Liverpool Council is taking the city’s branch of Hooters to court over its controversial outdoor signs.
In April, it was confirmed that a bid by the American chain to appeal a decision by the city council denying them planning permission for two large illuminated signs outside the Water Street venue had been dismissed. The business was subsequently given 14 days to remove the signs or face prosecution.
As the signs still remain in place, Liverpool Council has confirmed to the ECHO it will now seek to start prosecution proceedings against Hooters under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. Managing director Rachael Moss said she had not received notice of such a position and criticised the council.
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Not to be deterred by the decision, workmen were seen outside the venue on Wednesday evening putting up Ukraine flags with the Hooters owl logo on.
An application was made by Beauvoir Developments, the company operating the Hooters Liverpool franchise, to put up the two orange and black signs outside New Zealand House in March 2022. This was rejected by Liverpool Council’s planning committee in October, but this did not deter the business and they put up the signs anyway.
An appeal was received by the Planning Inspectorate in February of this year and a site visit undertaken by inspector Sarah Colebourne last month. In her decision, Ms Colebourne said the appeal lodged by Hooters had been dismissed, citing there was “no public benefit that could outweigh the harm identified” by the signage.
Ms Colebourne said the main issue in the appeal was the effect of the proposed advertisements on amenity. She added how given the site was located within the Castle Street conservation area, significance was drawn from it being “at the heart of Liverpool's traditional commercial centre in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.”
The planning inspector’s report acknowledged while the harm caused by the signs would “be less than substantial” she had not been told of “any public benefits in this case that would outweigh the harm identified.” It added: “By reason of its siting, size, scale and design, it would fail to preserve or enhance the significance, character and appearance of the conservation area and the setting of the listed buildings referred to earlier.
“For the reasons given above and having regard to all other matters raised, I conclude that the proposal would cause significant harm in terms of amenity and the appeal should be dismissed.”
Ms Moss told the ECHO she or her agent had received any notice of the council’s decision to seek to prosecute and hit out at the local authority. She said: “They need to spend as much time speaking to people as they do talking to the press.
“We have had no correspondence from the council and we follow the law to the letter with what we’re supposed to do.”
The proposed action against Hooters was received warmly by city centre north ward councillor Nick Small. He said: “I have been in touch with the council's planning team today to ask for legal action to be taken to make sure Hooters complies.
“Water Street is in the Castle Street Conservation Area and this signage, as it stands, detracts from one of our city's most important streets and views of the Three Graces and Town Hall."
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