Brewdog will close ten bars across the UK, including its first-ever venue in Aberdeen, citing commercial challenges and rising costs. The move threatens close to 100 jobs but signals a strategic shift towards larger destination bars and community venues.
Beer giant Brewdog is set to close ten of its bars across the UK, including its flagship pub on Gallowgate in Aberdeen, which was the company’s first-ever bar. This decision will put nearly 100 jobs at risk as these venues are slated to close on July 26, followed by a consultation period of at least 14 days for staff. Despite efforts to keep the locations operational, Brewdog stated that it was no longer commercially viable to maintain these bars amid a challenging market environment.
Founder James Watt explained to staff that the closures are part of a broader refresh of the company’s estate. This strategic shift responds to ongoing pressures such as rising costs, increased regulation, and economic challenges affecting the hospitality sector. Watt emphasised that the company intends to continue growing its bar presence by focusing on larger “destination” bars and smaller community-focused venues, hinting at a recalibrated yet optimistic future for Brewdog’s bar business.
The bars set to close include those in Brighton, Camden, Dundee, Leeds North Street, Oxford, Sheffield, Shepherds Bush, Shoreditch, York, and notably the Aberdeen Gallowgate site, which marked the company’s first foray into pub ownership. Brewdog’s spokesperson noted that the decision reflected a more focused strategy and rationalisation of their bar footprint aimed at long-term profitable growth, rather than simply reacting to the difficult hospitality market conditions.
This announcement follows a previous wave of closures in 2022 when Brewdog shut six pubs, including venues in Aberdeen and London, citing soaring energy bills and the lack of government support as key factors. At that time, Watt criticised the government’s handling of the energy cost crisis and described many hospitality businesses as facing untenable financial pressures. Unlike the current closure cycle, Brewdog ensured that all staff from the earlier closures were redeployed across other locations, aiming to prevent job losses.
The recent statement from Brewdog reassures that the company is making efforts to minimise the impact on employees. It expects to redeploy many staff members across its network and pledges to support those who will be leaving. However, the scale of the latest closures still marks a significant contraction for the brand and highlights the continued strain on the hospitality industry as operational costs remain high and economic uncertainty persists.
This move by Brewdog reflects wider trends in the UK’s hospitality sector, where rising energy costs, regulatory changes, and inflationary pressures are forcing many businesses to rethink their strategies. While Brewdog seeks to emerge stronger with a refined approach focused on fewer but larger and more viable venues, the closures underline the precarious state of the market for pubs and bars across the country.
Reference Map:
- Paragraph 1 – [1], [2]
- Paragraph 2 – [1]
- Paragraph 3 – [1]
- Paragraph 4 – [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]
- Paragraph 5 – [1], [2]
- Paragraph 6 – [1], [2]
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/brewdog-pubs-close-brighton-shoreditch-aberdeen-b2793844.html – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2025/07/22/brewdog-to-close-10-bars/ – BrewDog has announced the closure of 10 bars, including its flagship pub on Gallowgate in Aberdeen, due to challenges in maintaining commercial viability. The closures are part of a strategic refresh in response to rising costs, increased regulation, and economic pressures. A consultation period of at least 14 days for staff has been initiated, with plans to redeploy many affected team members across the BrewDog network. The company remains committed to its bar business, focusing on larger destination hubs and smaller community bars for future growth.
- https://news.sky.com/story/brewdog-to-close-six-pubs-due-to-spiralling-costs-and-no-prospect-of-help-from-clueless-government-12686261 – In August 2022, BrewDog announced the closure of six pubs, including the Hop and Anchor in Aberdeen and the Smithfield Market Arms in London, citing spiralling costs and a lack of government support. Founder James Watt expressed concerns over the viability of these locations and the broader impact on the hospitality sector, warning that many establishments could face closure due to rising costs and energy prices.
- https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/brewdog-clueless-government-closes-six-pubs-energy-bills-b1022174.html – BrewDog’s founder, James Watt, criticised the government as the company closed six pubs, including the Hop and Anchor in Aberdeen and the Smithfield Market Arms in London, due to soaring energy costs. Watt stated that operating these bars was no longer financially viable and highlighted the broader challenges facing the hospitality industry amid rising costs and energy bills.
- https://www.scottishfinancialnews.com/articles/brewdog-shutters-six-pubs-due-to-spiralling-costs – BrewDog announced the closure of six pubs, including locations in Aberdeen, Motherwell, and London, citing rapidly increasing costs, including spiralling energy bills, as the primary reason. The company stated that operating these bars was a substantial distance from being viable and that all staff had accepted roles in other BrewDog locations, ensuring no job losses.
- https://www.thenational.scot/news/20863003.brewdog-shuts-six-bars-due-energy-costs—see-full-list-venues-affected/ – BrewDog closed six bars, including three in Scotland and three in London, due to soaring energy costs. The affected locations were the Hop and Anchor in Aberdeen, BrewDog Peterhead, Hop Hub in Motherwell, Smithfield Market Arms in London, BrewDog Dalston, and BrewDog Old Street. The company ensured that all staff were redeployed to other BrewDog locations, preventing job losses.
- https://news.stv.tv/north/brewdog-shuts-six-bars-in-aberdeen-motherwell-peterhead-and-london-over-rising-energy-costs – BrewDog closed six bars, including locations in Aberdeen, Motherwell, Peterhead, and London, due to rising energy costs. The affected venues were the Hop and Anchor in Aberdeen, Hop Hub in Motherwell, BrewDog Peterhead, and three locations in London: Dalston, Old Street, and the Smithfield Market Arms. The company offered alternative roles to all affected staff, ensuring no job losses.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is current, with the earliest known publication date being July 22, 2025. The Independent’s report is the first to announce the closures, indicating high freshness.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
Direct quotes from BrewDog’s CEO James Watt are unique to this report, with no earlier matches found online. This suggests the content is original or exclusive.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from The Independent, a reputable UK news outlet. However, the report includes a link to a Morning Advertiser article, which is a trade publication with a narrower audience. This suggests a mix of reliable and less widely known sources.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The closure of BrewDog’s bars aligns with recent industry challenges, including rising costs and economic pressures. Similar closures have occurred in the past, such as the six bars closed in August 2022 due to spiralling costs. ([news.sky.com](https://news.sky.com/story/brewdog-to-close-six-pubs-due-to-spiralling-costs-and-no-prospect-of-help-from-clueless-government-12686261?utm_source=openai)) The narrative provides specific details about the closures, including the affected locations and the company’s strategic response, enhancing its credibility.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, original, and sourced from a reputable outlet. The closures are plausible given BrewDog’s recent financial challenges, and the report provides specific details that align with known industry trends.
