The 30-cover pub officially closed this week, although Chapman says it had already been shut for a fortnight while its future was considered.
Some members of The Crown’s team have moved across to Chapman’s new £4m project, The Jack O’Newbury in nearby Binfield, which offers additional revenue streams through its bedrooms, function space and weddings.
“We tried hard to make it a successful business and it just didn’t work,” Chapman told Restaurant’s sister publication The Morning Advertiser.
“You get to a point where you’re working really hard and you’re not making any money. When I say not making any money, we were losing money. As much as I love The Crown, and it was an amazing restaurant, it’s bloody tough.”
Chapman acquired The Crown from Simon Bonwick and his family in 2022.
Bonwick launched the pub in 2012 and established it as one of Berkshire’s most acclaimed dining destinations. The Crown was awarded a Michelin star in the 2017 guide.
Under Chapman, it remained highly rated and is currently ranked 22nd on the Top 50 Gastropubs list.
Chapman is one of Berkshire’s most prominent chefs. His CV includes The Fat Duck and a stint as head chef at Heston Blumenthal’s The Hinds Head, both in Bray, as well as working under Rowley Leigh at Kensington Place in London.
He subsequently spent seven years overseeing Michael Parkinson’s The Royal Oak, Paley Street, which was awarded a Michelin star during his tenure, before launching The Beehive in White Waltham in 2014.
Chapman described the decision to close The Crown as “hugely difficult”, but says its size and relatively isolated location left it particularly exposed to the rising cost of operating.
“With the huge costs of recruitment, rent and VAT, and all the stuff everybody hears about every single day, it just got to the point where enough was enough,” he says.
“The Crown was a small, 30-seater pub. It was a unique little place, but sites like that are challenging to make money from.
“We didn’t have enough people coming through the door. It was a little bit out of the way. We were busy on Saturday and Sunday, but Friday night could be very quiet, and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday could be very, very quiet.
“I’ve worked in many restaurants over the years and I’ve never had zero covers booked, but we used to get zero covers on a Wednesday or Thursday evening. That’s soul-destroying.”
Chapman says the pub nevertheless received strong support from its locals, customers and suppliers.
The Jack O’Newbury is being operated by Chapman in partnership with restaurateur Nigel Sutcliffe, another The Fat Duck alumnus.
The larger pub and restaurant with rooms currently has eight bedrooms, with plans to increase that number to 11.
“This is a much bigger operation, so hopefully that will stand us in good stead,” Chapman says.
“We’ve got rooms, we’ve got a function area, we can do weddings and hopefully that will drive revenue. At the end of the day, it’s all about getting people through the door and paying the bills.”
Despite the pressures facing hospitality businesses, Chapman remains optimistic about the sector.
“I’m very optimistic, but I’m nervous at the same time. I am a chef; that’s my whole career. I can’t go and do something else because I don’t want to. We run restaurants. That’s what we do.”