BrewDog closes Hawkes cider taproom amid rising costs

BrewDog has closed its Hawkes cider taproom on London’s Bermondsey Beer Mile, blaming economic pressures.

In a statement sent to its Equity Punk investors, the Scottish brewer said it had struggled with rising costs and a drop in footfall.

“As with all UK businesses in recent times, Hawkes has been battling rampant inflation, soaring utilities costs and relentless cost of living pressures,” BrewDog said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, the slowdown in trade on the Bermondsey beer mile, combined with exorbitant rent increases, has meant we have had to permanently close the much-loved Hawkes taproom.

“We hope to relaunch a cider-focused venue at another location in the city in the future, but in the meantime, you can find it in all the usual places.”

Craft cider producer Hawkes was founded by Simon Wright in 2013 and was sold to BrewDog in 2018, the same year it opened the taproom in a former railway arch. Wright left the business in 2020.

BrewDog co-founder James Watt admitted in 2020 that he had “ripped the soul” out of Hawkes by moving its production from London to Aberdeenshire.

In a LinkedIn post titled ‘My 10 biggest mistakes as BrewDog’s CEO’, Watt said the company would reverse the decision and Hawkes has since resumed production in London.

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