BrewDog closes two bars in north-east heartlands due to ‘spiralling energy bills’

Two BrewDog bars in the north-east have been shut permanently due to increasing costs and energy bills.

The firm has officially confirmed one of the bars to shut its doors is their venue in Peterhead where founders James Watt and Martin Dickie met while at school.

Meanwhile, 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. 

Closures where BrewDog lay foundation of global success

The Peterhead pub was closed on Monday, August 30, after the company said operating the business in the town was no longer “viable”.

The premises was first opened in the town in March 2019 after the company transformed a building that had been unused for five years.

It was a move that one of the founders James Watt, said marked their commitment to their Aberdeenshire roots.

Receiving a popular reception, it was hoped the newly-opened bar would add to the “regeneration of the night-time economy” in the town centre.

However, it appears the premises joins other businesses struggling to operate with the rising costs. 

The Hop and Anchor bar in Aberdeen, which only re-opened just a fortnight ago, has also been axed – with staff seen emptying the site on Wednesday.

A post on the pub’s Facebook page indicates the venue was still in full operation on Saturday.

However, the venue has now been blocked for bookings and removed from BrewDog’s website. The bar is listed as “temporarily closed” on Google.

‘Spiralling energy bills’ at BrewDog Peterhead

The spate of closures – both across Scotland and England – comes merely two weeks after the company opened ‘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.

Despite the closing of the premises in Scotland, however, the Ellon-based company has said there will be no job losses.

A spokesman for BrewDog said: “We can confirm that our BrewDog Peterhead bar has closed.

“All staff have accepted roles in other BrewDog locations. There will be no job losses.

“This is part of the regular review of our portfolio. With rapidly increasing costs including spiralling energy bills the bar was a substantial distance from being viable to operate.”

It is not yet clear if there are any plans for the either of the premises following the closures.