Photo restoration

Faded. Torn. Forgotten. We can bring it back.

Expert digital restoration of damaged, faded, or torn photographs — from a single dusty Polaroid to a wedding portrait that’s been in the loft for fifty years. Done in-house, with care, by the same shop that’s been on Marlborough High Street since 1992.

Trading since 1992
On Marlborough High Street
Handled in-house
Your originals stay with us
From £10
Most jobs — quote for complex work
What we can fix

From simple touch-ups to careful reconstruction.

If you can still see the photograph, we can almost certainly bring it back. Even badly faded or partly missing images can often be restored to something far closer to the original than you’d expect.

Dust, scratches & blemishes
Surface damage from age, handling, and storage — carefully removed without softening the detail underneath.
Fade & contrast correction
Sun-bleached prints and washed-out colour brought back to something close to how they originally looked.
Sharpening & cropping
Subtle sharpening to bring out detail, plus reframing or straightening for the final print.
Facial feature reconstruction
Where a face has been damaged, faded, or partially lost, we can often rebuild features carefully and convincingly.
Adding or removing people
Bring an absent relative into a group shot, or remove someone who’s no longer wanted in the picture — done seamlessly.
Backgrounds replaced
Distracting or damaged backgrounds removed or replaced — useful for portraits and formal pieces.
Before & after

The proof is in the prints.

These two photographs were carried in a wallet that went through the washing machine. The owner brought them in assuming they were beyond saving. We scanned them carefully, restored the images digitally, and printed them fresh.

Damaged photograph before restoration
Before
The same photograph after restoration
After
Second damaged photograph before restoration
Before
The same second photograph after restoration
After

Both photographs above are real customer work, used with permission. Restoration time: a few careful hours per image.

Restoration from
£10

Covers most straightforward jobs — dust, scratches, fade. Complex work is quoted individually.

Experience
30+

Years of professional photographic experience behind every restoration we take on.

Some photographs are the only one in existence — the only picture of a grandparent, a wedding, a childhood home. Treat them accordingly.

That’s how we approach every restoration job. Your original stays in our shop throughout the process. Nothing is sent away, nothing is risked. The digital work is done carefully and reversibly, and you get back both the original you brought in and a freshly printed restored version.

How it works

Simple, careful, and reversible.

1
Bring it in
Drop into the shop with your photo. We’ll talk through what’s possible and what you’d like.
2
We quote
A clear price up front. Most jobs start at £10; complex restorations are quoted individually.
3
Careful restoration
Scanned, restored digitally, then reviewed against the original. Your photo stays with us throughout.
4
Collect & enjoy
A freshly printed restored version, plus your original returned safely. Digital files available as an optional extra.
Common questions

Before you bring it in.

My photo is really badly damaged — is it worth bringing in?
Almost always, yes. Even photos that look beyond saving — heavy fading, large tears, missing corners, water damage — can often be restored to something far better than the current state. The free assessment is no-obligation, so there’s no harm in bringing it in for us to look at.
Will my original be safe?
Yes. Your original is carefully scanned, then stays in our shop throughout the restoration. The work is done entirely on the digital copy — nothing is altered, marked, or modified on the original itself. You get it back exactly as you brought it in.
How long does a restoration take?
Standard turnaround is 72 hours from approval of the quote. More complex work — rebuilding features, replacing backgrounds, adding or removing people — takes longer, and we’ll give you a realistic timeframe when we quote. Once we’ve agreed on the complexity of the job, faster turnaround can be arranged for an additional premium.
Can I get a digital file as well as a print?
Yes — a digital copy of the restored image is available as an optional extra alongside your print. Useful if you want to share it with family, reprint at different sizes in future, or just keep a safe backup. Your original photograph is always returned to you regardless.
Can you restore in colour from a black-and-white original?
Yes, this is a service we offer for those who want it — though it’s worth a conversation, since hand-colourised results can be beautiful but are inevitably an interpretation rather than a true historical record. Bring the photo in and we’ll talk through what would work best.

Bring your photographs back to life.

Pop in with the photo or send us a message describing what you’d like restored. We’ll talk it through, quote honestly, and treat it with the care it deserves.

35 High Street · Marlborough · Wiltshire · SN8 1LW

Restore your family history - it's priceless 

 

Sign up for information and email promotions.

Your information is safe with us and will not be shared - ever.

Thank you for signing up!

 
Loading More Photos
Scroll To Top
Close Window
Loading
Close