The first London Piercing Clinic opened on 5th May 1988 on the South Norwood High Street in South London. It was opened by Patrick Bartholomew, and ex Army Medic. It was only the second Body Piercing studio in the United Kingdom, and the first to have a High Street profile and address. The only other studio at that time was run by Patrick's friend and mentor, Mr Sebastian, in a converted ware-house at Mount Pleasant in Central London.

Mr Sebastian (Allen Oversby) was the real father of European Body Piercing. When he introduced it commercially, piercing was an 'underground' fetish thing, pretty well restricted to the 'Gay Leather Boys'. Sadly he died in May 1996. It was Patrick who actually brought piercing into the main stream. This was against heavy odds from the established tattoo scene, and early public opinion. It was only after Jean Paul Gaultier, in the early '90's, published his amazing collection featuring top models wearing navel piercings, did the piercing craze hit the ordinary woman and man in the street. Subsequently, over the years, much of piercings popularity has depended on what celebrities choose to wear, from Scary Spice to Right Said Fred. Patrick was also well known for his advanced modifications including cautery branding, Dremel scarification and he also performed the first suspension meet in the UK.

Since it opened, the London Piercing Clinics have done over 60,000 procedures. We were at the cutting edge of technology from the very beginning, introducing advances in jewellery design and equipment and many of the methods in modern use today. With time our techniques were refined to the present safe levels of today. Patrick introduced hypoallergenic titanium jewellery to the piecing industry here in the UK, and since January of 1992 London Piercing Clinics have not used any jewellery containing nickel or chrome (commonly found in cheap so called 'Surgical Steel' 316 grade stainless steel normally used in surgical instruments - Not intended for human implants). The only other materials we will use in a fresh or unhealed piercings are Niobium or PTFE plastic.

From the very beginning The London Piecing Clinics advocated the licensing of Piercers and Piercing, and we worked very closely with the Environmental Health Authorities to establish the regulations we enjoy today that protect both the practitioners and the public. Our standards exceed the requirements laid down by the law, and we take a socially responsible attitude in all our dealings with our clients.

Unfortunately Patrick was struck down with arthritis in 2005 and has subsequently suffered from poor health ever since. He is now lives in the North of England and has retired from doing actual body modifications. Now he acts only in an advisory capacity.