We moved back home to Cork to realise our coffee bar dream

EVEN though Cobh native Jean-Paul Frennett and his partner Claire O’Regan lived in London for 10 years, working in tech, they always had a yearning to return to the green, green grass of home.

Now they have opened a dream café and wine bar in Casement Square in the coastal town, called The Arch.

“The opportunities in London were fantastic, we had a great time there,” says Claire. “But after 10 years, we talked about returning to Cobh. Jean-Paul grew up here and I spent a lot of time here down the years.

“Jean-Paul talked about opening and running his own coffee shop for years, and it was an idea that we had both talked about.

Prior to working in the corporate world, we had both worked in hospitality, hotels and restaurants, and we gained good experience.

“The reality of The Arch came about 18 months ago when we made a lockdown plan. We planned to leave our full-time office jobs in London and realising our dream of returning and starting a business together.”

The couple set about restoring an old cobbler’s shop in Casement Square, which was to become The Arch.

The name is deeply rooted in Cobh heritage, named after the cinema Jean-Paul’s father ran in the harbour town before it closed in the 1960s. The cinema opened in 1932 and had 450 seats, equipped with an AAH system operated by Jean-Paul’s father and grandfather before him.

“Jean-Paul’s dad passed away a year ago,” says Claire. “His mum, Grainne still lives in Cobh, and often pops in to us. On our front window we have the lettering ‘Established in 1932, The Arch Cinema, and re-established in 2023’.”

The couple started work on their new cafe and wine bar during Ireland’s second Covid lockdown. 

“There was a lot of work involved in restoring the premises,” says Claire. 

We worked really hard to totally revamp the property. It was pretty run down, and it had no plumbing or electricity.

“It took us 18 months to restore every element of the old cobbler’s shop. The shop front is the same design as it. Inside, we pointed the original stone wall and restored the tiled floor. We added our own counter tops to suit the business. It’s a mix of modern and traditional.”

The Arch is open for business, and has good neighbours.

“We had the amazing Cobh community supporting us through the long process of refurbishment,” says Claire. “Surrounding shops and restaurants rowed in to give us a hand.”

Jean-Paul adds: “So many local businesses came in to help us throughout the whole project; it was amazing. They were always willing to give us advice and tips that really helped the process go a lot smoother. The place needed a lot of work.”

The couple had a little help from their friends.

“Thankfully, the whole community supported us while we worked at getting ready to open. During the 18 months we were working on the old cobbler’s shop, we were still living in London. We planned on opening in the summer, and we opened on May 25. We are both hands-on in the business and employ a small staff. “

What can the people of Cobh and the summer tourists expect when they visit The Arch for a coffee or an evening tipple?

“We open from early morning until evening,” says Claire. 

Fresh coffee is on the go from 8am for the early birds. We’re serving pastries, sandwiches and toasties in the morning through to the afternoon. In the evening, we serve wine by the glass with an option of a cheese board or a meat board to choose from.

“On Casement Square out front, we have seating for diners, which is proving very popular. People like sitting out in the square.” If you don’t want to watch the world go by, you can sit out in the private garden at the back of the premises.

“We call it our wine garden as opposed to a beer garden!” says Claire. “It is a special garden that gets the sun all evening.”

Is life very different in Cobh than the fast-paced life in the Big Smoke?

“What we really appreciate is the sense of community,” says Claire. “Coming back from London, we really appreciated the support of local people. We want to offer them something special in the town.

“We’re hoping to showcase the town of Cobh and provide people with a fantastic experience and welcome atmosphere; offering great coffee, great food and good wine in the beautiful town of Cobh.”

Claire and Jean-Paul feel right at home.

“We have great neighbours offering their support,” says Claire. “They ask us if we need anything, and even if we need a milk jug, they are willing to help! The business community in Cobh is amazing!”

Congratulations on the opening of The Arch poured in from well-wishers.

“We’ve gotten so many cards from local businesses congratulating us on the opening,” says Jean-Paul. “They have honestly all been so great- the whole community have been great throughout the whole thing.”

Now Claire and Jean Paul are part of the close-knit community that helps each other out.

“The change from city living to the beautiful town of Cobh is fantastic,” says Claire.