Bear It In Mind
20 years
Julie Tatchell and Amanda Middleditch, the teddy bear ladies from the BBC's The Repair Shop. Their own site is now about being authors, podcasters and broadcasters, with no repair service, no process and no way to book, and that is not neglect. In September 2025 they trained the Johnsons team who now run soft toy repair across every John Lewis shop and 200 Waitrose shops. They moved from doing the work to teaching it.
Getting hold of them
Email is the way in. They do not take cold calls.
If it gets lost
Not stated
This is a blank on their page, not an answer from them. We have never asked anybody in this trade the question. Of the 185 businesses we have read, 4 have written anything down about losing an item: 2 say it is insured, 2 say the risk is yours. The other 181 are silent, and silence is not a policy either way.
If you would rather not have to phrase it
“Before I send it, can I ask what happens if it gets lost or damaged while it’s with you? I’m not trying to catch you out, it just can’t be replaced. Whatever the answer is, could you put it in an email so I’ve got it in writing?”
“No, we don’t cover it” is a fine answer to get. It tells you to insure the post yourself for the full amount, both ways.
If it is lost or damaged
Their website does not say what happens if your item is lost or damaged while they have it.
Ask before you post anything you could not replace. Only four of the businesses we hold publish an answer to this.
What they take on
- Full restoration and rebuilds
- Mending and seams
- Restuffing
What they won’t do
The part every other directory leaves out. None of this is a criticism. It is how you avoid three wasted weeks.
- Doesn't say anywhere whether you send it by post or bring it in. Ask before anything else
Getting it there
- Doesn't say whether they take work by post
- Doesn’t say whether you can bring it in
Money
- Fixed menu of prices, so you know before you send it
Anything else they say
- Established in 2006 as "Bear It In Mind".
- Children's Authors Podcasters. TV and Radio personalities.
- Passionate about preserving old and dying crafting traditions.
- We are delighted to be able to offer Bartie Bristle as a solid silver pendant in two designs. This is an exciting collaboration between The Teddy Bear Ladies and Richard Talman of RTFJ
- We are delighted to to be able to direct you to Merrythought Ltd who now produce our own Bartie Bristle! Made exclusively for us at their factory in Ironbridge, Shropshire.
- The apparent anomaly of a restorer with no repair service on their site is explained by the John Lewis announcement of 9 September 2025: they are the trainers behind it.