A Neath family has transformed a town centre premises into a new three-floor coffee shop, wine bar and piano bar, with Arthur Chapman officially opening its doors this week.
Located at 40 Windsor Road, Arthur Chapman has been created by brothers Darren and Matthew Davies, together with their wives and parents, and is designed to offer somewhere people can enjoy throughout the day – from coffee and breakfast in the morning to sharing food, wine and live piano music at the weekend.
The unusual name has a very personal family story behind it, combining the maiden names of the brothers’ wives – Arthur and Chapman respectively.
The business is very much a family affair, with the wider Davies family involved in bringing the new venue to life. All of the family live in Neath, and the idea for Arthur Chapman grew from a desire to create something of their own in the town. The family has completely transformed the premises, creating a three-floor venue which changes character as the day progresses.
During the day, Arthur Chapman operates as a coffee shop and café, while from 4pm the focus shifts towards sharing food and wine. At weekends, the venue’s piano bar will add live music and an interactive element to the evening.
The piano bar will feature a pianist taking requests from customers, rather than simply following a set programme. A sound system, song-request facilities and television screens have been installed across all three floors so customers can see and hear the musician and get involved wherever they are in the building.
The new business has already created seven jobs, with plans to recruit a further two members of staff as it develops.
Another distinctive feature is the coffee itself. The beans are sourced from Honduras through a company that supports women who have experienced domestic violence, helping them rebuild their lives.
Food and drink are deliberately designed to take customers from morning through to evening. The daytime menu includes breakfast bakes, cakes, toasties and fresh sandwiches, while the evening offering centres around sharing, including Italian charcuterie, Welsh cheeses from Caws Cenarth, olives and the Arthur Chapman Signature Gathering Board for four. There is also a large selection of sparkling wines, champagne, white, rosé and red wines. For the owners, however, the new business is about more than what is served across the three floors.
Darren Davies said:
“This has been a real family project, and because we all live in Neath, it means a great deal to us to be able to create something here. We wanted to take a building and give it a new lease of life, create jobs and build somewhere that we would genuinely want to spend time ourselves. The response since opening has been fantastic, and it has been brilliant to see people coming through the doors and enjoying something that started as an idea within our family.”
Matthew Davies added:
“We wanted Arthur Chapman to be somewhere you can come at any time of day and have a completely different experience – whether that’s a coffee and cake in the morning, lunch with friends, sharing a bottle of wine and some food in the evening, or getting involved with the piano bar at the weekend. We’ve put a lot of thought into making the whole building feel connected and interactive, and ultimately we want people to come through the door, feel welcome, have a great time and leave already thinking about when they’ll come back.”
