A home tattoo parlour has become the latest outlet to achieve a five star hygiene rating after showcasing excellent standards across its studio.
Fuzzy Panda on Dovedale Road in West Bridgford has joined The Hygiene Accreditation Scheme (HAS), a voluntary initiative put in place to improve and maintain standards within premises offering tattooing, semi-permanent make-up and cosmetic body piercing treatments across the county.

Operated in a similar fashion to the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, businesses who sign up are visited by Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Environmental Health Officers. A score is then generated on factors such as safety and cleanliness including hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection of the studio and the correct cleaning and sterilization of instruments.
The six-point system will then rate businesses from zero – urgent improvement required to five – excellent.

Customers can view which businesses have been inspected and rated by checking the window sticker in premises’ windows or by visiting https://bit.ly/2IcacmC. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Executive Manager for Neighbourhoods Dave Banks presented studio owner Michaela Johnson with the window sticker that highlights their top rating.
He said: “It is great that Fuzzy Panda has achieved a five star rating, being the first home based studio in Rushcliffe to sign up to the scheme.
“Their rating will give customers further confidence and reassurance that the business operates safely and meets high standards of safety and cleanliness.

“It is of paramount importance that businesses operating in the tattoo and body-piercing industry uphold a high level of hygiene, as malpractice can cause severe illness and permanent damage to customers.
“We would like to see more businesses in Rushcliffe that offer similar services to sign up not only to give customers peace of mind but to also give themselves a commercial advantage.” Businesses participating in the scheme are required to follow rules devised using nationally recognised guidance, including the Guidance Toolkit produced by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.

Michaela added: “I am utterly thrilled in achieving a five star rating for my home studio. It is so important for me and my clients that my shop works to the highest of standards and it really shows that home studios are nothing to be worried about.

“Not only will this be great for the shop. It really sets a standard to others to work towards and I hope to see more people on the scheme in the near future.” The scheme is being co-ordinated by Environmental Health teams within local authorities across the county who are responsible for the registration of tattoo, body piercing and beauty treatment businesses and is carried out in addition to routine inspections.

Outlets can apply to join the scheme here https://bit.ly/2IcacmC.
An initial inspection and rating that lasts for 12 months is £120 with a re-inspection and re-rating fee of £60 available if a top rating is not secured.