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Tattoo parlours are joining businesses shaking off COVID-19 restrictions and opening their doors again.
From June 13, parlours will be allowed to service clients, under strict guidelines, and one business eager to captilise on the return to trade is Empire Ink in Tamworth.
Business owner Cain Dibley said he was thrilled to hear his studio would soon be allowed to open for business.
"My phone has been going non-stop since the closure, but since Tuesday's announcement, people have been calling to book their place for when the studio reopens," Mr Dibley told the Leader.
"Even before the announcement, we were booked out for quite a while, so we'll have to juggle those existing bookings with the ones that are coming in now."
He joins businesses across regional Australia rejoicing trying to kick-start again.
Adam Isbester, manager of the Royal Hotel in Orange - part of a small family-run holding of seven hotels - said his industry had been "blindsided" by COVID-19.
"We were given two hours notice they were shutting every hotel," Mr Isbester said. "We had to stand down 170 staff across the company."
But the company made the best use of the shutdown - getting staff back on deck with JobKeeper payments sanding walls and painting.
"We've cleaned up the place, bought scrubbing brushes and paint and given the place a real lift."
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