We checked 20 Farnham area shops, from Elphicks to a six-floor antiques mill, for opening hours, addresses and what they sell. Updated November 2026.
The Farnham area has 20 mostly independent shops worth a Christmas shopping trip in 2026, and this guide puts them in one place with opening hours, addresses and what each one sells. Elphicks, Vinegar Hill and the shops of Lion and Lamb Yard are the usual starting points.
Hours often change close to Christmas, so check before a special trip.
Dates for the Christmas shopping diary
- Saturday 14 November: the Christmas lights switch-on in Gostrey Meadow.
- Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 November: the Farnham Maltings Christmas Fair, with over 130 independent stalls. It runs 10am to 9pm on Wednesday and 10am to 5pm on Thursday. Tickets are £4, including a £1 booking fee, and under-18s go free.
- Saturday 5 December: A Georgian Christmas, run by Farnham BID, with colourful characters, musicians and dancers in the town. The Maltings monthly market is on the same day, 9am to 4pm, with £1 entry.
- Sunday 13 December: the Farnham Christmas Market, 10am to 4pm, with over 100 stalls. It moves to Brightwells, East Street, The Borough and the Bush Hotel courtyard this year.
Farnham BID also has a printed Ultimate Guide to Christmas in Farnham, with gift ideas, and a family Christmas trail around participating businesses.
West Street, The Borough and Downing Street
1. Elphicks, West Street
Elphicks says it has served Farnham “since 1881” and calls itself “proudly independent”. Farnham BID describes it as one of the last family-run department stores in the region.
Its range covers fashion, beauty, homewares, haberdashery, cards, gifts and toys, and there is an in-store cafe, Heidi Bakery. It sells gift vouchers too.
Its Christmas hours are the same as its usual hours.
Open Mon to Fri 9.30am to 5.15pm; Sat 9.30am to 5.30pm; Sun 10am to 4pm; closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day
Call 01252 716222
Address 10-13 West Street, GU9 7DN
Website elphicks.co.uk
Good for gifts, toys, beauty, homeware, gift vouchers
2. Vinegar Hill, The Borough
Vinegar Hill is a family-run retailer, set up in 1997 and now with 17 stores. It sells homeware, gifts and clothing, with Jellycat, Keith Brymer Jones and Caroline Gardner among the brands on its site.
The Farnham store is in the Grade II listed Old Town Hall Building, under an arched walkway that it says is lit up at Christmas. There is a second local branch at 87 High Street, Godalming.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 5.30pm; Sun 11am to 4pm
Call 01252 299082
Address Units 1 and 2, Town Hall Buildings, The Borough, GU9 7ND
Website vinegarhill.co.uk
Good for homeware, gifts, Jellycat, clothing
3. Between the Lines, The Borough
Between the Lines is a family-run group with 21 stores across the South, founded in 1964 by Norman and Mary Brine. It specialises in gifts, cards and books.
Its site was selling NEOM Christmas Wish candles from £21 to £58 when we checked. Its own history says its second store opened in Godalming.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 5.30pm; Sun 10am to 4pm
Call 01252 820780
Address 37 The Borough, GU9 7NW
Website between.co.uk
Good for cards, candles, gifts, books
4. Paisley Cat, Downing Street
The Farnham BID listing for Paisley Cat describes a contemporary home, gift and stationery shop. It has no website of its own, so its Instagram is the place to see current stock.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5.30pm; closed Sun
Call 01252 717411
Address 41 Downing Street, GU9 7PH
Website instagram.com/paisleycatshop
Good for gifts, homeware, stationery
5. Sweet Lizzy, Downing Street
The Farnham BID listing for Sweet Lizzy says it is “dedicated to all things sweet”. It sells retro and modern sweets, chocolate and British confectionery.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 5.30pm; Sun 10am to 4pm
Address 51 Downing Street, GU9 7PH
Website instagram.com/sweetlizzy.ltd
Good for stocking fillers, retro sweets, chocolate
6. John Goodridge, Downing Street
Farnham BID says John Goodridge was founded in Farnham in 1927. It is a menswear shop selling clothing, accessories and footwear, with Belstaff, Ralph Lauren and Paul Smith among the brands named.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 5pm; Sun 10am to 3pm
Call 01252 716347
Address 35-36 Downing Street, GU9 7PF
Website johngoodridge.co.uk
Good for menswear, accessories, footwear
7. Ruby Jones Home, West Street
Ruby Jones Home calls itself a “charming little independent store” on a Georgian street. It sells cushions, tablecloths and napkins that it says are handcrafted in Jaipur, along with antiques and vintage pieces.
Its new arrivals included a Santa Chuckle Soap at £7.95 when we checked.
