Shopkeepers and councillors have erected a memorial bench to a late newspaper entrepreneur in one of his favourite spots.

Sir Ray Tindle, founder of Tindle Newspapers, would regularly frequent the Coffee Diem cafe in the Lion & Lamb Yard in Farnham, Hampshire.

Now a memorial bench outside the shop has been unveiled dedicated to Sir Ray and his wife, Beryl.

Their son, Owen, and his wife, Jane, attended this week’s unveiling ceremony, pictired below, with Farnham mayor, Cllr Brodie Mauluka doing the honours.

Sir Ray died aged 95 in April 2022 while Lady Beryl passed away in January this year, aged 96.

The tribute to the pair was the brainchild of former Coffee Diem owner George Murray who remembers their visits to the cafe with affection.

He told the Farnham Herald:  “You could see it was the highlight of their day and the staff here really enjoyed talking to them. They were funny and always joking.

“They were always very generous, easy to deal with and there was no pretension whatsoever.”

Owen said his father had enjoyed his visits to Coffee Diem as it gave him a chance to “slow down”.

He said: “They would chill out, enjoy coffee and do some people watching here, and this was their favourite spot.”

The plaque on the bench reads: ‘The Sir Ray and Lady Tindle Bench: Dedicated servants to the people of Farnham.’

Cllr Mauluka said: “Sir Ray and Lady Tindle are Farnham to me. I’m really proud to have opened this bench.”