Blue Bear Coffee Co in Norwich celebrates amazing year open

Blue Bear Coffee Co. opened in the former home of Tombland Jewellers and Silversmiths near the entrance to Norwich Cathedral in August 2023.

It proved an instant hit with the locals and those working nearby, proving "fantastically busy" from the start.

"We've been really blessed," said owner Bryn Frere-Smith, who is a former city police officer.

Bryn Frere-Smith is a former police officer (Image: Denise Bradley)

"The immediate community was very excited to have a speciality coffee shop, so there was trade straight away.

"From the day we opened, it has been great, and we have seen a real growth."

The cafe has fast grown an international following, with their coffee beans drawing people in from around the globe - from East Grinstead to Vancouver.

The coffee shop overlooks the cathedral entrance in Tombland (Image: Denise Bradley)

The coffee bean sales pre-existed the coffee shop by six years, and Bryn decided to open a shop from where he could fulfil the orders and sell takeaway coffees at the same time, which has proven a really good base for his charity, Blue Bear Freedom.

"The takeaway coffee only needed to pay the cost of us running the coffee bean operation from here, but it is more than "washing its face," Bryn explained.

"We never foresaw that it would be so popular."

Blue Bear Freedom uses its profits to fund anti-slavery operations around the world - including in Norfolk, where Glyn says "around 270 people" are living in slavery.

Blue Bear Freedom is a charity supporting anti-slavery operations around the world (Image: Denise Bradley)

"We didn't realise that the coffee shop would help us create so many new relationships with local businesses who want to support that charity," added Bryn.

"We want to say a huge thank you to all of our local supporters."

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Despite only being open for a year, Bryn is already considering how he can continue to "scale up" the business. 

The cafe sells coffee beans and a range of hot and cold drinks (Image: Denise Bradley)

"One of the things we are looking at is making our own sugar syrups, which we can sell to coffee shops who might not want to buy their beans from us," he said.

"We are also looking at a way of making some doughnuts to sell in-store."

Blue Bear Coffee Co. is open from 8am to 3pm most days, with the later opening hour of 9pm at the weekend.