Nottingham now knows it will not be the only place in the UK which will have a Hooters. Plans for a second venue from the US-based firm which is known for its busty barmaids who wear revealing uniforms have formally been approved in Salford.
The bar and restaurant is moving into an empty unit in the Salford Quays area where a Chiquito used to be. The plan was approved at a licensing committee meeting at Salford City Council on June 10, Manchester Evening News (MEN) reports.
The new Hooters will open from 9am to 11.30pm seven days a week, with the outdoor seating area closing at 10pm. After approval was granted. Julian Mills, who also runs the Nottingham outlet said: "My team and I are absolutely delighted to be opening in Salford Quays and working in the city.
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"With great food, service and sports, Hooters is a restaurant for everyone. We’re all looking forward to opening the doors and welcoming you all soon."
Despite the approval, the proposals have been much criticised since they first surfaced, with opponents including Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Labour MP or Trafford and Stretford Rebecca Long-Bailey. In total, 91 objections were made to the application made by Julian Mills, who has run Hooters on London Road since 2001.
However, despite the criticism, many people have backed the idea, saying they are happy that a new business is moving in. One man named Kevin who spoke to a MEN reporter that he understood concerns around women being objectified, but said no-one was being forced to work there.
He said: "You've got strip clubs for men, ladies nights for the girls, and nobody's forcing anybody to go to those places, just like nobody's forcing the girls to work there. People are paying for it, and if you go in there you know what you're going for, it would be a bit different if they were dancing out on the street for anybody to see but they're not, people who say 'oh the kids are going to see it' not if you don't take them in there.
"My brother lives in America and his girlfriend works in a Hooters and she enjoys the work. No-one forces her to do it."
Another local - Cheryl Kinneir - said it was good to see the empty building being used again. She said: "I think it's a good idea, this is a building that's been empty for God knows how long.
"I'm sure it'll get a lot of business on match nights, or any night really, there's a lot of lads in Salford and whoever comes off the tram on match days who will go for that sort of thing. I think it's a good idea, certainly on match nights you see the Matchstick Man full, that gets pretty busy most nights and there's not really another place for people to go drinking so to have another place, I'm sure it'll get a lot of custom."
There has been some indifference to the bar coming to Salford. Jack Hayes said he has visited a Hooters in the USA and did not have a massive issue with the chain.
Jack added: "It's better than them building a load more flats, I've been to one in America, they've got good chicken wings. I just think it's got a bad reputation, probably from how it was run previously. The one I went to was just like a normal sports bar really."
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His friend Sophie McCandish said: "I'm not fussed, and I don't think I'm surprised either, they're commercialising the area, there's a new Turtle Bay coming to the Quays around the Lowry. I'm glad it's not right next door to me, I've never been but it sounds a little seedy."
Ben Briggs said he saw positives and negatives to the plans. He said: "I'm a bit indifferent really, it's nice that something's being done there but I can see why people are a bit upset about it objectifying women but it can also be quite empowering.
"The other two [establishments] are doing quite well but I am a bit surprised for the area, I would have thought it would fit better in the city centre. It's a bit more of a sort of family place, there's a pub for families right next to a curry place that's good for families too, and it's an up and coming area too."
Those who object to the plans are still making their voices heard though, with one man saying he thought the plan made "no sense". Another objector - Tallula Obrart - said: "I think we've come a long way since profiting off women's bodies haven't we?
"I understand some people feel really empowered by it and I totally support that, I fully support sex workers in general and think it's great to see people empowered but the fact it's for a male gaze and profiting off women's bodies has set us back a little bit. I'm a feminist and feel like these women who feel empowered by this can make money without being part of this, they can do it on their own and feel empowered by making money without a man taking a cut.
"There are better ways to do it. I'm a little bit surprised it was approved, if we put as much effort into protecting women's safety we wouldn't have women who were scared to go out at night for fear of being raped. We should be focusing our efforts on protecting women not profiting, but it's a man's world isn't it?"
