BrewDog, the Scottish brewery and craft beer company, has announced the closure of ten of its bars, with one venue set to shut down as early as this Friday. The company revealed that its Camden branch will cease operations on Friday, while other locations, including its flagship Aberdeen venue, will follow suit starting this Saturday.
According to BrewDog, a consultation process has been initiated with all affected staff members, which is expected to last at least 14 days. The company spokesperson mentioned that they anticipate redeploying many of the impacted employees to other bars within the network.
CEO James Taylor communicated to the staff that the decision to close the venues was made due to financial challenges. He emphasized that the bars were no longer financially sustainable and keeping them open would strain the overall business, hindering potential growth opportunities. This move is not solely a reaction to the tough UK hospitality market conditions but a proactive step to redefine the focus of the bar division.
A BrewDog spokesperson stated, “Following a review of our bars business, we have decided to close 10 bars as part of a more concentrated strategy and optimization of our bar network. Despite diligent efforts and hard work from our teams, these bars could not achieve commercial viability.”
The closures were criticized by Unite Hospitality, who raised concerns about the short notice period provided to workers affected by the decision. The organization questioned the morality and legality of giving only three days’ notice for a proper redundancy consultation for impacted employees.
BrewDog aims to minimize the impact on its workforce by redeploying affected team members and providing support to those leaving the business during this transition. The company remains committed to its bars and optimistic about the future, viewing long-term growth opportunities despite the challenges faced in the industry.
