BrewDog was so keen to open in Bath it was offering a finder’s fee of up to £10,000. After searching “for some time”, its wait may soon be over now it has launched a bid to turn 8 Saw Close into a bar.
The front of a BrewDog pub | Photo © freemind-production / Shutterstock.com
The premises was on course to become a Byron Burger but the firm got into financial difficulties before it opened, so the site has been vacant for months.
BrewDog offered £5,000 to anyone who could find a bar in Bath for it to move to, or £10,000 for a larger site where it could also brew beer.
The application said: “The applicant, a popular and established nationwide and international brewer, bar and restaurant operator, has been searching for a suitable location in order to establish a presence in Bath for some time.
“The application site is positioned in the city centre, in close proximity to the core retail area, and represents an ideal location for our client to locate their premises.
“They have now agreed to take over a lease on the premises, subject to securing the requisite planning consents.”
Founded in 2007 as a brewer of premium craft beers, BrewDog has more than 40 bars across the UK and another 20 around the world.
It offered a finder’s fee to anyone who could help it find premises in Belfast, Chester, Bath, Exeter and Chelmsford, and cities in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.
The plans for Bath say: “The ethos of the BrewDog bars is on tasting and sampling beers in a relaxed environment, rather than mass consumption.
“Food is available throughout opening. There are no dancefloors, DJ or live performances, with background music only.”
The bar, with space for up to 225 customers, would open at 10am and close at midnight from Sunday to Thursday and at 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
It would create up to 20 jobs.
Byron Burger had been due to open in Bath but hit financial difficulties in January 2018 and had to close a number of its restaurants, including Bristol’s.
Investors pumped in extra funding earlier this year to keep it going.
Bath and North East Somerset Council will decide the fate of BrewDog’s application for the site in the near future.
Stephen Sumner, Local Democracy Reporter
