An annual tattoo convention that saw thousands of visitors flood into Stockport has left the town after the council asked each artist to pay £80 for a local licence.

Tattoo artists need a licence with the council where they are based and often use them when doing temporary work, such as conventions or guest spots at studios in other parts of the country.

Piercer Mike Gribben and tattoo artist Chris Dodd have organised the Stockport Tattoo Convention for two years in the town. They say they check all artists are licensed and insured before they take part.

But for next year's event which was planned at Edgeley Park, they say they were told by Stockport council the 50 artists due to attend would all need licences in the borough.

That would have meant coming from as far away as Scotland having to fork out £80 for one or two days of work.

The gathering has been moved to Wythenshawe Forum instead, which Mr Gribben says has been easier to organise with Manchester council.

The 44-year-old from Stockport said he was 'gutted' at having to move the convention out of his hometown.

"It was genuinely heartbreaking when we found out it wasn't going to happen," he added.

Changing venues has left the organisers nearly £2,000 out of pocket, they say, from money spent advertising and preparing for the event to be held in Edgeley Park (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Stockport council said it is reviewing its licensing policy, which it admitted 'doesn't reflect the changing nature of the industry'.

But it added that organisers were responsible for giving notice and handling registrations.

Mr Gribben said he accepts the convention in 2023 took place without talks with the council, but said he emailed the town hall about the 2024 event.

The issue has left a 'bitter taste', Mr Dodd said, adding that he plans to move his tattoo studio Resident Needle out of the Stockport.

"We're not doing it for the money, it's about bringing artists together to show that this industry is brilliant," the 46-year-old said.

Cllr Joe Barratt raised the issue at a recent council meeting in Stockport town hall, saying the council's 'heavy-handed' approach has lost the town 'thousands of pounds'

He urged the council to speak again with the convention's organisers to try and bring the convention back to the borough.

A Stockport council spokesperson said: "We are committed to supporting a wide range of events across the borough. Previous conventions went ahead without the council being informed, but it's the organisers' responsibility to handle registrations and notify authorities.

"We did make contact with the organisers to discuss how we could work together but the organisers had decided to move the event.

"The council's policy is historic and doesn't reflect the changing nature of the industry. We are in the process of reviewing our procedures so that things run smoothly in the future."

~

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Stockport Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

To get our top stories in your inbox each week, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter HERE.

Please consider following Stockport Nub News on Facebook or Twitter