DID you know the tattoo shop voted ‘Surrey’s best’ at the 2023 England Business awards is located in Farnham?

Owned by tattoo artist Laura Raña, ‘Life in Ink’ is an eco-friendly private studio that uses vegan inks and offers a range of thin and thick line illustration styles.

Laura has lived in Farnham for 16 years after moving from Guildford. Laura was originally a cake artist but had the desire to transfer her skills and so took on a three year unpaid tattoo apprenticeship.

Her parlour was opened at The Chantry’s off West Street in Farnham in 2019 and Laura was determined to have a place where people could feel safe and comfortable when being tattooed, as she herself has felt intimidated in other establishments.

Like many other businesses that rely on the close proximity of their customers, ‘Life in Ink’ took a serious hit during the Covid pandemic.

Laura, however, managed to keep her morale up by selling pictures, continuing her art and designs and looking after her two now-teenage daughters before returning to work.

Fortunately for ‘Life in Ink’, the business managed to recover well and Laura returned to work to continue doing what she loved.

Laura says her weirdest design was one where the customer gave her a brief to create an ‘alien in a bermuda shirt and bucket hat’. It is fair to say Laura’s job is never boring!

Laura received her first tattoo at a young age and was inspired by her granddad who was very fond of tattoos himself.

Her dream now is to open a tattoo parlour in Farnham town centre – but she says she is “constantly being refused and not even considered in some cases as the landlords of Farnham don’t want ‘someone like me and my industry’ present on the high Street”.

“Its very upsetting and very judgemental and I wish people could see I’m just trying to expand a successful business,” Laura added.

Laura can be contacted through her Instagram page @lifeininklr or by calling 07940 425261.