‘I was made to wear make-up to cover my body art’: Salesman, 22, claims Next forced him off shop floor into stock room because of his 80 tattoos

'Shunned': Despite four interviews in the past month David Bruce (pictured) says employers have taken exception to his appearance

An employee at high street giant Next claims he was forced out of his job after getting 80 tattoos on his hands, neck and body in the space of just two years.

David Bruce, 22, says bosses at the store in Oldbury, West Midlands, told him to wear make-up over his skin etchings, costing him £40 a month.

Mr Bruce, from Halesowen, says he was humiliated when despite complying with the order he was moved from the shop floor to the stock room where he would be out of the sight of customers.

The former art student says he enjoyed his job interacting with customers, some of who complimented him on his designs.

However, bosses at the store said the marks on his neck, lower arms and hands were visible to the public and were 'too overpowering'.

They moved him to the stock room, even though he had worked there part-time for three-and-a-half years.

He said: 'We live in a society where people express themselves and that is what I am doing.

'The contract stated I should be presentable and I felt I was.

“I had nothing but hassle from management because the tattoos didn’t match the working environment and I was forced to cover them.

'The way they were treating me wasn’t acceptable. They were talking down to me and not treating me with respect.



'As a business I can understand why they are a success but they need to move out of the 70s and 80s mindset and not be so rigid.

'Firms like H&M and Topshop allow staff to wear tattoos.



'Every time I got a new tattoo it was a problem but it didn’t affect my performance at work.'

Mr Bruce joined the store in 2008 when he had no tattoos, but by 2010 had more than £4,000 worth of work etched on his body.





The designs include a dove, dragon and flowers but nothing he feels is offensive to view.

He says he felt discriminated against because there was nothing in his contract that explicitly stated tattoos were not permitted.

Mr Bruce said the increasing pressure he was put under over his image made him quit the post at the store in February.

He said: 'It was humiliating how they made me wear make-up. I was having to spend £40 a time on concealer to cover up.

'I can’t see how they were overpowering or in any way offensive.

'No customer ever complained to me; if anything some of them said how good the tattoos looked.

'When I got more, I was completely removed from the shop floor and put into the stock room out of view.

'It’s a shame because it was a job I enjoyed. I made friends there and was popular when I stood up to management over the tattoos.'

Sent to the stock room: Mr Bruce claimed he was moved off the stock floor where he would be out of sight of customers

Despite saying he was a valued member of staff at Next, Mr Bruce said attitudes quickly changed once he had his first tattoos on his lower arms.

They were visible because of the polo shirt uniform he was supplied with.

He said: 'Things changed very quickly once I had the tattoos on my neck. They had words with me on several occasions and then said, "You need to wear make-up".

'Then in April last year they moved things about and I was in the stock room all the time.

'I feel I was forced out of the role, it wasn’t a nice atmosphere to work in for the last year or so.'

Mr Bruce , currently unemployed, is considering becoming a tattoo artist, one of the few routes to employment he feels he can now take.

He fears other tattooed youngsters are also stigmatised for the way they look in the employment market.

Despite having been to four interviews in the past month he says he has been shunned by employers due to his appearance.

He said: 'When I started looking for jobs, I had a problem finding people that would take on tattooed people.

'I then looked into setting up my own business so that I would be self-employed to save anyone judging me at job interviews.

'I am comfortable because I’m in an artist working environment, so people can appreciate the tattoos.

'It’s important to be respected in your job and I just felt I wasn’t at Next.'

A Next spokesman said they could not comment on individual cases regarding employees.

In June 2009, British student Riam Dean, who was born without a left forearm, was awarded more than £9,000 in an employment tribunal.

It came after managers Abercrombie & Fitch London store made her work in the stock room, out of sight of customers.

The Daily Mail reported in July 2011 on how a woman was refused a cleaner's job at Iceland Foods because of a tattoo on her hand.



Sarah Garton had applied for a part-time cleaning post at a new store recruiting in Swadlincote, Derbyshire.