Controversy Erupts as US Chain Hooters Expands to Newcastle

[Social Media]

 

The arrival of American sports bar chain Hooters in Newcastle upon Tyne has sparked backlash among locals, with critics accusing the company of promoting the objectification of women. Known for its signature hot wings and female servers dressed in revealing uniforms, the franchise is attempting to further establish itself in the UK, despite past failures in other British cities.  

 

Founded in Florida in 1983 as a joke by six men with no restaurant experience, Hooters has since grown to over 400 locations worldwide. While the chain already operates in Nottingham and Liverpool, the Newcastle location is expected to be a major test of its long-term viability in the UK. The new restaurant is set to occupy the ground floor of the former TJ Hughes store in the city’s Bigg Market area, with doors expected to open in late February. Signs announcing the arrival of Hooters have already appeared in Newcastle’s city center, and job postings have been advertised, offering a base pay of £11.44 per hour. Reports suggest that 45 of the 50 female staff members required for the new venue have already been hired, some as young as 17.  

 

Opposition to Hooters’ expansion is not new. Many previous attempts to open branches across the UK have failed due to strong pushback from residents and local authorities. Newcastle’s own residents have voiced concerns, with one local telling *The Guardian*, “It’s horrible. We can do better than this.” Critics argue that the brand is outdated and reinforces harmful stereotypes, with Kruti Walsh, policy director at feminist charity FiLiA, stating that the business “treats women as objects to be served up alongside chicken wings and fries.”  

 

Despite the backlash, Canadian businessman Johnny Goard, who is leading the Newcastle launch alongside Julian Mills, has defended the brand. “Hooters isn’t what you think it is,” he told *The Guardian*. “It’s a restaurant. We don’t want to be here as a bar. We do kids eat for free on Sundays. Hooters isn’t what you think it is, what you perceive it to be, until you come in the door.”  

 

This is not the first time Hooters has struggled to gain a foothold in the UK. The chain’s first attempt in Birmingham in 1998 was met with enthusiasm but shut down just 18 months later amid accusations of sexism and controversy over its proximity to the Hall of Memory memorial. A branch in Bristol, which opened in 2010, closed just two years later following an incident in which staff allegedly gave a cake shaped like naked breasts to a 12-year-old boy. Even Liverpool’s Hooters, which opened in 2022, faced resistance from local residents and then-mayor Joanne Anderson, who described the franchise as having an “infamously sexually objectifying and misogynistic environment.”  

 

Newcastle previously rejected a Hooters application over concerns regarding crime, public nuisance, and the potential for social disorder linked to stag and hen parties. However, Mills and Goard, the duo behind Nottingham’s long-standing Hooters location, are determined to succeed where past efforts have failed. Goard, dismissing concerns, pointed to nightlife culture in the city, saying, “Have you looked outside on a Friday night? What else can I say about that? We raise millions and millions of dollars for [breast cancer] charities.”  

 

As Hooters prepares to open its doors in Newcastle, the controversy surrounding the brand remains as heated as ever. Whether the franchise can overcome its critics and thrive in the UK remains to be seen.

 

Based on a report by The Independent 2025-02-11

 

 

[Geoffggi]

Expensive Burger Bars is all they are

[Classic Ray]

I have seen several documentaries featuring Newcastle’s night time economy that point out the bravery of young women facing the elements with their only protection very skimpy clothing.

 

The market will determine whether Hooters is a success there without the interference of prudery. Similar establishments I have visited seem to protect their employees very well from the few over excited customers. 
 

Give them a chance before condemning them, at least some will have the benefit of jobs.

[Tug]

Everyone likes boobs it’s a safe business model it can get a might brisk there that’s bound to benefit said business model lol and the ladies err tips (for serving burgers)!

[Chomper Higgot]

Just one more US Corporation moving into the UK.

 

 

[Purdey]

Went in the one that used to be in Soi 15 and the beer appeared to be watered down. The chicken wings were sticky like cobwebs in goo. What do I know. 

Never went there again. And then they closed. 

[Celsius]

I just realized, I have never been with a blonde 

[5davidhen1]

14 minutes ago, Celsius said:

I just realized, I have never been with a blonde 

As 007 once said, "As long as the collars and cuffs match?"

[OneMoreFarang]

Let me guess, above picture is not from Newcastle ...

[SAFETY FIRST]

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

closed just two years later following an incident in which staff allegedly gave a cake shaped like naked breasts to a 12-year-old boy. 

Gawd, they could have waited until he turned 13. 

 

I prefer my breasts naked