The Hooters sign being taken down on Water Street.(Pic Andrew Teebay).(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
The director of Liverpool Hooters has confirmed to the ECHO that its Water Street venue will close in the new year. The brand opened the world’s biggest restaurant inside the New Zealand House back in November 2022.
Since then, the company has had a turbulent rollercoaster of a journey for one reason or another, including staff complaining their tips and service charge were being kept by the company to pay bills, and in light of this, the team behind it believe a fresh start is needed.
Director Barry Morris said the franchisee eatery will be no more come Sunday, January 11, and instead a new business will open at the venue some time in 2026. Barry, who took over after the original operator went into administration, will remain at its helm.
He told the ECHO: “After a very difficult year for the business, including the loss of key signage and the disruption around Liverpool parade day, I stepped in to take over day-to-day control in an effort to stabilise the venue.
The Hooters in Liverpool is the biggest in the world(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“As a Scouse family man, I want the venue to better reflect Liverpool — its people, its culture, and its love of sport and hospitality.
“I believe now is the right time to move away from the Hooters brand and create a more inclusive concept that locals can be proud of.”
Hooters is a legendary – and controversial – American brand founded in the 80s. Its mantra, ‘Hooters makes you happy’, extends to a hearty food menu, extensive drinks options, and beautiful, attentive staff sporting arguably one of the most infamous uniforms in the hospitality industry.
Hooters in Liverpool sells an extensive range of merchandise(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Prior to opening, the company oversaw a comprehensive refurbishment of New Zealand House, previously home to the Newz Bar, and received a “warm welcome” when they showed it off to the first batch of customers.
However, before Hooters even managed to pour the first round of pints, it faced opposition from some people in Liverpool. At the time, then-Mayor Joanne Anderson was against its arrival, claiming: “Hooters has an infamous sexually objectifying and misogynistic environment”.
Perhaps the biggest issue with Hooters that divided opinion was its sign on Water Street – a lengthy battle between the brand and Liverpool city council that was only got resolved this summer when the signs were eventually removed.
Hooters on Water Street is the world’s biggest (Image: Liverpool ECHO)
The row first ignited in October 2022, just before the restaurant’s opening a month later. While the city’s licensing committee was happy to grant permission for the new venue to operate, the local authority’s planning body was not keen on two large neon orange signs to be placed outside New Zealand House.
Planning permission was not granted but this didn’t stop the business putting the signs up anyway.
After years of legal wrangling, fines and a change of operator, the illicit signs outside the controversial branch came down on June 1.
Former Hooters MD Rachel Tansey (right)(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Another highly publicised issue was that of original Hooters boss Rachael Moss who also goes by the name Rachael Tansey. The barrister was pulled over by police while driving in her Land Rover and claimed she was unable to complete a roadside breath test as she had undergone cosmetic lip surgery.
The mum-of-three was stopped because her car was seen travelling “all over the road” at 20mph in a 60mph zone.
She denied drinking before getting behind the wheel and said her slow speed had been a result of her dropping a chicken wrap which she had been eating while driving. She then told officers: “Do not tell me what I can and cannot do.” She was convicted of failing to supply a specimen of blood for analysis following a trial and was given a 12 month community order with 130 hours unpaid work and disqualified from driving for two years.
She. and her company, Beauvoir Developments Ltd, which ran Hooters, was also ordered to pay £62,000 after disabled employee said she had quit her job due to being harassed. In total, Beauvoir Developments Ltd and Rachel Moss were ordered to pay the employee £25,000 in compensation for ‘injury to feelings’ as well as more than £14,000 for actual wage loss and £2,936.24 for future wage loss. The respondents were also ordered to pay an additional £10,552.50 for a failure to follow the ACAS code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures.
Barry hopes a new concept will put all these issues to bed as he looks to transition the current Hooters venue into a “more refined sports bar and restaurant”. He said “further details” will be shared soon in what is a “new chapter on Water Street”.