Scottish beer giant Brewdog has announced six bars across the country have closed due to the current rise in energy costs.
CEO James Watt took to social media to reveal the "heart-breaking" news that three pubs in Scotland are no longer in operation, while another three in London have put the shutters down for good.
It comes just weeks after Watt boasted about opening the "biggest bar in London" in Waterloo. In a post on Linkedin Watt said no Brewdog employees at the bars in Aberdeen, Peterhead and Motherwell would lose their jobs, instead they would be offered another role at a bar nearby.
He wrote: "Industry experts estimate that up to a staggering 70% of the UK’s bars, pubs and restaurants could be forced to close due to soaring energy prices and huge cost price increases and unfortunately, we are not exempt from these headwinds.
"Last night we confirmed we were to close 6 bars around the UK and it is heart-breaking to lose these locations. I warned a few weeks ago, costs are rising to such a degree, with no prospect of any help from a clueless government, that these very difficult decisions have to be made.
"It was going to be simply impossible to get these bars even close to financial viability in the foreseeable future. We had no choice but to close them. I am so, so happy that due to the strength in other parts of our bar estate, every single person has been offered a role in a separate bar nearby, so there will be no job losses. But I pray this is not a sign of things to come."
The news comes just days after six of the biggest pub chains in the country warned that thousands of boozers could be closed forever unless the government doesn't step in to help.
Soaring energy bills are the reason behind the warning with some establishments facing a 300 per cent rise in bills.
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