The cheapest place for a cup of coffee in Farnham town centre is 30 years old.

According to a Herald survey in July, The Spire Café at The Spire Church serves the best-value cuppa locally.

But there’s more to the South Street café than a decent brew, with birthday cake being recently served to mark three decades of service,

Café volunteers past and present gathered for a Harvest Festival service at The Spire last Sunday (September 28) to mark both events.

Julie Petty, one of the earliest volunteers who became the first part-time and paid manager of the café in 1997, even travelled from Wiltshire to join the party.

The café evolved from a coffee morning launched in January 1979 and held every Thursday in the small hall in what was then Farnham United Reformed Church.

After a slow start in which closure was discussed several times, it grew in popularity.

Soon volunteers were serving as many as 50 coffees a morning at just 50p a cup, and biscuits from a large jar.

Roy Beard, one of the early volunteers and still a key member of the church, reflected: “That most certainly couldn’t happen today with the current strict food hygiene rules. Too many fingers in one jar!”

In 1993 the church published plans for major building reconstruction including a new foyer area with a coffee shop and drop-in centre. Its vision was to be: “A community church providing inviting and comfortable buildings” and “improved facilities for the benefit of the whole community of Farnham with a caring and friendly environment’.

Two years later, The Spire Café opened its glass doors, and today it is open six days a week and serves more than just biscuits from jar. On the menu are baked potatoes, soups, sandwiches and other light lunches, as well as homemade cakes, and hot and cold drinks.

Profits go not just to keep the church running, but to other charities.

The staff, mostly volunteers, come from the church congregation but also from outside, including young people taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme who spend six months volunteering on Saturday mornings.

Mr Beard added: “They tell us how much they enjoy working there and some have carried on after achieving their awards”.

Customers also come from far and wide, many of them with no connection with any church, and there is always a buzz of conversation and the clink of crockery and cutlery.

Roy concluded: “In 1993, the church members here had a vision that the URC of Farnham would become a community church. What a challenge, what a legacy!

“Have we done what our early pioneers worked and prayed for? I think we have.

“Yes, there is still much to be done but with the congregation and volunteers’ commitment and faith, the future of The Spire Café is in very capable hands.”

The café is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm for hot food and on Saturdays, 10am to midday for drinks, cakes and light snacks.