The UK’s biggest pub company Stonegate has denied reports that a number of its prominent pubs in the north and north-east could close.
It comes after trade union GMB warned that all of Stonegate’s 44 venues across Scotland face closure after the company issued a profit warning.
The company runs some of Aberdeen’s most well-known bars including the Bobbin, the Foundry, Murdos, Slains Castle and Triple Kirks.
It also owns the Black Dog, which is located in Bridge of Don.
In Inverness, city centre bars the Caledonian and Lauders are owned by Stonegate.
The chain employs more than 19,000 workers across the UK and runs more than 4,500 pubs including brands like the Slug and Lettuce, Walkabout and Yates.
GMB issued an update today saying it was concerned about the future of Stonegate pubs – owned by the Cayman Islands-registered private equity firm TDR – and its workers due to the company having to refinance £2.2 billion worth of debt.
The trade union’s national officer Nadine Houghton said: “TDR bosses are private equity gamblers, playing fast and loose with people’s jobs and lives.
“When their risky ventures go wrong, they swan off to their next project, leaving workers and communities to pick up the pieces.
“Now, dozens of much loved pubs across Scotland are in serious danger of pulling their last pint.
“It’s a disgrace.”
‘Sensationalised the whole thing’
In response, a Stonegate spokeswoman told The P&J that closures are “not true” and described GMB’s claims as a “sweeping generalisation”.
She added: “The turn of phrase that they’ve used has said that every Stonegate pub in the world is under threat and none of them are to our knowledge.
“There’s the occasional one or two that goes on the disposals list, but nothing.
“I think they’ve sensationalised the whole thing.”
Conversation