Bars and furniture shops fall into administration in high street blow

Britain’s business landscape continues to face significant challenges, with this week witnessing the downfall of two prominent companies. Further high street casualties have emerged, resulting in hundreds of redundancies.

A substantial brewery and bar chain is the week’s most significant casualty. Despite being acquired through a rescue transaction, numerous locations across British cities have ceased trading. Additionally, a family-owned furniture retail chain has entered administration.

The firm has been forced to shutter several outlets whilst maintaining its online operations.

BrewDog

The brewery and pub operator BrewDog closed 38 bars this week, resulting in 484 redundancies. The Scottish craft beer producer has been acquired by an American company in a rescue package, though the closures and job losses persist, reports the Mirror.

This means 484 positions will disappear despite Tilray Brands purchasing the brand for £33million. The acquisition followed BrewDog’s entry into administration on Monday, a development that will see the brand’s crowdfunding investors receive nothing.

Tilray Brands acquired various BrewDog assets, including the worldwide brand and associated intellectual property, its British brewing operations and 11 pub locations throughout the UK and Ireland.

Sites being shuttered include nine London establishments, nine in Scotland and the DogHouse hotel in Manchester.

Tilray will assume control of BrewDog facilities including its Ellon brewery in Aberdeenshire, and The Hop Hub, a national distribution facility in Motherwell, Lanarkshire. The move will preserve 733 jobs in the UK, with staff transitioning to Tilray.

• Basingstoke
• Bath
• Bournemouth
• Bristol – Baldwin Street
• Bristol – Harbourside
• Cambridge
• Cardiff
• Carlisle
• Cheltenham
• Exeter
• Liverpool
• London – Soho
• London – Camden Road
• London – Chancery Lane
• London – Clerkenwell
• London – Ealing
• London – Hammersmith
• London – Seething Lanes
• London – Tower Bridge
• London – Wandsworth
• DogHouse Manchester
• Manchester Outpost
• Milton Keynes
• Newcastle
• Norwich
• Nottingham
• Plymouth
• Reading
• Southampton
• Aberdeen – Castlegate
• Aberdeen – Union Square
• Edinburgh – Cowgate
• Glasgow – Merchant City
• Glasgow – Argyle Street
• Inverurie
• Perth
• St Andrews
• Stirling

BrewDog bars acquired by Tilray

• Birmingham
• Manchester – Peter Street
• Ellon – DogTap
• DogHouse Edinburgh
• Edinburgh – Lothian Road
• Dublin
• London – Canary Wharf
• London – Paddington
• London – Seven Dials
• London – Tower Hill
• London – Waterloo

Pagazzi Lighting

This family-run firm, established over 45 years ago and based in Thornliebank near Glasgow, has entered administration following a period of poor sales performance and escalating costs.

Pagazzi Lighting specialised in decorative lighting products, mirrors and home accessories. It operated a network of stores across Scotland and the north of England, as well as an online shop.

Administrators have confirmed that the company has now shut down 11 retail outlets, leading to approximately 70 job losses.

Despite entering administration, certain aspects of the business will continue to function. The company’s online retail division has bought the business and assets, ensuring the Pagazzi brand will endure in a diminished capacity.