Pub makes drinking and inking available under same roof

A Newark pub is believed to be the first in the country to be offering alcohol and tattoos under the same roof.

Dawn Roberts, a tattoo artist with more than 20 years experience, has opened a studio in the pub run by her partner.

She believes the Tattoo Inn, in the Old King’s Arms, Kirkgate, Newark, is the first tattoo studio inside a pub in the UK.

The novel concept means customers can muster up a little Dutch courage with a taste of their favourite tipple before having their tattoo.

Alternatively, they can calm their nerves at the bar after the inking.

The tattoo studio itself has a strict no- drinking rule, and no one will be permitted to have a tattoo done if they are under the influence.

Dawn, 47, spent two weeks installing the studio in a previously unused upstairs room.

A sign points customers “Upstairs for inking and downstairs for drinking.”

The Tattoo Inn is fully-booked for the next few weeks, but some slots have been left open for walk-in customers.

Dawn’s partner, experienced publican Chris Smith, 49, took over the Old King’s Arms in February.

He formerly ran the Queen’s Head in Newark Market Place and has been pulling pints for around two decades.

Dawn has also worked behind a bar, including at Newark Working Men’s Club.

She previously had an upstairs tattoo studio at the Two Dragons on Stodman Street, Newark, for around seven years before selling her share of the company to her business partner.

Before that, Dawn had a 42ft coach that for many years she took to music festivals around the UK.

While on the road she tattooed famous names including singer Toyah Willcox and comedian Rufus Hound.

No tattoos for drunk people

Dawn had her first tattoo aged 15 and now has well over 200.

She said: “This seemed to make sense because I was renting a room there [Two Dragons] and Chris was renting the pub and we had a spare room.

“We went through all the authorities to check if what we were doing could be done and it was all OK.

“It’s exciting and I am looking forward to it. In this kind of industry you get used to the public either way.”

Dawn said she had tried to find another example of a tattoo studio in a pub and could not do so.

She said there was a cocktail bar in Liverpool with a studio but no pubs that she was aware of.

Dawn said she would not tattoo anyone who was drunk.

She said too much alcohol thinned the blood, which made it dangerous for the client, and there was a risk of the ink bleeding out of their skin.

Dawn said she would refuse any designs that included inappropriate language or were potentially embarrassing for the client.

“If you are inking at a festival then everybody’s drunk,” she said.

“You get people saying ‘I have lost a bet and you have to do this tattoo — I will pay you double,’ but I just tell them it’s not happening.”

Dawn said there was no chance of Chris having a go.

“He can’t draw for toffee. He had a go a few years ago and it was horrendous,” she said.

Chris said: “I have been doing this game for lots of brewers and with so many pubs closing you have to try new things.

“There are pubs with hairdressers above them and pubs with Indian restaurants inside them, so why not a tattoo parlour?”