No entry: new dress code at Double Bay restaurant bans tattoos

A popular Double Bay Middle Eastern restaurant has implemented a new dress code which doesn’t allow people with visible tattoos, heavy jewellery or designer logos to enter the premises.  

The three-year-old Bedouin Restaurant has put up a sign outside the venue letting people know of their new house policy that bans “visible tattoos”, “designer labelled apparel” or “heavy jewellery”. 

The rules apply to staff members as well.

Bedouin restaurant also operates as a nightclub from 10pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays and hosts a cabaret night on Sundays. 

It is run by Poata Okeroa with business partners Eric Jury and Julian Tobias.

Michael Mcelroy, a UK chef that has been living in Australia since 2016, is angry that he wouldn’t be permitted to eat at the restaurant due to having neck and arm tattoos.

“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,” Mcelroy told 7News.com.au 

“Hearing they are now introducing these rules is a shame.”

“I love to eat out at restaurants so sooner or later this will start to affect my dining experiences.” 

Co-owner of Bedouin, Poata Okeroa, spoke to The Daily Telegraph in relation to the dress code.

“We value our customers and community stakeholders and have always implemented house rules that includes a dress policy that discourages intimidating appearances,” he said.

Bedouin is popular among the celebrity crowd, with tennis star Nick Kyrgios, The Voice judge Rita Ora, Thor director Taika Waititi and US actor Scott Eastwood among those who have frequented the restaurant.

Irit Jackson, 21^st February 2022