Edinburgh tattoo 'legend' who was one of first in Scotland sells Elm Row studio after 45 years

Bill opened one of the first tattoo studios in Edinburgh in the late ‘70s

Bill Hooper fell in love with tattoos as a young boy and by age 15 he was set up in business. By age 17 he had opened of the Capital’s first ever tattoo studios.

After decades in the chair Bill is now downing tools after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. When he was told in December he had six months to live, the master tattoo artist decided that it was time to shut up shop.

The 71-year-old said: “Everything just stops when you hear you have cancer. When I heard it wasn’t treatable I thought time is short now. The silver lining is that at least I have time to put my affairs in order so my loved ones don’t need to carry that on their shoulders. I never saw myself retiring. I always thought I’d be carrying on as long as I could.”

Bill, 71 is closing studio for good

Bill opened his first studio in Hamilton in 1967 and a couple of years later he moved to Edinburgh and opened Bill’s studio on Elm Row. It was one of only five studios in Scotland at the time and the only studio in Edinburgh for fifteen years until another opened in Gorgie.

Now the granddad and newlywed who tied the knot with wife Susie in January has put the studio up for sale, he feels nostalgic about his time in the trade. He is honoured to have provided a service for so many years. He said: “I will miss meeting people. I’ve met some great friends over the years. Some customers are helping me empty the shop.”

"It can be frustrating when people ask for things without really thinking it through but other days it’s just so much fun. I remember one guy came in asking for a portrait of his rottweiler and wanted his wife’s name under it. You couldn’t make it up.”

As he packs up his Leith studio Bill has been reflecting on his time in the trade. "I remember a pal of mine’s brother got a tattoo. When I saw it I remember being fascinated with the lovely raised blue lines of the thistle. I thought it was just magic and knew right away that’s what I wanted to do.”

Bill with some of his designs

"When I first started it was old-school. I trained myself and tattooed pals when I started out. I was apprehensive doing the first one but after that it always felt good to see the progress. People came in and picked designs off the wall. Everybody back then wanted a Scotland tattoo.

"In the eighties it was more Celtic stuff, crosses and woven designs. Then in the nineties it was more tribal work. People bring in designs on their phones now so you need to then take it and redraw. I don’t use transfers it’s all free-hand. I always worked with queues so I had to work quickly. The hardest are Japanese body suits. That can take a couple of years to finish. It is really satisfying. The art and culture of Japan has always really inspired me. I’ve been there seven times since I visited on my 60th birthday.”

Bill has had thousands of satisfied customers over the years who value his artistry from Japanese and portraiture to water-shade and everything in between. But they also appreciate his no-nonsense personality.

He said: “People always want to feel a tattoo makes them more individual. They’ve got to be sure. I’ve been known to turn folk away who seemed uncertain or if they wanted a tat on their face, necks, fingers. I always had reservations about that. I’d never want to ruin someone’s life. And I never understood why some charge for consultations. That’s always been part of the service for me.”

Bill outside his studio on Elm Row

"I have done it all over the years. I’m more upset about retiring than dying. But I have no regrets. That’s why I feel okay about leaving this world.”

Bill is keeping some designs from when he first started out and has put some tools in framed boxes for friends and family to have keepsakes.

Daughter Annette said: “I remember as a child I would ask Dad to draw an eagle on my chest the same as his and loved that I matched Dad. My sons also loved Dad to draw on them with biro when they were young and visited him in the tattoo shop. He is a tattoo legend. Dad is very loving, caring and a generous man who has always been a great support to me and my boys.”

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