Tattoo parlours in Dartford and Gravesend are being asked to take part in a new county-wide rating initiative in an effort to safeguard customers.

But Gravesham council said it had had a disappointing response to the government’s Tattoo Hygiene Rating Scheme, which aims to improve standards.

Under the scheme, premises will be inspected and rated annually in a similar way to the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.

The scoring system will be one to four, one being rated the lowest, two being satisfactory and scores three and four rated good and very good.

The scheme will have county-wide guidelines to ensure it is run consistently across Kent.

Practitioners who sign will be able to showcase how clean and hygienic their business is by displaying a certificate and window sticker, with their hygiene rating clearly shown.

Tattooing in particular is one of the biggest concerns for councils due to the risk of viruses in blood such as hepatitis and HIV being transmitted by the use of dirty needles. Officers hope the new scheme will encourage parlours to keep standards at a high and safe level.

A survey by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health showed that 93% of customers considering a tattoo would be influenced by a rating scheme.

In the Gravesham borough there are 48 premises and 76 people registered to work in various forms of body and beauty work, and all have been contacted about the scheme.

But Graham Cole, head of communications for Gravesham council, said so far only one parlour had shown an interest.

He said: “We have to license tattoo places anyway and the new scheme to regulate them further was brought to us and we embraced it. We have asked the parlours and I believe, to this date, we have had only one response, so we’re going to get in contact again.”

Industry bodies such as the British Tattoo Artists Federation have expressed support for the rating scheme as it would theoretically drive out unregis-
tered and unsafe practitioners.

Mr Cole said, while the council had had a disappointing response from Gravesham’s parlours, he believed they would see the benefits of the scheme eventually.

He said: “Parlours haven’t been responsive so far, but that’s not surprising because people don’t respond to these schemes at first, but they will in time.”

Dartford councillor Pat Coleman, cabinet member for frontline services, said: “With any kind of skin-piercing procedure, it is vitally important that customers can be sure that practitioners are knowledgeable and skilled and their business premises are spotless.

“This new scheme will help people wanting a tattoo or piercing be able to see quickly and easily how clean and well run the business is.”