Tattoo parlours facing hygiene scrutiny

A total of 12 tattoo parlours are registered with Stafford Borough Council and will be visited to check that businesses are being run properly.

As part of a new ratings scheme, studios will be scored on hygiene, record keeping and infection control, and those who fail are being warned they could face enforcement action.

The parlours will be rated from one to four, and the borough council has sent letters this week to alert owners that inspections will start towards the end of September.

The new scheme has been likened to food safety checks.

No official statistics have been collated on the number of people who require medical treatment because of problems related to tattoos, but council bosses hope the new initiative will ensure parlours are up to scratch and give people confidence about visiting them.

Councillor Frank Finlay, cabinet member for environment and health, said: "Health and wellbeing is one of our top priorities, and we aim to ensure that anyone who has a tattoo will do so in a clean and safe environment."

Dez Main from Dezign Tattoo Studio said he welcomes the move.

The artist, who has run his studio in Gaol Road for 10 years, said it will ensure standards are maintained at businesses.

And he said customers will only benefit as they will know bosses are having to meet stringent targets.

He added: "Overall, I think it is a good thing. The hygiene inspection will be really good, and poor studios will have to get their act together.

"It is a good thing to inspect the risk of infection, as cross-contamination is an issue.

"Hygiene is really important – everything has to be single use."

However, Mr Main said studios with a four-star rating for cleanliness should still be inspected over the quality of artist's work.

"What this inspection won't do is stop bad quality work and poor tattooists," Mr Main added.

"Some studios have great kerb appeal but the quality of work may still be poor – I think that also needs to be looked at.

"There is no governing body for tattooists so I would always advise people to ask to see previous work."

The council carries out a similar scheme for food premises called Rate My Place and bosses hope this new initiative will prove as popular and help people decide which premises to use.