Blow for The Barcode as BrewDog bar is set to close

LEISURE COMPLEX OUTLET IS AMONG 38 BEING SHUT

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

PLYMOUTH'S large BrewDog bar is to shut in a blow to The Barcode leisure complex.

The outlet is among 38 that will close, including in Exeter, with the loss of 484 jobs, despite the Scottish craft brewer being snapped up in a rescue deal by an American firm.

Tilray Brands, which produces medicinal cannabis in addition to craft beer in the USA, has acquired the troubled BrewDog brand in a £33m deal.

BrewDog fell into administration on Monday, leaving the brand's crowdfund investors empty handed.

The US company bought a number of BrewDog assets including the global brand and related intellectual property, its UK brewing operation and 11 of its pubs across the UK and Ireland.

But administrators confirmed this would result in the closure of most of BrewDog's bars.

BrewDog's 18 franchise bars in the UK and internationally will continue to operate.

Plymouth's BrewDog bar opened in 2021. Its closure will leave Barcode landlord British Land looking to fill the unit.

It comes as the Barcode was about to be almost full, with plans for arcade business Claw City to open in a unit opposite BrewDog, meaning only the Skybar would have remained empty.

British Land will now be looking for another operator to move into the former BrewDog space.

The Barcode is still home to Zizzi, Cosy Club, Franco Manca, Kaspa's, Nando's, Las Iguanas, Boom Battle Bar, Five Guys, Trident Gym, Spinners, Paradise Island Adventure Golf and Cineworld.