Restaurant bans customers with tattoos, ‘heavy’ jewelry and designer clothes

A restaurant has banned customers with tattoos, “heavy” jewelry and designer clothes. The controversial dress code was introduced in a bid to stop customers from “intimidating” others.

A note in front of the popular Bedouin restaurant in Double Bay, Sydney informs its guests of the new rules.

According to the new house policy, customers cannot have “visible tattoos,” wear “heavy jewelry” or “designer-labeled apparel”.

According to New York Post, The eatery’s co-licensee Poata Okeroa told The Daily Telegraph: “We value our customers and community stakeholders, and have always implemented house rules that include a dress policy that discourages intimidating appearances."

The Middle Eastern restaurant was launched three years ago and is run by Poata Okeroa, Eric Jury and Julian Tobias.

The venue that turns into a club in the evenings on the weekends, is popular among celebrities including tennis star Nick Kyrgios, Scott Eastwood, Rita Ora and director Taika Waititi.

UK chef Michael Mcelroy, who works at a restaurant in Manly and has neck and arm tattoos, told 7News he was left fuming after finding out the new rules.

He said: “I’ve never heard of this policy in Australia, I have head and arm tattoos and not once when dining out has this come up until recently. Hearing they are now introducing these rules is a shame.”

He added that his co-workers had told him bans around tattoos were common practice in the industry a few years ago.

“To hear we are going back to these rules is upsetting,” he added.