BrewDog boss James Watt has branded the government “clueless” following the closure of six of its pubs due to rising costs and the energy crisis.
He said the decision was taken because there was “no prospect of any help from a clueless government”.
The founder and chief executive of the company said he believed it would “be simply impossible to get these bars even close to financial viability” in the foreseeable future.
The Peterhead pub was closed on Monday, August 30, after the company said operating the business in the town was no longer “viable”.
Another of it’s north-east bars, the Hop and Anchor in Aberdeen, has also been closed – just three weeks after the Press & Journal revealed it was opening after being shut during Covid.
‘Had no choice but to close them’
In a social media post, Mr Watt said the closures come as the hospitality sector faces “sheer ‘rabbit in the headlights’ paralysis of this zombie government” as soaring costs threaten the future of many pubs, restaurants and bars.
He said: “Industry experts estimate that up to a staggering 70% of the UK’s bars, pubs and restaurants could be forced to close due to soaring energy prices and huge cost price increases and unfortunately, we are not exempt from these headwinds.
“Last night we confirmed we were to close six bars around the UK and it is heart-breaking to lose these locations.
“I warned a few weeks ago, costs are rising to such a degree, with no prospect of any help from a clueless government, that these very difficult decisions have to be made.
“It was going to be simply impossible to get these bars even close to financial viability in the foreseeable future.
“We had no choice but to close them. I am so, so happy that due to the strength in other parts of our bar estate, every single person has been offered a role in a separate bar nearby, so there will be no job losses.
“But I pray this is not a sign of things to come. Reality in the hospitality space is starting to bite and bite hard. And the government needs to get a grip, now.”
Closures across the UK
Also shutting its doors is Smithfield Market Arms in London, Hop Hub in Motherwell and its BrewDog bars in Dalston, east London and Old Street, east London.
The spate of closures – both across Scotland and England – comes merely two weeks after the company opened the ‘UK’s biggest bar’ near Waterloo Station in London.
The giant 26,500sqft venue has the capacity to hold 1,775 people – with pub-goers claiming the bar has more in common with an airport than a brewery.
It has 60 taps, a spiralling slide, a bowling alley, an ice cream van, ping pong tables, working spaces and even a podcast studio.
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