The owner of Wizards of Ink received notice on Friday to stop trading, leading to the COD Lane studio in Albury shutting down after three decades.

Manager Chris McFarlane said an appeal had been lodged, but believes the decision is probably final.

“It’s sad,” he said.

“It’s the end of an era for a studio that was operational for 30 years.

“With the tick of a pen, it can be destroyed just like that and closed.”

The five tattooists have moved over to High on Ink in Wodonga.

The decision is believed to be linked to close association laws, which involves a security determination on those linked to and associated with tattoo businesses.

NSW Fair Trading was unable to provide comment on Tuesday.

Mr McFarlane said owner Kristen Brill had been denied an operator’s licence.

“It kind of hit us for six,” he said of receiving the news last week.

“We didn’t know what to do.

“High on Ink has been kind enough to pick up the slack.

“We’ve all come over here (to High on Ink) to work in the interim until we can get a new studio open.

“There are five artists who have all been approved for their licence.

“The decision of one person has changed the lives of not just the tattooists, but also counter staff, piercers and a cleaner who we’ve had to let go because we don’t have a job for them any more.”

Mr McFarlane said Peter Kemna started the business in Mate Street before it moved to the central Albury site about 20 years ago.

He is hopeful the studio – which he said had done tens of thousands of tattoos – would be able to re-open at a different venue. 

Mr McFarlane said a new site was already being sought before the operator’s licence was knocked back. 

The licences must be renewed through Fair Trading every three years. 

“They’ve got families and bills and mortgages to pay,” Mr McFarlane said of the employees. 

“We’ve always done everything to help the community. 

“We’ve always sponsored any events that people asked to do and donate to a lot of charities.” 

The business will honour any existing gift vouchers at the Wodonga tattoo studio. 

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