BrewDog has announced the closure of ten of its bars across the UK, as it faces the "continued challenges" in the local hospitality sector.

The closures will affect venues in Aberdeen, the group's flagship bar, Brighton, Camden, Dundee, Leeds, Oxford, Sheffield, York and two locations in London.

The exact number of jobs impacted remains unclear. Just Drinks asked BrewDog to confirm the number of staff working at the affected bars. The company declined to comment but said it would look to "redeploy" as many employees as possible.

After the bars are closed, BrewDog will have 49 outlets left in the UK.

In a communication to staff, BrewDog chief executive James Taylor attributed the closures to "continued challenges facing the UK hospitality industry", such as “rising costs, increased regulation, and economic pressures".

He added that the move was "part of the wider refresh we have set out, and it aligns with our renewed focus on innovation, quality, and a new brand identity. It positions our bar portfolio for long-term, profitable growth".

He further explained that maintaining these venues would place the broader business under pressure, "making it harder to invest where we know we can grow".

Taylor was promoted to the position of CEO in March, replacing James Arrow who left after less than a year in the role.

He had worked at BrewDog as its financial chief since November 2023.

The company has initiated a consultation process for affected staff that will last a minimum of 14 days.

A BrewDog spokesperson said: “We are working hard to minimise the impact on our people, and we expect to redeploy many affected team members across the BrewDog network."

According to Bryan Simpson, national lead for hospitality at the Unite union, the Elvis Juice brand owner gave employers under four days' notice.

“For Brewdog to give loyal workers less than 4 days' notice of the closure of their workplace is not just morally repugnant, it is potentially unlawful," said Simpson.

"This is yet another example of a company that doesn't have the slightest regard for basic employment law let alone the welfare of their workers. We are currently supporting our members across these 10 sites to collectively challenge these redundancies, and we would urge anyone impacted to reach out to us for legal support." 

In June, BrewDog's chief reportedly said the company was not making moves towards filing an IPO.

In a report from The Times, BrewDog’s chief James Taylor said an Initial Public Offering (IPO) was “not on the agenda at the moment”, as the company announced a return to profitability for the first time since 2021.

The company, which at the time confirmed Taylor’s comments to Just Drinks, said the CEO remained “focused on strategy and delivery”.