He explained it was a very sad day and one that many could unfortunately see coming.
Hundreds of incredibly talented hospitality professionals woke up this morning without work following the closures at BrewDog, Brown continued.
Behind every one of those 484 roles is a person, a family, a contributor to their local economy and community.
And the hard truth? It didn’t need to be this way.
In 2024, the majority of the bars that closed yesterday were profitable. Some were regularly delivering revenues north of £60,000 per week. Most were doing above £20,000. These were not failing venues in tired locations with no demand.
But when National Insurance rises combined with huge increases in business rates, the maths changes quickly.
- Profitable bars become marginal.
- Marginal bars become loss-making.
- The best bars profit is curbed and can support the group less, in the hope that things will get better in the future.
And when owners, old or new, have no confidence that the business environment will improve in the near future, and they have optionality of where to invest their capital, the decision is out of their hands.
Changing industry
This isn’t unique to BrewDog. It’s happening across thousands of venues up and down the country. The difference here is brand awareness, scale and visibility.
For years now, Government policy on rates and employment taxes has steadily eroded confidence in hospitality. The result? Over 200,000 hospitality jobs lost in recent years. Yesterday, another 484 economically active, tax-paying contributors were added to that number, people now potentially reliant on the state instead of strengthening it.
Could the leaders of the business including myself 18 months ago done more? The answer is almost certainly yes and by no means is my take on things laying the blame squarely at the door of Rt Hon Rachel Reeves, but the leadership over the nearly 20 years of BrewDog could never have envisaged the world post Brexit, Post Covid and the tax, costs and admin burden facing businesses today.
Hospitality is one of the UK’s great industries. It creates first jobs, careers, entrepreneurs, communities. I often say it’s the unofficial (and unrecognised) national service for this country.
It regenerates high streets and fuels local economies, most of all it teaches mumbling teenagers (like me) to speak to other humans, interact with customers, teaches them how to be a good employee .
It also exports talent and ideas around the world. In BrewDog’s case we often joked we exported Scottish Beer and Scottish people around the world, hang out for a beer in DogTap Brisbane and you will likely hear Calvin McDonald foghorn east of Scotland accent before you see him.
Watch closely at a peak shift in Las Vegas and you will see Blair quietly directing the shift the same way I saw him do when managing bars in Glasgow.
BrewDog changed the industry in its own little way, from being one of the first real living wage employers, to sharing profits with the teams on the ground, they tried to build it different and for a long time it worked.
Lifelong friendships
It challenged convention. It built culture (some loved it some didn’t). Most of all, it changed thousands of people’s lives, giving them opportunity, confidence, friendships and careers.
In fact there are some incredible lifelong friendships, marriages and even some beautiful little children running around this planet from teams who met each other in BrewDog bars. My focus and memories are on those people and the great times.
The talent doesn’t disappear because a balance sheet changes. The passion doesn’t evaporate because policy shifts. The industry still needs you.
But we also need an environment that backs business rather than burdens it. I hope the Government see this quickly before others are impacted.
Lots of people have my number at BrewDog, my phone is on, if you are reading this WhatsApp me if I can help in anyway.
To everyone at BrewDog you changed my life and filled it with great memories and life long friends. Thank you.
Brava Hospitality Group are hiring for lots of positions, some in the same towns where team need work, mark your application with BREWDOG and we will catch it and get back to you asap.
