Published Monday, 20 August 2012
Made In Belfast has defended the choice of decor in the restaurant bathrooms. (© Made In Belfast)
Made In Belfast, which has a branch near City Hall and one in the Cathedral Quarter, is known for its quirky interior design - but naked images in the bathrooms have now caused a stir.
The DUP's Robin Newton confirmed to UTV that he was contacted by a woman who "visited the restaurant and wasn't best pleased by what she saw" and that he wrote to the owner on her behalf.
But Emma Bricknell, who moved to Belfast from Kent seven years ago and started the Made In Belfast brand, insisted that the pictures were definitely different from pornography.
She explained that they feature men and women, celebrities and models, and that they were taken by top photographers for a wide range of art house magazines.
"They're not 'lad mag' pictures - the only person featured who might be perceived like that is Pamela Anderson, but she's covered up in her picture!" Emma told UTV.
"It's a beautiful collage - it's really cool."
We're not put on this earth to be disgusted by nudity.
Emma Brickwell, Made In Belfast
The restaurateur added that some of the bathrooms have been marked 'x-rated', but said that was more tongue-in-cheek and gave customers a choice if they weren't comfortable with the images.
"The images aren't like porn, they're not intended to arouse anyone. We're avant garde - we try to be different, to bring something European to Northern Ireland," she said.
Emma also told UTV that she thought the issue was particular to Northern Ireland and that the problem wasn't one that would have arisen in her native England or elsewhere in Europe.
She's disappointed to have had her achievements in growing her business and helping the local economy overlooked in favour of controversy over the pictures.
"It's pretty sad that this is what I've had to put up with," she said, pointing to famous nudes in museums or art galleries in defending her choice of decor.
But she's also putting the issue into perspective.
"We've have 40,000 people through the restaurant in two-and-a-half years. We keep track of comment cards for feedback and we've only had ten complaints," Emma said.