Hooters, an American restaurant chain known for scantily clad servers, chicken wings and sports screenings, is expected to open its third UK venue this month. 

Hooters is notorious for its ‘Hooters Girls’, an all female wait staff contract bound to have a full face of makeup, wear shorts that reveal rear ‘smile lines’, and have hair down, at all times. 

The so-called ‘breastaurant’ has long struggled to take off in the UK (probably something to do with abundant accusations of creepy customers, workplace bullying and harassment) – Hooters Birmingham closed after just 18 months, and Cardiff and Bristol followed suit after less than 2 years. 

Despite that, business partners Julian Mills and Johnny Goard are unfazed and set to open their third franchised Hooters in Newcastle’s Bigg Market later this month- their others are in Nottingham and Liverpool.

The Newcastle restaurant will have a capacity of 200 and a staff of at least 50 uniformed Hooters Girls. But there has already been backlash from local residents and councillors. 

Kruti Walsh, the policy director at the feminist charity FiLiA, told the Guardian: ‘Violence against women and girls is an epidemic so we firmly oppose plans to expand a chain that treats women as objects to be served up alongside chicken wings and fries.’

A spokesperson for Newcastle city council said: ‘As a White Ribbon City, Newcastle stands against all harassment, abuse and violence against women and girls. All businesses in our city are encouraged to show their commitment to tackling these important issues and we will be raising it with the licence holder at these premises to ensure they understand our clear position.’

This English seaside landmark has just been bought by a ‘Dragons Den’ star – and could be turned into a bar.

Plus: A vast £1 billion leisure and hospitality complex is being built in the Peak District. 

Stay in the loop: sign up to Out There, our free newsletter about all the best stuff to do across the UK.