PETA hit out at controversial Hooters restaurant in Newcastle

Animal rights organisation PETA has sent a letter to the UK General Manager, Julian Mills of the controversial American restaurant chain Hooters ahead of its imminent Newcastle opening, calling on the venue to ‘give a hoot about birds’.

Hooters, which is known for its sports bar atmosphere, American-style food, and waitresses in revealing uniforms, is set to open its third UK location in the city’s Bigg Market in the coming weeks.

But the launch has sparked backlash, with some online questioning both its portrayal of women and its menu choices.

In a strongly worded letter to Hooters’, PETA urged the chain to ‘give a hoot about birds’ by removing chicken from its offerings and instead serving plant-based alternatives.

The animal rights group condemned the cruel conditions in which chickens are raised, describing how the birds are pumped with antibiotics, bred to grow abnormally large, and often suffer broken legs under their own weight.

PETA argues that the suffering these animals endure is no different from what an owl or any other bird would experience, making it hypocritical for Hooters to feature an owl as its logo while profiting from chicken wings.

“Vegan wings hurt no one, aren’t tangled up in the ever-growing bird flu crisis, and are better for the environment,” said PETA’s Vice President of Vegan Corporate Projects, Dawn Carr.

“Plus, they can be endorsed by Hootie the Owl without making him seem like a sociopath who delights in the deaths of his fellow feathered friends.”

The campaign follows a new video from PETA, showing Londoners recoiling in horror when they are told that the wings they are eating are from owls rather than chickens.

The footage aims to highlight what PETA calls ‘speciesism’ – the idea that humans arbitrarily decide which animals are food and which are worth protecting.

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Hooters’ Newcastle opening has already sparked controversy beyond the menu. The brand’s marketing approach, which centres around its female servers, has been criticised for being outdated and objectifying women.

Local group Newcastle Women’s Street Watch, which supports vulnerable women in the city, took to social media to express frustration, highlighting the contrast between their struggle to find a safe space for women and the ease with which Hooters has secured a prime location.

“For perspective, we can’t find a landlord who would rent to us to provide a safe space for vulnerable women…” the group wrote on Facebook.