Our tattoo studio is open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00am – 18:00pm.
On any occasion that we may be closed during usual opening hours, it will be announced on our Facebook page.
Our gallery and creative space is open periodically for workshops and events. To find out what’s on check out our Events page.
Try to include as much information as possible when sending your enquiry. This should include design ideas, placement on the body and a rough size guide (in inches or centimetres). Photos of the area or existing tattoos (particularly if you are wanting a cover up) will also help us to provide a more accurate estimation of time needed.
In terms of design, sending us reference images of your ideas will help us get the best understanding of the concept and style that you are looking for. These images can include artwork, tattoos, photographs and objects.
Remember, all pieces are 100% custom, so we will never directly copy existing tattoos, but will always work with you to create a unique piece.
For tattooing, we operate predominately as a private studio, as we have found that this works best for our clients and ourselves on a day-to-day basis. This means all tattoo work and consultations are by appointment only – we do not offer a walk-in service.
To discuss a tattoo we kindly ask you to contact us online first, and we can then advise whether a consultation at the studio is needed, or whether we can organise an appointment for the tattoo via email/message.
When booking in for large-scale work that will take multiple sittings to complete, it is advised you arrange more than one sitting at a time. This will help prevent long waiting times between your sittings.
Giving a tattoo a definitive price can be difficult, especially if it’s large-scale work (sleeves, backs, etc).
The cost of your tattoo will depend on a number of factors, initially being the size and complexity of the design. For ongoing work, other things to consider are the size of the person (a full sleeve will take longer to complete on a larger person for instance), how easy the skin is to work with, and how well the tattoo heals between sittings. For this reason, all larger scale work is charged at a flat rate of £60 per hour. Small designs that can be done in one sitting will be given a set price.
Our minimum charge is £60.
When enquiring about a tattoo, providing as much information as possible enables us to give a more accurate guide of time and cost.
To arrange an appointment we ask that you first contact us online via Facebook, Instagram, email or website contact form. When contacting us about a tattoo please try to provide as much information as possible, including the design idea, size, placement, and style. Also, attach any reference images of the sort of things you like, and if it is a cover-up attach a clear image of your current tattoo to be covered.
Once we know your tattoo idea, if we feel an in-person consultation is needed, we can arrange a date and time for this. If an in-person consultation is not needed, we can organise your tattoo appointment online.
To give clients as much flexibility as possible we no longer take deposits for bookings. Instead, we use our reminder service to confirm all appointments. You will receive a reminder 1 to 2 weeks prior to your booking and we kindly request that you reply to the email/message as soon as possible to avoid cancellation. If we do not get confirmation from you by two days prior to your appointment we may presume that you are unable to attend and cancel the appointment for you.
If you confirm an appointment but then are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible. Any missed appointments without prior notice will require a deposit or payment in full to reorganise the booking.
We aim to be as fair as possible to all our clients and understand that things may get in the way at times. We will never require a reason for cancellation, all that we ask is you let us know if you can’t come!
You can contact the studio via the following:
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: facebook.com/greatbeartattoo
Instagram: @greatbeartattoo
Phone: 01782 838 500 (if we can’t get to the phone, you can leave a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible).
It is against the law to tattoo a person who is under the age of 18. No-one can provide any sort of consent (including parents/guardians). See Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 for more information on this law.
Photographic ID such as a driving license or passport will be required to prove you are of legal age.
When booking in please advise us on any medical conditions or medication as this could determine whether you can be tattooed or not.
You cannot be tattooed if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Being well prepared for your tattoo appointment is important, especially if you’re having a long session. We strongly advise that you eat well prior to your appointment. Also, try to wear old clothing that will be comfortable for the duration, and that will be suitable to access the area to be tattooed.
If you are having a longer tattoo appointment, we also advise bringing along food and drinks to your sitting – this helps keep blood sugar levels up. We also offer free tea, coffee, juice, water and small prepackaged snacks.
Please do not consume alcohol the day before your tattoo. Alcohol thins the blood and can make tattooing more difficult.
During the summer period, or when returning from holiday, please make sure the area that is to be tattooed has not suffered from sunburn. Please also make sure to keep your new tattoo out of the sun, so if you are going on holiday allow at least 4 weeks for your tattoo to heal first. Once fully healed, high factor suncream is strongly recommended to protect the tattoo.
We understand that sometimes you may need to cancel or rearrange your appointment, which is not a problem. If this is the case, please try to give us as much notice as possible.
If at any point you need to cancel or rearrange an appointment, please let us know via Facebook, email or phone 01782 838 500.
We use our reminder service to confirm all appointments. You will receive a reminder 1 to 2 weeks prior to your booking and we kindly request that you reply to the email/message as soon as possible to let us know if you will be attending.
If you confirm an appointment but then are unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible. Any missed appointments without prior notice will require a deposit or payment in full to reorganise the booking.
We aim to be as fair as possible to all our clients and understand that things may get in the way at times. We will never require a reason for cancellation, all that we ask is you let us know if you can’t come!
We do from time to time get cancelled slots that need filling, and for this, we use our cancellation list. This is reserved for new and existing clients that already have advance appointments booked in, and can be ideal for those wanting a slot sooner than originally booked or if we needed a little extra time to finish a large project.
Cancellations can often be last minute so the more flexible you can be on days and times, the more likely we can offer you a slot. When booking in, if you would like to be added to the cancellation list, please let us know what your short-notice availability is.
Both our upstairs and downstairs studios have an open-plan design, however, we can provide privacy using our portable screens.
Feel free to ask on the day of your appointment if you would like additional privacy.
It is extremely important to look after your new tattoo to give you the best-healed results. Please remember your tattooist is the expert, so if you have any queries regarding aftercare contact the studio.
Aftercare Advice:
Healing varies from person to person and can take from 1-2 weeks. Please follow this guide during the healing period to get the best results.
Looking after your fresh tattoo:
- Remove the cover after 2-3 hours and wash
- with hot water and mild unscented soap.
- Pat it dry with a clean towel and add a very thin layer of cream as advised by your tattooist.
- Repeat 2-3 times a day until your tattoo is totally healed.
Important things to remember:
- Do not swim, or soak your fresh tattoo.
- Allow your tattoo to heal on its own, do not pick/scratch scabbing and avoid clothing that will rub.
- Keep your tattoo clean and avoid exposure to dirty environments and direct sunlight.
Please note:
- Make sure to keep your new tattoo out of the sun, so if you are going on holiday allow at least 4 weeks for your tattoo to heal first. Once fully healed, high-factor sun cream is strongly recommended to protect the tattoo.