Open Mon to Sat 10am to 4pm; Sun 10am to 3pm
Call 01252 983834
Address 112 West Street, GU9 7HH
Website rubyjoneshome.com
Good for tablecloths, cushions, vintage pieces
8. Pullingers Art Shop, West Street
Pullingers says it was established in 1850 and is the oldest surviving business in Farnham. It sells art materials and stationery, and its site also has sections for hobby and craft, kids, and puzzles and games.
There is a Christmas craft section as well.
Open Mon to Sat 9am to 5.30pm; closed Sun
Call 01252 715390
Address 109 West Street, GU9 7HH
Website pullingers.com/farnhamstore
Good for art materials, stationery, puzzles, Christmas craft
9. 101 Collectors Records, West Street
101 Collectors Records describes itself as an independent record shop in West Surrey, dealing in new and used physical music. It also takes pre-orders online.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5.30pm; Sun 10am to 4pm
Address 101 West Street, GU9 7EN
Website 101collectorsrecords.com
Good for vinyl, new and used records, pre-orders
10. Guitar Village, West Street
Guitar Village is a specialist guitar shop with 14 rooms and over 1,000 guitars, in what Farnham BID describes as a medieval building. It says it is an authorised dealer for Gibson, Fender, Martin and Taylor, and it sells used and vintage instruments as well.
Open Mon to Sat 10am to 6pm; closed Sun; bank holidays 11am to 5pm
Call 01252 726821
Address 80-82 West Street, GU9 7EN
Website guitarvillage.co.uk
Good for guitars, used and vintage instruments
11. New Ashgate Gallery, Waggon Yard
New Ashgate Gallery is a charity that says it has championed art, craft and artists since 1959. Entry is free.
Its exhibitions cover glass, ceramics, jewellery, sculpture, print and painting, and it runs a shop online and in the gallery. Its site lists it as Best Independent Art & Craft Gallery 2026 for South East England in the UK Enterprise Awards.
Online orders over £60 ship free.
Open Tue to Sat 10am to 5pm
Price free entry
Call 01252 713208
Address Waggon Yard, GU9 7PS
Website newashgate.org.uk
Good for contemporary craft, ceramics, jewellery, prints
Lion and Lamb Yard
12. Andre Noir
Andre Noir has been a Farnham jeweller since 1986, according to its site, and makes pieces in an on-site workshop. It sells ready-to-wear jewellery alongside bespoke designs, and you can book an appointment through its site.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5pm
Call 01252 727115
Address 8 Lion and Lamb Yard, GU9 7LL
Website andrenoir.co.uk
Good for fine jewellery, bespoke designs
13. Busby & Fox
Busby & Fox calls itself an independent women’s clothing and lifestyle brand, with eleven stores across the UK. Its site has a Christmas section with partywear and stocking fillers.
It also sorts gifts by price, under £25, £50 and £100, and sells e-gift cards.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5.30pm; Sun 10am to 4pm
Call 01252 854739
Address 17 Lion and Lamb Yard, GU9 7LL
Website busbyandfox.com/pages/our-stores-farnham
Good for womenswear, partywear, stocking fillers, gift cards
14. Cleverly Wrapped
Cleverly Wrapped sells designer clothing from what it calls lesser known brands. Harriet, its founder, launched it in 2014, and it has three shops, in Stockbridge, Sherborne and Farnham.
Its site sorts gifts by price, from £50 and under to over £150, and sells gift vouchers. The contact page on its site has the shop’s phone number.
Open Mon to Sat 10am to 5pm
Address Unit 6, 21 Lion and Lamb Yard, GU9 7LL
Website cleverlywrapped.com/pages/contact-us
Good for womenswear, scarves, gift vouchers
15. Holybourne Rare Books
Holybourne Rare Books sells rare, used and out-of-print books, including modern first editions, antiquarian books and fine bindings. Its categories include children’s books and Biggles.
Its original shop is in Alton, and the Farnham Herald reported the opening of this branch in the former Surrey & Hants newspaper office. The phone number on its site is an Alton line.
Open Mon to Sat 10am to 4pm; other times by appointment
Call 01420 82808
Address 16 Lion and Lamb Yard, GU9 7LL
Website holybournebooks.com
Good for first editions, children's books, fine bindings
Out of the town centre
16. The Bourne Mill Antiques, Guildford Road
The Bourne Mill is a 17th-century mill on six floors, home to over 70 independent traders. It says it was established in 1962, and it sells antiques, mid-century pieces, vintage clothing, rare vinyl and fabrics.
It says it is open every day, and it showed 10am to 5pm on the Thursday we checked. There is a customer car park at the back, but no tearoom or public toilets.
