Jesse Wright defends his facial tattoos after being stopped from entering a bar on his birthday because of them.

An artist was refused entry to a bar because of his facial tattoos, despite offering to hide them with makeup.

Jesse Wright said he felt "degraded" by his treatment. He is considering making a complaint to the Human Rights Commission.

The 22-year-old was with a group of about 30 friends when he tried to enter The Rockpool pool hall on Hereford St, Christchurch, about 9pm on Friday.

Wright, who was celebrating his birthday, said he was singled out by bouncers, who had concerns about tattoos on his face. They thought he might have gang affiliations.

He offered to hide them with a friend's makeup but was refused entry.

Wright said the bouncers asked him to explain the meaning of some of his tattoos, including the number 75 on his cheek. It is a reference to the year his mother was born.

DEAN KOZANIC/FAIRFAX NZ Jesse Wright was refused admission to The Rockpool bar on his 22nd birthday because of his facial tattoos.

He said one of them responded with a derogatory remark about her.

Wright has hundreds of tattoos covering about 50 per cent of his body, including his eyelids.

Those on his face meant the most, he said. Several were linked to his family.

Wright said he had never been refused entry to a bar in Christchurch because of his tattoos.

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"I find it highly offensive. You don't judge a book by its cover," he said.

"None of my tattoos are gang affiliated whatsoever – they all have high meaning to me."

He wanted The Rockpool to change its policy.

"I know I'm not the only one out there with face tattoos and if we want to go out . . . why should we be turned down because of what we look like?

"It's really, really insulting and it's hurt me deep down."

The Rockpool owner Peter Whittaker said people with visible facial or neck tattoos were not welcome at his bar.

"Not everyone is automatically excluded but we don't want that profile of person there."

He declined to comment further.

The Rockpool only recently reopened.

Liquor Licence Protection began supplying bouncers to the bar about a fortnight ago.

The company's director, Tarquyn Read, said a strict door policy was being enforced by his staff.

"They are doing a really good job . . . we've made it a safer place."

Read said he would make enquiries about any comments made by his staff relating to Wright's mother.

It is understood Vinnie Paul, the co-founder and former drummer of US heavy metal band Pantera, was denied entry to The Rockpool at the weekend because he refused to remove a bandanna he was wearing.

His new band, Hellyeah, played at The Bedford on Saturday.

Hospitality Association chief executive Bruce Robertson said bars and restaurants needed to be mindful of a person's human rights.

He was unable to say how many bars in New Zealand had door policies relating to tattoos but if a tattoo was considered offensive, it could be grounds for refusing them entry.

"The problem here is all these things are relatively subjective so individual operators need to make a call on what's in front of them."

Human Rights Commission chief mediator Pele Walker said from "time to time" the commission received complaints about services being denied to people because of their tattoos.

A policy banning tattoos might not in itself be unlawful, Walker said. If the tattoo was of religious or ethnic significance, a complaint of indirect discrimination could be made under the Human Rights Act.