A WOMAN turned away from a Southend nightspot for having too many tattoos has accused the club of double standards.

Sarah Woodford, 31, was refused admission to Dick de Vigne’s nightclub while out with friends, because of the extensive tattoos on show on her lower arms.

In the end Ms Woodford went home and changed into a long-sleeved top because she was her friends’ designated driver for the evening and she didn’t want to leave her friends in the lurch.

But inside the club, in Warrior Square, Ms Woodford said she saw many people with tattoos on show, leaving her angry she appeared to have been been singled out.

She said: “I was wearing an elbow-length shirt, but they said I couldn’t go in unless my arms were covered.

“But when I was inside, there were loads of people with tattoos – blokes with them on their arms and women with them on their backs.”

Ms Woodford, of Hastings Road, Southend, also has tattoos on her neck, but says these did not cause a problem for the door staff. They told her they were only enforcing rules laid down by the club’s owner.

She said: “I did feel discriminated against, especially as there were other people in there with tattoos.

“It upset me and it would make me think twice about going there again.”

Her friend Kirsty Fields, 20, from Leigh, was with Ms Woodford when she was turned away and was disgusted at her treatment.

She said: “In this day and age people shouldn’t be judged at face value. It shouldn’t matter if you have red hair, pink hair, piercings or tattoos.”

Club owner Dick de Vigne agreed the club did not encourage heavily-tattooed customers, but stressed door staff assessed customers on a range of criteria.

He added: “We have always said we don’t have rules, just very high standards. We look at each case on its merits.”

Mr de Vigne said when people became regulars at the club, they were encouraged to cover their tattoos. He invited Ms Woodford to speak with him about her concerns.