Open every day; 10am to 5pm on the day we checked
Call 01252 716663
Address 41-43 Guildford Road, GU9 9PY
Parking customer car park at the back
Website thebournemill.co.uk
Good for antiques, vintage clothing, rare vinyl, curiosities
17. Kilnside Farm, Moor Park Lane
Kilnside Farm is a small family farm with a shop selling its own beef, lamb and honey, plus its cider and apple juice. It also stocks goods from nearby producers. Orders are open for free-range bronze turkeys, reared for it by another farming family.
It says meat stock changes daily, so ask before making a special trip.
Open Mon to Fri 10am to 6pm; Sat and Sun 9am to 6pm
Address Moor Park Lane, GU10 1NS
Website kilnsidefarm.co.uk/farm-shop
Good for cider, honey, Christmas turkeys
Godalming and Haslemere
18. The Godalming Food Company, Godalming
The Godalming Food Company is a deli and cafe that sells food and drink gifts. It has sections for Christmas hampers and cheese hampers, and it will build a custom hamper and deliver it anywhere in the UK.
It says you can also come in and have one wrapped while you wait.
Open Mon to Fri 8am to 5pm; Sat 9am to 5pm; Sun 10am to 4pm
Call 01483 435563
Address 1 Angel Court, Godalming, GU7 1AQ
Website godalmingfood.co.uk
Good for Christmas hampers, cheese, gift certificates
19. Sass & Spirit, Haslemere
Sass & Spirit calls itself an independent lifestyle, gifts and homewares store. Its site has sections for candles, jewellery, books and stationery, cards, kids and seasonal goods, and it says it has a “huge” Jellycat collection.
It offers click and collect for online orders.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5pm; Sun 10am to 3pm
Address 4-6 West Street, Haslemere, GU27 2AB
Website sassandspirit.co.uk
Good for gifts, Jellycat, candles, cards, click and collect
20. The Haslemere Bookshop, Haslemere
The Haslemere Bookshop is an independent shop selling new and secondhand books. Its site has staff picks to browse, and it says books not in stock can often be ordered in.
Open Mon to Sat 9.30am to 5pm; closed Sun
Address 2 Causewayside, High Street, Haslemere, GU27 2JZ
Website haslemerebookshop.co.uk
Good for new books, secondhand books, staff picks
What is not on this list
Farnham’s main general bookshop is Waterstones at 11 Lion and Lamb Yard, a national chain. The Yard also has national names such as The White Company and Whistles, and we have left those out because this guide is about the independents.
The Blue Bear Bookshop is not here because we could not find a current Farnham shop. The Farnham Herald reported in 2024 that its shop on The Borough would shut that August. National Book Tokens now lists a Blue Bear Bookshop at Hartley Wintney.
Getting there
Our parking page has the car parks and charges. Sunday parking is free in Waverley’s Farnham pay and display car parks, and a free hoppa bus runs on Christmas market day. Last year Farnham had a discounted Christmas parking deal, but we found no 2026 offer when we checked on 5 November. If you are coming by train, see our Christmas train times.
How we chose
We started from Farnham BID’s shop listings, then added shops from public map data for Farnham, Godalming and Haslemere. We kept the shops that sell things people give as presents, and whose own site or BID listing we could read on 5 November 2026. We looked for closure notices too. Vinegar Hill, Between the Lines, Busby & Fox and Cleverly Wrapped have other branches, and their entries say so.
Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@farnhamtoday.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@farnhamtoday.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.
For more locally, see things to do in Farnham, what’s on in Farnham this month, Santa’s grottos and Christmas dinner in Farnham. We also have guides to ice rinks near Farnham, Farnham cafes and restaurants, and the Farnham business directory.
Frequently asked questions
Is there late night shopping in Farnham in 2026?
We found no late night shopping date for 2026 when we checked on 5 November. The Farnham Maltings Christmas Fair stays open until 9pm on Wednesday 18 November, and Farnham BID’s Georgian Christmas is on Saturday 5 December.
Where can I find independent gift shops in Farnham?
Elphicks on West Street, Vinegar Hill at Town Hall Buildings and Paisley Cat on Downing Street are good starting points for gifts and homeware. Ruby Jones Home on West Street sells textiles and vintage pieces, and New Ashgate Gallery in Waggon Yard sells contemporary craft.
Are Farnham shops open on Sundays before Christmas?
Several publish Sunday hours, including Elphicks, Between the Lines, Busby & Fox and 101 Collectors Records (all 10am to 4pm), Vinegar Hill (11am to 4pm) and Ruby Jones Home (10am to 3pm). Andre Noir, Paisley Cat, Pullingers and Guitar Village list no Sunday opening. Hours can change close to Christmas, so check before a special trip.
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