The Cardiff branch of BrewDog is set to close after the craft beer company entered administration, with 38 bars across the UK shutting immediately.
The Westgate Street venue, which opened in summer 2014, was BrewDog’s first bar in Wales. Located close to the Principality Stadium, the site featured 25 taps and quickly became a popular matchday and city centre spot.
In a message shared on Facebook earlier today, the Cardiff team said:
“Cardiff, you’ve been beautiful. Thanks for all the good times. Farewell to customers & team members.”
Earlier today, US beverage and medical cannabis firm Tilray Brands confirmed it had bought BrewDog’s UK brewing operations in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, and the Hop Hub in Lanarkshire. The deal also includes the company’s brand portfolio and 11 pubs across the UK and Ireland.
The £33m agreement secures 733 UK jobs, with affected employees transferring under TUPE to Tilray Brands UK. However, 484 redundancies have been confirmed as part of the process.
Joint administrators AlixPartners said 38 bars would close across the UK, the majority in England. They also confirmed that no offer was received during the sales process that would have saved the business in full.
There will be no return for equity holders, including investors who took part in the Equity for Punks scheme.
BrewDog’s 18 franchise bars in the UK and overseas will continue trading.
Founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie, BrewDog grew rapidly over the past decade. Watt stepped down in 2024, while Dickie left the business last year for personal reasons.
Last month, the company appointed AlixPartners to review restructuring options and explore a possible sale, after announcing in January that it would stop distilling spirits at its Ellon base in the coming months.
In July, BrewDog had already shut 10 bars across the UK, including its flagship site in Aberdeen.
The brewer reported a pre tax loss of £37m in 2024, marking its fifth consecutive year without turning a profit.
