November 2011 – This is the ninth in our monthly series on independent shops and businesses in Sherborne. This month we look at Sherborne’s new bistro / café / bar – The Arch in Swan Yard.
You cannot fail to have noticed the “new look” of Swans Yard since The Arch opened in August. There has been a new bustle and vibrancy about the place with hanging baskets all around, people sitting out having drinks and snacks and a new seating area behind The Arch dressed up in the smart new maroon-coloured umbrella awnings. Even now that winter is approaching and there is a move indoors there is still a feeling of something stirring as the notices and boards outside announce Christmas menus and special musical evenings.
One person that you may not have noticed, however, is the new owner, Gemma Watts, and that’s because she spends most of her time in the kitchen. A trained chef, Gemma set out to create her own business when she noticed a gap in the market. Indeed, it has been a fairly oft-heard saying in Sherborne, “If only we had a bistro or brasserie, a place that we could drop into at any time of day for a snack, a meal or just a cup of tea.” Lo and behold, Gemma must have been listening because that is very much the concept behind her new enterprise.
Gemma is a Dorset girl and had been looking around for a business opportunity when she came across The Swan, the pub that formerly occupied these premises. The Swan had gone through several changes of management but never quite seemed to shake off the poor image it had acquired over the years. Not to be deterred, Gemma thought the building held a lot of promise and so she moved into Sherborne with her new concept and a plan to close the doors forever on the business-model associated with The Swan in exchange for a bistro-café-bar, a place that offers good value-for-money, good quality, where everything is locally sourced and where you can drop in at any time of day. The result: The Arch.
Along with Gemma came Phil, her partner whose job is to get the business off the ground but particularly the operation in the upstairs area. This is designated as the events side of the business, an area where there will be things going on throughout the week or a space that can be rented out for private bookings. You may have already noticed special music evenings, themed dinners or special functions – and there is much more being planned.
So is it all working? Gemma is fairly positive; she feels that once people have been enticed through the doors they are likely to come back. Her business philosophy is based on providing a good offer and being reliable and consistent. The feedback so far has been very encouraging with a good mix of local people and visitors. Gemma underlines the role that her sourcing of quality, local ingredients makes. The coffee is roasted for The Arch every week; the drinks are all premium products, keeping away from products full of sugar or with artificial flavourings.
As for seasonal changes, the food menu changes every month according to seasonal produce. The light bites at lunch-times have proved very popular, especially the fish and cheese platters. Next month, the Christmas menu will be available from 1st to 24th December and there are already bookings. It’s all looking good, so if you haven’t tried it then now’s the time to head indoors and into The Arch!