Q. I have never been tattooed before does it hurt?
A. Yes it does! But of course it is bearable otherwise nobody would come back!

Q. What does it feel like?
A. It is a unique sensation that you cannot describe. You will only know by being tattooed. Most “Bar room experts” will either say “it doesn’t hurt at all” or “its agony” of course the truth is somewhere in the middle, be prepared for the worst and hopefully it won’t be as bad as you think.

Q. Do some places hurt more than others?
A. Yes. Generally speaking the arms are the easiest place and then when you move from the arms it starts hurting a bit more.

Q. What is the most painful place to be tattooed?
A. The ribs are one of the worst places.

Q. Are you licensed to tattoo?
A. Yes we were the first ever tattoo shop to be licensed by Tunbridge Wells Borough council when Tunbridge Wells Borough Council started licensing tattooing in 1985.

Q. This is my first tattoo can you put my mind at rest on the hygiene side of tattooing?
A. Yes. All tattoo needles now come in pre packed sterile packets, we ALWAYS open the packet and set up in front of you likewise when we have finished you will see us destroy the needles and put them in a sharps bin contracted to be taken away by licensed clinical waste carriers. We always take health and safety very seriously and are always happy to answer any questions or go over any hygiene procedures with you.

Q. Do I need an appointment?
A. No. Just come to the shop during our shop hours, Mon-Fri 2pm-7pm Sat 11am-5pm Closed Wed and Sunday.

Q. When is the best time to come? When are you least busy?
A. Generally we are always busy so the best time to come is at opening time so you are either first or near the front of the queue or alternatively you can take pot luck and come later in the day.

Q. Do you ever work by appointment?
A. Yes. We work many hours outside of shop hours but this is for custom work, large work, portraits etc.

Q. Can I book an appointment over the phone or by email?
A. No. Just turn up in person at the shop, if we decide the type of work you want needs an appointment we will give you an appointment. We need to see you in person first anyway to discuss size, placement, price etc. we can’t do this over the phone.

Q. Can I park near the shop?
A. Yes there is a large free car park opposite in Yew Tree Road (see map on “Find us” link) or alternatively there is unrestricted parking in the surrounding streets.

Q. I am under the age of eighteen can I get a tattoo with my parents consent?
A. No. It is the law you must be eighteen or over to get tattooed, anybody doing otherwise is breaking the law with or without parental consent. Proof of age will always be asked in this shop.

Q. What forms of ID do you accept?
A. We only accept a current passport or driving licence full or provisional. No photo copies and please no silly stories we really have heard them all.

Q. I am eighteen and I don’t have a passport or a driving licence?
A. You really should consider sending off for a provisional driving licence even if you don’t want to drive how else are you going to get a beer down town?

Q. Do you accept credit cards?
A. Sorry we only accept cash.

Q. Can I bring in my kids while I am waiting to be tattooed?
A. Sorry strictly no kids babies or pushchairs anywhere in the shop.

Q. Can I bring in my own design?
A. Yes please do. We can work from virtually anything, books, CD covers, T shirts etc etc. Please bring in as much reference as you can preferably the actual size you want it tattooed. Please don’t show us designs on your phone or say “have you seen the film………?”

Q. Do you do custom work?
A. Yes. We can alter or change any of the designs on the wall to make them different or we can come up with something completely new, but we do need to know what you want so give us your ideas then we can work together and come up with a unique design.

Q. Do you do cover ups?
A. Yes but we don’t promise anything until we have seen it so call in the shop and see us.

Q. How much do you charge an hour?
A. We do not work to a clock each tattoo is priced individually and takes as long as it takes. Every tattoo on the wall is clearly priced. If you bring in your own design we will give you an exact price not an estimate, the price will be based on how much work is involved, after we have priced it we will usually show you something similar on the wall already priced so you know we are charging what we normally charge and haven’t put the price up just because you are wearing a bright orange shirt!

Incidentally you will find our prices very competitive compared to most. If you are one of those people who rings around every tattooist asking what their hourly rate is hoping to compare prices you will be seriously mislead, consider this: if one tattooist is charging £60 per hour and another £70 and the £60 man is very very slow keeps stopping to answer the phone etc. and all you get in your hour is a square inch covered but the £70 man is a very fast experienced worker gets on with it and virtually covers your arm in 1 hour this makes him much cheaper than the £60 man.

Q. Your prices seem more reasonable than other places does this mean you are not as good?
A. Certainly not. We try to give you the best quality as well as a reasonable price the reason we can do this is because a lot of newcomers have to pay a high rent also a lot of newcomers work very slowly some of them don’t even know how to tune a tattoo machine correctly this also slows them down hence high prices. Of course quality should be more important than price so check out our portfolios and hopefully you will see you are getting good quality and a good price!

Q. Do you tattoo anywhere on the body?
A. No we will not tattoo the hands face or neck.

Q. I have seen photos of tattoos on the neck that have been done in your shop?
A. If you are already heavily tattooed and have no more space left sometimes we will make an exception at our discretion. Tattoos on the hands and neck should be your last tattoos not your first ones. If you are only eighteen and insist on having a tattoo on your neck we will give you an appointment this will be on your fortieth birthday then if you still think it’s a great idea we will be very happy to do it!

Q. Do you take on apprentices?
A. No get a proper job!

Sean Hobden 2010