Business is booming for independent tattoo studio despite Covid-19 pandemic

For one independent tattoo studio in Ely, things haven’t changed too much because “it’s such a sterile environment” - and, if anything, they have seen an unexpected increase in the number of bookings.

Steve Tucker, studio manager of Almost Angels Tattoo Family, said that while the four-and-a-half-month closure was hard - “we had to keep the studio running in the background; emails had to be answered” - the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown have not had too much of a negative impact.

“I did think that, with everyone coming back from furlough, it would be hard in terms of cash flow.”

But, actually, it’s been the opposite - “with everyone staying at home, and maybe not going on holiday abroad, they’ve got money to spend,” he added.

Although the business did make use of the government scheme “because rents and everything still have to be paid; it got a little bit hairy at times”, for the period that their doors remained closed “we were okay because we’re quite an established business”.

When asked if he has any concerns going ahead, Steve replied “none at all”.

And that’s largely down to the fact that the tattoo studio is such a sterile place.

“Because we are such a clean environment, it hasn’t had that much of an impact in the studio.

“We always have been and always will be,” he added, saying that the only difference the team have noticed has been the face masks.

“And we test everybody as they come in for their temperature, and make sure hands are sanitised.”

The worst thing, he said, was having to tell customers who had booked months in advance that we needed to change their appointments.

“It was horrible, but all our customers have been so accommodating.

“They knew it was out of our hands and that we could only do what we could do.”

Looking to the future, he thinks it’s just a case of adapting to the new normal.

“I do think we’ve got to get used to it and just get on it with it now.”