Tattooists are feeling the pain of lockdown
ARTISTS STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE CLOSURES
TATTOO artists around Derbyshire have spoken of the stress and losses they have faced over the coronavirus pandemic, with no end immediately in sight.
Those who work in the industry in the county have said they have faced “dramatic” losses during the past nine months and some artists are struggling to be optimistic about the year ahead.
An owner of a local tattoo studio told the Derby Telegraph he only opened in February 2020 – a month before the first lockdown – after relocating from Tenerife.
Some have said they have had to deal with large periods of the pandemic with limited Government help, and another tattoo shop owner has said he has had to take out a £14,000 bank loan.
Gerry Carnelly is the owner of Octopus Tattoo Studio in Derby city centre, where he has been based since 2006.
He said the tattoo industry has been dealing with preventing cross contamination for years and so should have been able to reopen along with industries such as barbers after the initial lockdown.
The 49-year-old said: “During the first lockdown I think there was a bit more camaraderie and people helped support artists like me by buying our artwork and things.
“But now we’re in this third lockdown it’s been a lot harder because it’s really knocked the wind out of people. There’s so much anxiety about the future.
“It will be quite a while before we recover from all this and the lost income.
“I imagine a long struggle to get back to where we were. It will take me nearly a year to pay my tax bill and I’ve also had to borrow £14,000 from the bank to cover some other costs and to live off.
“I’ll be paying that off for the next six years. Most of us artists do not have a second income either.
“Personally, it didn’t surprise me how we were treated so differently to other sectors when we had to reopen so much later.
“People don’t see us as a trustworthy or legitimate business and perhaps see us on the fringe. That needs to change.”
Paul Pitcher runs Inked Inc tattoo studio in Matlock. He said: “It’s been a dramatic time. We relocated from Tenerife in September 2019 and got hold of the premises in February 2020. We spent four weeks getting the property ready and put so much money in it before the lockdown happened.
“We were forced to stay a closed a week before we were due to open,” said Paul, 52.
“We finally opened in July and then by the time November was here, we were closed again.
“Considering we’ve come here and started from scratch, the drop in business has been dramatic for us. We had lots of enquires over the summer and I think we’ve done well considering it all.
“We’re not anywhere near where we want to be a year later though.
“It’s been a bit demoralising for us and for me now it’s clear the Government are struggling to contain this. It feels like people making decisions have no idea how we operate in a safe, sterile environment.”
A statement on the Government’s website reads: “To reduce social contact, regulations require some businesses to close and impose restrictions on how some businesses provide goods and services.
“Tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services must also close. These services should not be provided in other people’s homes.”