Hooters reopens after giving staff time to 'rest and recover'

THE RESTAURANT WAS CLOSED FOR SEVERAL DAYS AFTER A CAR DROVE INTO THE CROWD AT LIVERPOOL FC'S PREMIER LEAGUE PARADE 10:00, 29 May 2025Updated 10:06, 29 May 2025 Hooters is reopening

today after closing due to the horrific scenes that unfolded on Liverpool's Water Street at Liverpool FC’s victory parade. The venue was inside a police cordon after a car was driven

into a crowd after the Liverpool FC trophy parade. Merseyside Police were contacted just after 6pm on Monday, May 26, after receiving reports that a car had hit a number of people. A

53-year-old white British man, from West Derby, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving offences and driving while unfit through drugs Hooters confirmed to the ECHO

that it would reopen to the public today, Thursday, May 29, after giving staff time to “rest, recover and access support if needed”. Hooters’ staff member Barry Morris said: “We are deeply

shocked and saddened by the [...] ]incident that occurred outside Hooters Liverpool on Monday afternoon. “While we are incredibly thankful that no lives were lost, it was a traumatic

experience for many, including our team and customers, and our thoughts are with everyone affected. “As events unfolded, our staff responded immediately by closing the doors and assisting

not only our customers but also members of the public who came inside seeking safety and refuge. Their professionalism and compassion during such a distressing situation have been truly

commendable. “Hooters Liverpool closed on Monday and remained shut on Tuesday, as the area became a crime scene. We also made the decision to stay closed on Wednesday to give our team

additional time to rest, recover, and access support if needed. “We are proud of how our staff handled such a challenging situation and want to reassure them — and our customers — that their

well-being remains our top priority. "We continue to fully cooperate with the authorities and are here to support our team and community in any way we can. Liverpool is a strong and

united city, and we stand with everyone impacted by this devastating event.” New footage obtained by the ECHO shows the scenes in Dale Street in the immediate aftermath of the terrible

incident in the nearby Water Street on Monday. The footage shows emergency vehicles trying to get through the busy road, which has vehicles in traffic and many people walking back from the

parade. Now businesses on Dale Street have questioned the decision to keep large parts of the road open for traffic on Monday when huge numbers had poured into the city centre for the parade

celebrations. Dead Crafty Beer Company bar owner Gareth Morgan said he could not believe the road was open to vehicles. Mr Morgan said: “No vehicles other than emergency vehicles should

have been on that road.” A business owner, who asked the ECHO not to publish his name, said there was “no justification to keep the road open” during the LFC parade. The concerns over the

decision to keep the majority of the road open follows an ECHO exclusive, where never-seen-before footage shows the journey the Ford Galaxy made in the minutes before it drove into crowds of

people. The CCTV shows the car joining traffic on Dale Street at its eastern-most point before continuing towards the Mersey. The footage shows the car moving down the road while large

numbers of people are walking back from the parade. At one point the Ford Galaxy nearly collides with a woman who is crossing the road. Merseyside Police has defended the policing operation

during the parade and said the force planned for “all contingencies”, but added there was no intelligence to suggest an incident of this nature would take place. The ECHO previously

exclusively reported that the car gained entry to Water Street, where it hit dozens of people, after it tailgated through a temporary road barrier behind an ambulance responding to a person

having a suspected heart attack. There is still some confusion about the traffic management plan that was in place. The ECHO understands a filter system was in place at the end of Dale

Street at its junction with Exchange Street East, meaning no traffic should have gone beyond this point - on towards Water Street. What is not clear is how the driver was able to get beyond

this road block before continuing along Dale Street onto Water Street, where police said he followed an ambulance passed a road block at its junction with Rumford Street. Merseyside Police

confirmed yesterday that at least 79 people were injured when the car rammed into the crowds. Seven of those remain in hospital in a stable condition. The ECHO has repeatedly made the

respectful decision to not publish any footage of the incident itself. Article continues below Liverpool’s political opposition leader Cllr Carl Cashman has called for a full independent

inquiry into the circumstances leading up to Monday’s horrifying scenes.