A beloved bar chain shocked its fans by unexpectedly closing nearly a dozen of its locations this month.
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According to The Guardian, BrewDog is closing 10 bars, including its flagship location in Aberdeen, due to an “extremely difficult” environment for pubs and restaurants.
James Taylor, the chief executive of the brewer, shared in an email to staff that it was “no longer viable” to keep the permanently closing locations open. He also pointed out that the locations would be closed due to their size, location, and other “limiting factors.”
The bar chain’s soon-to-be closed locations are Aberdeen, Brighton, Camden, Dundee, Leeds North Street, Oxford, Sheffield, Stepherd’s Bush, Shoreditch, and York.
“Following much consideration, we have sadly concluded that there is no realistic prospect of making these venues commercially viable,” Taylor explained. “Keeping them open would put pressure on the wider business, making it harder to invest where we know we can grow.”
He also stated that the closures were “not simply a response” to the “challenging U.K. hospitality.” He noted it was a “proactive decision to redefine the bar division’s focus.”
BrewDog, which was founded by James Watt and Martin Dickie in 2006, currently employs more than 3,0000 people worldwide. The company has 71 locations in the U.K. and 17 in Scotland. There are also locations in Dubai, the U.S. and Australia.
The Bar Chain Declines to Reveal How Many Employees Will Be Let Go From the Closed Locations
Meanwhile, the bar chain declined to reveal just how many employees will be laid go amid closing multiple locations.
The company stated that it was going through a “meaningful and appropriate consultation process” with those impacted by the closures. The process is expected to last at least two weeks.
“We are working hard to minimize the impact on our people,” BrewDog spokesperson said. “And we expect to redeploy many affected team members across the BrewDog network.”
The spokesperson further pointed out that some of the closing locations were “woven into” BrewDog’s history.
In addition to its pub locations, BrewDog offers beer supplies at supermarkets and hotels.