The woman burst in and was being abusive towards the staff. We won’t tolerate that kind of behaviour.
“She coughed in my face and claimed she was full of infection. We’ve got it all on CCTV and will be sending it to the police.
“We asked her to leave but she jumped on a bar stool. The police responded so quickly and brilliantly.”
The Hooters venue, which is only the second in the UK after it opened two months ago, has been the subject of much controversy since it was given a licence to trade earlier in 2022. It had attracted criticism from the Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson and is currently embroiled in a row with Liverpool Council over signage outside the former Newz Bar site.
Mrs Moss was quick to dispel any concerns that the alleged actions by the individual arrested had been committed by a person visiting Hooters. She said: “Our customers are fabulous, well behaved and she wasn’t one of them.
“We don’t respond to that type of behaviour and she had been aggressive towards the police. It was alarming, nobody turns up to work and expects to deal with that.
“If people are going to act that way, being loudly verbally abusive to the staff, that’s how we will reply. She is not welcome here.”
A 39-year-old woman, from Liverpool, was arrested on suspicion of common assault and a public order offence. She was taken to a Merseyside police station for questioning and has since been bailed. There were no reports of any injuries.
In a statement, a Merseyside Police spokesperson said: “The 39-year-old woman from Liverpool has been bailed with conditions.”
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