Hotel Street, Soho, London

Today Hotel Street is opening it's doors for the first time in the UK. The Sailor Jerry gallery, shop and event space in London's Soho is named after the Honolulu district where the infamous tattoo artist Norman 'Sailor Jerry' Collins worked and made his name.


A merchandise shop and art gallery by day Hotel Street turns into a dive bar/rock club at night, showcasing the best new rock bands and will also have a fortnightly film club showing classic rock documentaries and films every other Sunday - 'an all-round good place for bad people'.

The most exciting part of all this for me is the exhibition of original Norman Collins flash artwork, hand-painted by 'Sailor Jerry' himself, now fully restored and previously unseen in the UK. 

"If you really want a true classic tattoo, you'll have to go back in time and cross the Pacific. When your tramp steamer hits the port of Honolulu, jump ashore and head straight to Chinatown. Soon, you'll hit Hotel Street. You'll know you're there by the sudden progression of wide-eyed sailors, foul-mouthed roughnecks, and general mayhem. And there, tucked away on a steamy side street, you'll see the bright red neon glow of "Sailor Jerry's"-the tattoo shop that put ink on the fighting men of the Pacific for nearly 40 years."

"Good work ain't cheap. Cheap work ain't good." Norman 'Sailor Jerry' Collins.

Find out more about Norman 'Sailor Jerry' Collins here and keep up-to-date with Hotel Street gig listings and goings on here.

Images copyright Sailor Jerry.