A family-run venue has opened in Neath town centre, transforming a long-empty unit into a three-floor coffee shop, wine bar, and piano bar. The former Bryony Theatrical Costume Hire premises at 40 Windsor Road has reopened as Arthur Chapman, created by local brothers Darren and Matthew Davies alongside their wives and parents.
A family project with a personal name
The name Arthur Chapman combines the maiden names of the brothers' wives. Co-owner Darren 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."
He added: "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."
From morning coffee to weekend piano
The venue is designed to change character through the day, offering coffee and breakfast in the morning, and sharing food, wine, and live piano music at the weekend. Matthew said: "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."
By day it operates as a coffee shop and café. At weekends, a pianist will take requests from customers rather than following a set programme. 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 wines.
Interactive features and community hopes
The building has been completely transformed with newly-installed sound systems, song-request facilities, and television screens across all three floors. Matthew added: "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."
Arthur Chapman officially opened on Monday, September 21, and has already been met with positivity. The Davies family hopes the new venue will become a regular part of the Neath community. Darren said: "The response since opening has been fantastic. It has been brilliant to see people coming through the doors and enjoying something that started as an idea within our family."
