Published 1st August 2024

D’Arcy’s Wine Bar opened in Piries Place, Horsham, in July. AAH met owner Paul Davies (also managing director of At Home Estate Agents), director Nicky Austin (also an MD of At Home) and bar manager Olivier Bernard to find out more… 

Paul: It has been a long-held dream to open a wine bar in Horsham. There are some great pubs and restaurants in town, but it hasn’t had the kind of wine bar where I felt I’d want to spend an evening. I wanted to create a destination where people in their 30s, 40s and above can relax and enjoy good wine. I believe there are many people who don’t regularly venture into town as they don’t have a place where they feel entirely comfortable, which is one of the main reasons for making D’Arcy’s a bar for over-25’s only.  

Paul: We looked at a vacant unit in Denne Road in 2019, but nothing came of it and a Turkish restaurant took it on instead. Five years have passed since then and we’ve been waiting for the right opportunity, which arose with the closure of Polygon cocktail bar in Piries Place. However, the layout was not ideal and it required extensive renovation.

Nicky: We underestimated how much work was needed. When you start peeling back the layers, you can’t stop until you’ve stripped right down to a blank canvas if you’re creating something fresh and new. We have worked with a fabulous team of carpenters, builders, plasterers, electricians and a host of other tradespeople and while it has taken longer than anticipated, we’re delighted with the results.  

Nicky: When it came to branding, we consulted Fiona Hamilton, owner of brand specialists Roccoco, having previously worked with her when we rebranded the estate agency. We did a lot of market research, visiting wine bars in London and elsewhere, gauging what we liked and didn’t like. When we put all our ideas to Fiona, she captured them through a refined colour palette and distinctive branding.  

Paul: D’Arcy’s is named after my daughter. Currently she’s an only child, so I don’t need to worry about sibling jealousy! While that was always going to be the name of the bar, creating a good atmosphere will be key to our aspirations. Brighton has well established wine bars including Ten Green Bottles and L’Atelier Du Vin, but we’ve not had anything quite like that in Horsham. Pubs such as The Bear and Red Deer have a smaller range of good wines, but we offer a more extensive selection and hopefully bring something different to town. 

Nicky: We worked closely with Luke Smith at The Horsham Cellar, an independent wine merchants in the Carfax. He has given us great support and helped us formulate a wine list that will not only excite our customers, but hopefully introduce them to wines that are out of their comfort zone. We have wines that you won’t find anywhere else in town, from wine-growing regions in Italy, South Africa, New Zealand, USA, Morocco and Argentina to name just a few. However, it’s fair to say that Paul has his own favourites, which are reflected in the wine list…

Paul: I worked as an off-licence manager after finishing university and it was there that I developed an interest in wine. Since then, I’ve travelled to vineyards all over the world and wine has become a passion. I must confess to a fondness for French wines, especially those from the Bordeaux region. Also on our menu, we have wines from Pays d’Oc, Loire Valley, Provence and an orange wine from Cotes du Rhone. 

Paul: We also work with local suppliers. We serve premium fruit juices from Folkington’s in East Sussex and source great coffee from Redroaster in Brighton. We have wines from Coolhurst in Horsham and Albourne Estate in Hassocks, with others likely to be added in future. I’m a fan of English sparkling wine and Coolhurst is one of my favourites; it just happens to come from just down the road! We are at the heart of the UK wine industry in Horsham and local sparkling wines often outshine Champagne in blind tastings. If we can work with the best local vineyards, that’s good for us and also contributes to Sussex’s reputation as a wine region.  

Nicky: We offer a range of wines by the glass, so customers can try different wines in 125ml, 175ml and 250ml glasses, as well as a carafe, without committing to buying a whole bottle. We’ve also introduced a taster menu for red wines, white wines and sparkling wines, with three 75ml taster glasses from our ‘by-the-glass’ menu, as well as one premium wine, which we’ll alter regularly. With all our wines, we have kept prices affordable, and even bottles available for special occasions are fairly priced.

Paul: We have brought Olivier into the business for both his experience and his personality. He spent years as the maître d’ at Restaurant Tristan in Stan’s Way, which retained a Michelin star for many years, before working at Kaya in the Park. He seems to know everybody in town and with his knowledge of the industry, we’re lucky to have him on board. 

Olivier: I first arrived in Horsham 12 years ago. I married a beautiful English girl 24 years ago and we lived in Paris for a time, where I worked in hospitality. I settled in Horsham, working with Tristan Mason, who was not only a brilliant chef but created a relaxed atmosphere in his restaurant. It was there that I met Paul and his wife Emma, who were regulars at Tristan’s. Paul told me about his wine bar dream and we talked through ideas. What we hope to create at D’Arcy’s is a place where couples or friends can enjoy good wine, good food and good service in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. 

Paul: Another aspect of French culture I love is enjoying cheese and charcuterie platters with wine. That is something we’re offering too, with cheese supplied by a Sussex-based company and fresh meats from Italy, Spain and France sourced through London markets.  

Olivier: We are a small but dynamic team and want to create a destination where there is always something happening. We’ve already discussed hosting wine tasting events and working with chefs at wine pairing evenings. We also hope to arrange staff visits to Sussex vineyards to build relationships with our suppliers, and introduce music nights that could be complemented by wine and spirits too. So, there’s great excitement among the team as it feels like D’Arcy’s Wine Bar has arrived at the right time and in the right place. 

Further information:

Tel: (01403) 332555 or visit www.darcyswinebar.co.uk

 WORDS: Ben Morris / PHOTOS: Alan Wright