SNP ministers have ‘killed off’ Scotland’s hospitality sector, says Findlay

Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay accused the Scottish Government of having “killed off” the hospitality industry in the wake of news that dozens of bars that had been owned by craft brewer BrewDog are to close.

While US firm Tilray Brands, which produces medicinal cannabis as well as craft beers in America, bought up the Scotland-based brewer in a rescue deal worth £33 million, a total of 38 BrewDog bars will close, with the loss of 484 jobs.

The deal comes after BrewDog fell into administration on Monday, with Tilray to take control of some of the Scottish firm’s facilities, including its brewery in Ellon, Aberdeenshire and its distribution centre in Motherwell.

This should help preserve 733 jobs at the company, with BrewDog’s 18 franchise bars in the UK and internationally to continue to operate.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said it was a “real shame” BrewDog had gone into administration, saying it had been a “fantastic homegrown Scottish business success story”.

He told the Press Association: “I have, like many people, enjoyed a pint of BrewDog in my time, so it is said to see what has happened to the business.

“It’s particularly bad, of course, for the hundreds of workers who have suddenly found themselves out of work and I hope that they can get the best possible outcome and find something to move on to.”

But, adding that the firm “appears to have been struggling”, he said Scotland was seeing pubs close down “at the rate of one every week” – with the Scottish Tory leader insisting this is “in a large part due to the rates bills that are landing”.

Mr Findlay, who spoke out as he met apprentices at Edinburgh College, said: “The hospitality industry has been killed off by the actions of this SNP Government.”

With the Tories having “been campaigning for several months now to halt the rates revaluations”,  the Conservative said some publicans were receiving rates rises of up to 300%.

Adding that there was “no transparency” about why the sector was seeing these rises, Mr Findlay again called for the hike to be paused.

He continued: “It’s not clear if the rates bills might have been a factor in BrewDog having to shut these venues but it wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

“Publicans across Scotland have already been facing cost-of-living pressures due to their customers having less disposable income, due to the cost of energy, due to the cost of employing people through Labour’s national insurance rise.”

The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.