Kilmarnock tattoo parlour owner 'lost everything' after major fire on King St
Niky Brown had only opened up a month ago.
Last updated 15th Jul 2025
A Kilmarnock business owner is telling us he watched his tattoo parlour burn to the ground when a huge fire broke out in the town centre last night.
Emergency crews worked around the clock to bring the flames, which were seen billowing into the sky, under control.
The alarm was raised just before 9pm and teams spent the whole night trying to bring the blaze under control.
Officers have now confirmed they're investigating a deliberate fire and need anyone who saw anything to come forward.
Niky Brown started trading a month ago and told Greatest Hits Radio: "I've never seen anything like it before, I bought the premises last year and it was our dream to move in there.
"I was there about an hour and a half before it happened with my baby boy who is three months old and we were supposed to go inside and collect money.
"It turned out that I didn't have my keys and they were in another pair or trousers which is maybe a blessing because otherwise we could have been caught up in it and not made it out."
At its peak, a total of six fire engines were on scene in the early hours of this morning.
There are no reports of any injuries.
However, King Street remains closed up to its junction with St Marnock Street and several shops are shut including the Three store and New Look.
Niky added: "I've collected tattoo machines for 16 years, it's a passion of mine and I had stuff in there which was completely priceless and it's all just lying in the middle of King Street just now."
Local Area Commander Chief Inspector Scott McCurdy said: “This was a large fire and I would like to thank our emergency service colleagues for their help throughout the night.
“We understand the impact this fire has had on local businesses and I want to thank the public for their patience and assistance while we carry out our enquiries.
“We are treating the fire as deliberate and our investigation is ongoing.
“I am appealing to anyone who was in the area around the time of the fire and who saw anything suspicious to contact us.
“I would also ask anyone who was in the area and who may have dash cam or private CCTV which could assist us to get in touch.”