Stories

Mon, 02 Mar 2026

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 Bars close and hundreds lose jobs as US firm buys Brewdog in £33m deal

Beverage and cannabis company Tilray acquires the brewery, the brand and 11 bars after Brewdog went into administration.

* Brewdog, a craft beer firm, has gone into administration and sold its UK brewing operations, brand, and 11 pubs to US company Tilray in a £33m deal.
* The sale has preserved 733 jobs, but 484 jobs have been lost and 38 bars have closed after being excluded from the rescue deal.
* No equity holders, including those who invested in the Equity for Punks scheme, will receive any return on their investment.
* Unite, a union representing hospitality workers, has described the situation as "devastating" and promised to secure "legal and financial justice" for its members.
* Tilray will take control of Brewdog's facilities, including its brewery in Ellon and distribution centre in Motherwell.
* The deal does not include Brewdog's German arm or assets in the US and Australia, which are set to be liquidated.
* Around 200,000 people invested in Equity for Punks, a scheme that raised £75m and offered discounts and perks to investors.
* Small investors look set to lose their investment, with some predicting that their shares will become "worthless".
* The company's CEO, James Watt, has faced criticism over the handling of redundancies and the treatment of staff.