ORGANISERS of the first tattoo convention to be held in Newport for seven years could be allowed to run the event at a reduced rate.

Newport City Council are considering reduced premises fees for the Totally Inked Convention when it visits Newport Centre on June 2 and 3.

It would be the first time that the venue has hosted a tattoo convention since 2011.

Organisers are required to register the premises with the local authority, as well as each tattooist, under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.

A report says Totally Inked organisers would be unable to pay £95.68 for the premises licence and the individual registrations of up to 30 tattooists set to attend the two-day event.

If the proposal is not approved, the organiser has indicated that the event will be cancelled as it is “unlikely to be profitable”.

“The organiser considers that passing on the cost to the tattooists directly would result in a mass withdrawal from the event thus also making the event unviable,” the report reads.

“The reason for the proposed reduction in fees is to ensure that the event is able to proceed without a prohibitively high fee when considering the short duration of the trading period.

“It is also consistent with efforts to invigorate the economy within the city centre and support the profile of the city.”

Council officers have recommended that the event registration fee be dropped to £66 and £33 for each tattooist hoping to register.

Tattooists will only be entitled to the reduced fee if they can show that the already registered to carry out the practice in a UK local authority.

Therefore, the maximum income for the council – should the reduced fees be approved – would be £1,056.

Similar reduced fees for organised events, such as street trading consents, have been approved by the council in the past in a bid to encourage footfall in the city centre.

A final decision will be made by Councillor Ray Truman, cabinet member for licensing and regulation, next week.