'I practised on grapefruits and bananas!' Tattoo studio celebrates 15 years in business after humble beginnings
A husband-and-wife tattooing team are celebrating 15 years since their business started thanks to a questionable fairy tattoo, a birthday gamble and a fruit bowl full of ink.
Double K Tattoos, run by Neil and Pam Murray, has become a mainstay in Newport, offering everything from intricate realism and dark art designs to delicate names, flowers, and birds.
But it all began with one bad back tattoo and a birthday challenge.
"It’s her fault," Neil laughed, pointing to Pam. "I didn’t think I’d make it 15 years when I started.
"We pretty much gambled everything we have got on this place 15 years ago."
The idea for the shop was born after Neil repeatedly mocked a large fairy tattoo on Pam’s back.
She said: "Neil is completely self-taught. He has always been very artistic since he was a little boy, and used to do graffiti. He always says that he prefers skin to paper.
"On the whole of my back is a big fairy. It’s a bit dodgy! Neil used to look at it and take the mickey. So for his birthday I thought right, I’ll buy him a tattoo machine and see how he goes.
