Hooters fans in Nottingham have hit back at a petition which dubbed the brand "archaic and chauvinistic".
The city is home to the UK's only Hooters sports bar, which is famed for its scantily clad waitresses and chicken wings and attracts crowds of football supporters and stag parties.
But plans to open a second branch of the US chain in Liverpool haven't gone down well with some of that city's leaders.
Labour councillor Maria Toolan has started a petition against the opening.
The Mayor of Liverpool and Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner are also against the proposals.
However, people on the streets of Nottingham were quick to stick up for the venue.
Emily Chilton, 25, said: "I don't see any issues. None of the girls are forced to dress that way. A lot of people who work for Hooters want to work for Hooters so it’s not like anyone has forced them to do it.
"I think it’s been successful in Nottingham as it is good for football teams or sports teams - they do fairly good deals on the food.
“Most people who I know that go to Hooters are not actually going to Hooters to look at the girls anyway, they are going for the wing night."
Kerry Brown, 40, said: "I’ve been there couple of times and I think the atmosphere is quite good, staff are good and the food is good. The women aren't naked!
“Most people who haven’t been there say 'no' but I think if they went there they would actually realise it quite nice and they might change their opinion."
Amy Cousins, 33, doesn't believe the female employees are being exploited, adding: “I don’t think the women who work there wouldn’t have got the job if they didn’t want to do that kind of job. If you have confidence, body and personality then why not?”
Former Hooters' girl and comedian Katherine Ryan helped to launch the Nottingham restaurant in London Road in 2006 after it relocated from the opposite side of the road.
Far from being sexist and degrading to women, she insisted Hooters was a matriarchy and women ruled the roost.
The Liverpool petition, which has nearly 250 signatures, calls on Liverpool City Council to refuse a licence application, ahead of a licencing committee meeting next week.
The petition claims: “Hooters is an archaic and chauvinistic brand and this type of venue is no longer reflective of today's society.
“Hooters employs women to promote its business activities in an exploitative manner, it demeans and degrades women and undermines female equality.
“We believe it will attract interest from a narrow unwanted demographic and will cause increased anti-social behaviour.
"“We have the support of our Mayor, Police Commissioner, MPs and local residents."
Mayor Joanne Anderson tweeted her anger at the proposed bar, describing Hooters as having an “infamous sexually objectifying and misogynistic environment”.
Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: "A Hooters bar only works to undermine our efforts to tackle misogyny and the objectification of women."
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