Tat's going a bit far, bar owner admits

NO APOLOGY: Bar 101 owner John Lawrenson.

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A security guard at Hamilton's Bar 101 has been told to remove expletive comments he made on a Facebook site targeting the bar's entry policy on tattoos.

The comments were made by Jeremy Barrack on a site called Bar 101 discriminates against tattz!! F*** THEM. The site has 121 members and was set up by a woman refused entry to the bar because of her tattoos.

Mr Barrack made several offensive comments on the site including "F*** all of u haters" after telling those who didn't like Bar 101s tattoo policy to "F*** off" to whatever bar they liked.

"For all you that are a bunch of haters you'll never get the nicest bar crew or security crew anywhere else," he wrote.

Bar 101 owner John Lawrenson told the Waikato Times he in no way condoned the language used by Mr Barrack on the Facebook site.

"He has been instructed by me to remove the comments," Mr Lawrenson said.

"And I'll certainly be talking to him about professionalism. He certainly did not do this with the consent of, or being condoned by Bar 101."

However, while Mr Lawrenson didn't like what Mr Barrack had specifically written, he did agree with the sentiment of it.

"If you don't like our bar, don't come here," he said.

"If these people want to come in the bar, then cover your tattoos up. If you don't want to cover them up, go somewhere else. It's really that simple.

"We are simply trying to provide a safe drinking environment for younger students."

He also said anyone who set up a "slanderous" Facebook page using expletives such as this could expect to get similar comments back.

"If you want to set up a site and attack people, attack their livelihood and their place of employment, expect them to go on there and defend themselves. As is their right."

Mr Lawrenson made no apologies for his bar's policy on tattoos.

"We are trying to be the best bar in town ... and we are going to continue to do that.

"I'm trying to create a safe bar that isn't intimidating and some people find tattoos threatening and offensive."

The best way to ensure entry, was to cover large tattoos up, he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News