Blue Bear Bookshop

Beautiful book shop with the added benefit of a cafe! We sat downstairs to have our drinks, a hot chocolate and a gorgeous chai latte. Good selection of board games on sale! Wish we lived locally so we could visit regularly.

Wow, what a fantastic space! Great atmosphere, delicious vegan blondie, beautiful books... What else could one ask for.

Love this independent bookstore, beautiful space, great collection of books (great for pushing you out of your reading comfort zone), great coffee and the loveliest staff. Dog friendly too. Perfect for a Saturday looking for new books, followed by coffee and a cake.

First visit to the Blue Bear Bookshop. Great atmosphere & lovely team providing great service g decaff coffee!! Even Benson was treated to a couple of treats. Always happy to support independent businesses like this.

"What on earth could be more luxurious than a sofa, a book, and a cup of coffee?"
~ Anthony Trollope
Best coffee in Farnham, best place for a cozy Sunday.

I don’t usually review, but I had to add my own review after seeing a wholly uncharacteristic review of Blue Bear Bookshop that seemed unfair and misplaced. I’ve visited Blue Bear on and off for a few years — the staff are always extremely welcoming and helpful, I love the atmosphere along with their coffee, with the addition that it’s a great place to play a few boardgames on a rainy day. Without a doubt my favourite bookshop, and my favourite spot for a coffee when I’m in Farnham.

Exquisite book shop that does a proper coffee and delicious cake. Make sure to grab the soft seats by the window and watch the world go by.

We were looking for somewhere to have coffee and cake on a Sunday afternoon and chose the Blue Bear Bookshop. There is seating both on the ground floor and in the basement; you order and pay at the counter, and we were served in the basement. The coffee was excellent, as were the pastries and cookies. The basement houses arty and culinary books while fiction is upstairs along with bookends and a few ornaments. Unusual and interesting books are stocked. A wonderful find with friendly staff. I wish I lived nearer!

The team at Blue Bear are so welcoming and helpful. Our family love books and buy lots of books at the shop. The selection is unique and second to none. If you can't find a book you're looking for, staff are always happy to help and order it. The coffee and cakes selection are delicious and very reasonably priced. The best thing is the atmosphere, which has been created. You can enjoy a read in a clean, peaceful, well organised environment with a lovely cup of coffee! I was very saddened to see the negative reviews. I can only surmise that the individuals who submitted them were rude, not treating the staff or premises with respect and were quite rightly told so. Lots of effort has gone into the Blue Bear. Everyone should treat the books, the staff and the furniture with the respect and care that the team and owners treat the customers and books. I applaud their use of recyclable plastic to protect the books. I know when I buy a book I am the first person to turn the pages and the books are always in pristine condition. I have shopped here with my family since it opened and wouldn't buy books anywhere else. Thank you team Blue Bear!

Good coffee and beautiful bookshop. Friendly staff who are great with kids :)

What a fantastic space. I felt excited and inspired the moment I stepped through the door. A wonderful selection of titles and quirky decor. I spent so long just taking it all in it was a good 20 minutes before I actually ordered a drink and some (great) cake. I already know I'll be a regular and bringing countless friends to discover this great little indie place!

Coffee is delicious. Nice atmosphere if you can find a seat.

Nice little place to get a coffee or buy a good book. Their restroom is exceptionally clean and well presented as is the whole place

This bookshop is beautiful. My wife, son and I are regular visitors and we can’t compliment the owners enough for creating an atmosphere and environment that is perfect for book browsing and buying. The range and diversity of titles is fab and always offers something a little different; the ambience is perfect and there is the added bonus of great coffee and tasty cake!
I think it’s important to highlight it IS different - being independent - and that primarily it’s a bookshop, not a coffee-shop.
I’ve noticed a couple of tough reviews here today but my own view is if you want to chat as a large group, have a laugh and a joke then perhaps visit the coffee shops you mention where you might feel more comfortable and in turn, welcomed. May I also respectfully add that as a regular book buyer I actually value the atmosphere in the Blue Bear which we always experience - one that is peaceful, welcoming and chilled - conducive to buying books in what again is, fundamentally, a bookshop.

Please visit for yourselves and to that end support your local independent bookshop wherever you are! No-one and nothing is ever perfect but these guys work incredibly hard to offer in my view, something very special and a bit of an alternative to the norm. We love it!

Lovely book shop and brilliant coffee!
My boyfriend and I always feel very welcome when we visit!

A real gem of a place 💎! Lovely comfortable coffee shop full of good reads 📚 But be warned! The armchair at the front is easy to sink into and spend several hours in! Staff are wonderful 😊

They need a sixth star. Lovely atmosphere, beautiful little shop with a wide selection of cakes and hot drinks. The books are carefully curated on a range of topics, thought provoking and more than just the list of best sellers pulled from Amazon. My entire family and I have been warmly welcomed every time, and made to feel at home at blue bear every time. No trip to Farnham would be complete without a visit here.

Beautiful venue, amazing coffee with tasty treats too.
Loads of books to peruse.
Relaxed atmosphere with warm staff makes for a properly chilled experience

A warm and welcoming family business, the atmospheric interior design is inviting and cosy, the staff are nice and the drinks/baked goods are delicious, Visibly everything is made with care, from the décor, all the way down to the coffee art.

The prices are reasonable, no more than a typical coffee shop, however I have not purchased any books, and so cannot review them.

Blue bear is an essential part of Farnham and its culture.

This bookshop is not just a bookshop it is a gem, a retreat, a sanctuary for booklovers. Just walking into the shop is a calming sense of literary adventure. The shelves are adorned with the most beautiful books and the best bit is they are all wrapped - tell me I am not alone in savouring the moment you open a new book knowing that the pages have not been manhandled by anyone before you? Its like putting on a new pair of socks! Ok maybe I am a bit crazy but if you share my love of books you need to visit this store. I absolutely love this place. The comfy chairs, great coffee and relaxed and inviting atmosphere welcomes you , encourages to pull up a chair, grab a coffee and curl up and read to your hearts delight. Only by entering the place will you appreciate the uniqueness of the independent bookseller. It makes buying a book such a pleasurable experience. Support your local bookshop - love it or lose it!