Tattoos are a unique form of expression and a significant part of many people's identities. But another thing that tattoos are is expensive. When a person decides they want one, not only do they have to think about the indelible mark that they're placing on their body, they also have to consider the financial ramifications of their actions.
So, when Warwickshire-based man Darryl Timms spent a whopping £30,000 ($42,000) covering his entire body with tattoos, the last thing he wanted to happen was to be turned away from a bar because of them.
The 40-year-old, who has a crocodile coming out of a coffin, a sacred heart and a demon's face all inked on his head, was livid when he tried to go to the pub on March 24, but was rejected by the bouncer who told him he had too many tattoos. Timms waited 45 minutes with his girlfriend Amanda Tiff to get into the Fizzy Moon House at around 11pm in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire when he was told that he would not be allowed in.
Describing the incident to the Leamington Courier newspaper in his own words, Darryl said: "The bouncer said, 'sorry, the management reserves the rights to admit people and we can’t allow people who have got as many tattoos as you in the pub. My partner told him, 'It’s 2018 mate, get with the times.' He said, 'I know I’m really sorry, I’ve got tattoos myself.' I said to him, 'Surely then you’re not allowed in the pub. "But he said, 'I’m just here to do a job, I’m really sorry, it puts me in a bit of an awkward position.'"
Darryl, who got his first tattoo more than 15 years ago, claims that he was wearing sensible clothing that only showed tattoos on the hands, face and neck and states that he was not drunk when he attempted entry, naming the debacle "an absolute joke".
He stated: "I thought it was an absolute joke. I’m covered head to toe in tattoos but the only ones you could see at the time were on my hands, face, head and neck. None of them are offensive and to not get into a pub because of them is ludicrous."
The 40-year-old, who described himself as a tattoo "enthusiast, continued: "I know bouncers’ jobs are hard enough especially if people are drunk and disorderly – we’d been out 45 minutes and we’d only had a couple of drinks. It was like they thought I was a troublemaker because I had tattoos and a skinhead. It’s not like Leamington is adverse to tattoos – there are at least seven or eight tattoo shops... The manager or owner behind the policy needs to grow up and get with the times – it’s 2018 not 1918."
When asked for comment by the Leamington Courier, Fizzy Moon owner Mo Kandola defended the decision to refuse Darryl entry, stating that it was a "mistake". The owner stated: "Every bar has a policy of some form of dress code but we don’t have a policy here as long as people are reasonably presentable. Doormen have difficult jobs and they have to make judgements based on appearance and sometimes they make mistakes. By law pubs and bars can refuse entry without any reason. For anybody who isn’t happy, I am always happy to meet with them to try and resolve the issue."
While it's fair that bars reserve the right to reject whomever they want, it's also true that no person should be denied entry on the sole basis of appearance. Let's hope that Darryl will be given a full apology for the incident.
