Brewdog to close 10 pubs across UK, some ‘within days’

Megan BonarBBC Scotland NewsPABrewdog has 71 bars throughout the UK, together with 17 in ScotlandScottish craft beer big Brewdog is to shut 10 bars throughout the UK, together with its flagship pub in Aberdeen.Commerce union Unite criticised the transfer and stated among the pubs would shut “inside days”.The bars earmarked for closure are in Aberdeen, Dundee, Leeds, Brighton, Oxford, Sheffield, York and three in London.The Scottish brewery and pub group was based by fishermen James Watt and Martin Dickie in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, in 2007.A spokesperson for Brewdog stated the “tough resolution” had been taken on account of “ongoing business challenges”.They added these included “rising prices, elevated regulation, and financial pressures”.The spokesperson stated: “Regardless of our greatest efforts, and the exhausting work of our groups, it has merely not been potential to make these bars commercially viable.”This resolution will not be merely a response to the difficult UK hospitality market, however a proactive resolution to redefine the bar division’s focus for long-term and worthwhile progress.”The spokesperson acknowledged among the areas chosen had been “woven into” the corporate’s’ historical past.However they stated there was “no life like prospect of constructing these venues commercially viable”.Getty ImagesJames Watt co-founded Brewdog in 2007Bryan Simpson, nationwide lead for hospitality at Unite, stated: “For Brewdog to present loyal employees lower than 4 days discover of the closure of their office isn’t just morally repugnant, it’s probably illegal.”That is one more instance of an organization that does not have the slightest regard for fundamental employment legislation not to mention the welfare of their employees.”We’re at the moment supporting our members throughout these 10 websites to collectively problem these redundancies, and we’d urge anybody impacted to succeed in out to us for authorized help.”Brewdog stated a 14-day session course of could be carried out for all employees vulnerable to redundancy.The corporate wouldn’t disclose the variety of workers affected and instructed BBC Scotland Information its focus was on redeployment.The corporate is understood for its craft beers and IPAs and has breweries and pubs throughout the globe, together with 71 within the the UK, of which 17 are in Scotland. It additionally has bars in Dubai, the USA and Australia.Getty ImagesBrewdog’s advertising and marketing relies on the agency being brewing “punks” who’re difficult company beer brandsIn current years Brewdog has made headlines for its advertising and marketing campaigns and office tradition.In 2021 former employees used an open letter to focus on what they stated was a “tradition of worry” throughout the enterprise and “poisonous attitudes” to junior employees.The next yr a number of ex-Brewdog employees accused founder and former CEO Mr Watt of inappropriate behaviour in a BBC Disclosure investigation.Attorneys for Mr Watt stated the allegations had been false. However Ofcom rejected complaints that Brewdog and Mr Watt had been unfairly handled by the programme.In January final yr the agency additionally confronted a backlash after revealing it could now not rent new employees on the actual dwelling wage, as an alternative paying the decrease authorized minimal wage.Mr Watt stood down as CEO final yr and moved to a newly-created place of “captain and co-founder” however retained his shares within the firm.The agency expanded into the Chinese language market in 2023 in a three way partnership with US brewing big Budweiser.Income for the corporate grew to £321.2m within the 2022-23 monetary yr.The corporate struggled to make a revenue for just a few years, but it surely was reported to have returned to profitability in 2024.Full record of Brewdog pubs to closeAberdeen Flagship (Gallowgate)BrightonLondon CamdenDundeeLeeds North StreetOxfordSheffieldLondon Shepherds BushLondon ShoreditchYork