A Tayside brewery has shut down its two pubs in Dundee and Fife with the loss of 60 jobs.
St Andrews Brewing Company closed their venues at Caird Hall in Dundee and South Street in St Andrews on Friday.
The U-turn decision came just two days after the company stated the pubs would stay open despite the government’s advice for people to practice social distancing.
A spokesman from the company said: “Many of the staff live with vulnerable people, and having discussed the situation with them, many of whom were worried about catching the virus from the public and transmitting to their family members, we felt the right thing to do was to close the venues.
“The staff were all made redundant and paid their notice so that they could access benefits more quickly.
“The brewery has been scaled back and is still trading, selling beer through our online web shop and servicing our supermarket contracts where we can.”
The spokesman said the closure would not be permanent and the company hopes to re-open its pubs, re-employing as many staff as possible when the coronavirus outbreak eases.
He added: “We are in hibernation and hope to re-open when the time comes.
“The brewery is still able to sell products, although we have cut back on the production side as the demand has greatly reduced.
“We have 25,000 litres in tank and will get packaged as and when required.
“Like all breweries, we are doing everything we can to survive and have a business to run at the other end.”
