AMERICAN restaurant chain Hooters is recruiting for waitresses to work in its new Harbourside venue by approaching young women in the city centre.

Despite objections from police and the public, Bristol City Council's licensing committee gave permission to open a branch in the former Marks & Spencer Simply Food premises in Millennium Square at a meeting last week.

Evening Post readers say they have been stopped by women in Cabot Circus and Broadmead looking for waitresses – known as Hooters girls – to work at the restaurant when it opens next month.

The chain is renowned for its scantily clad waiting staff, who are all women and wear shorts and skimpy tops.

One woman, who asked not to be named, told the Evening Post: "I was shopping in New Look in Cabot Circus with a friend when three girls came up to us wearing skimpy tops and shorts. One of them asked if I was looking for a full-time job. I said no, then she asked if I wanted a part-time job and I said no again.

"They said they were looking for girls to work at Hooters. I kept saying no but they wouldn't take that for an answer, they were quite persistent.

"After I said I didn't want to work part-time and that I already had a full-time job, she said I could work at weekends – she seemed quite desperate to get people to work."

At last week's licensing hearing for the applicant Bill McTaggart, solicitor Matthew Phipps compared the brand and target market to other American chains such as TGI Friday's and Frankie and Benny's.

He said the restaurant had a children's menu and was described as "family friendly".

But police say it is one nightspot too many, in one of the main areas for crime and disorder in the whole of Bristol.

Bristol feminist groups have spoken out against the chain, claiming that it is sexist and demeaning to women.

The Hooters website is advertising for hosts, kitchen porters, kitchen assistants and kitchen supervisors, for which application forms are available – but not for waitresses.

New Look did not wish to comment and Mr McTaggart was not available to comment.