A row is continuing about Liverpool's new Hooters business.
The controversial US chain opened only its second UK venue on Water Street in the city centre last week despite concerns being raised - including from the Mayor of Liverpool.
But while the new venue is now welcoming customers, it continues to find itself wrapped up in a row with local councillors. Last week it was revealed that Hooters had been told to remove two large neon signs put up outside its New Zealand House premises.
Liverpool council said the signage was put up without the correct permissions. A spokesperson confirmed that Hooters had applied for the permission but that it was rejected. The signs were then put up anyway.
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The council has now written to Hooters asking them to take the sign down, but the business has appealed the decision to refuse permission. The appeal will be determined by the Planning Inspectorate in due course.
City centre councillors Nick Small and Christine Banks have written to local residents to inform them of the ongoing issue. In a letter, shared on twitter, they wrote: "Despite the planning permission being refused, we were disappointed to see that Hooters went ahead and installed the signage anyway last weekend before the premises opened on Monday.
"We understand that Hooters are appealing against the council's decision to reject the planning application for the signage to the planning inspectorate. It is within their rights to do this, but we are calling on Hooters to do the right thing and take the signage down unless and until they obtain planning permission on appeal. We will continue to formally oppose the signage at any appeal hearing."
The councillors said they have also been contacted by some business owners in the neighbouring Oriel Chambers about noise nuisance from the extractor system from Hooters, which runs down the side of New Zealand House. The letter said: "We have made Environmental Health aware of this and the Planning Enforcement team, as it is being questioned whether there is the necessary planning permission in place for the extractor system."
One affected business owner is Paola Paulucci, who owns Flour Will Fly in Oriel Chambers. She took to Twitter to share a video of the fan and her frustration at the noise. In the short clip, She said: “I don’t understand how we’re supposed to live with this, how is that okay? How? I don’t understand. We have people here, businesses, how?”
Speaking Rachael Moss, Hooters’ managing director, said the business had done nothing wrong. She told the ECHO recently: “The equipment is legally allowed to be there, we didn’t install it.
“It’s been there since 2015 and is a lawful, highly regulated piece of equipment. Because Oriel Chambers is a listed building, they have very thin windows.
“We have extremely high standards as a global brand and I had my architect go round to inspect during our initial processes.” Hooters is yet to respond over the signage issue.
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