Popular pub in Derbyshire town centre closes down suddenly as company with multiple venues collapses after “extremely challenging period”

The Pointing Dogs pub in Matlock closed its doors suddenly last week after the Real Brewing Pub Company – an arm of the Derby Brewing Company – entered administration.

The Real Brewing Company issued an official statement on social media, which said: “It is with regret that we must announce The Pointing Dogs is to closed with immediate effect as a result of Real Brewing Pub Company entering administration.

“The brewery will not be affected, our sister sites The Hole in the Wall and NOTSA will also continue under Derby Brewing ownership.

“It has been an extremely challenging trading environment over the last couple of years, including the pandemic, increased loan burdens on the back of this, ongoing recruitment challenges, soaring interest rates and supplier cost increases.

“The cost of living crisis resulting in reduced trade and huge increases in the cost base with uncapped energy contracts.”

“In spite of these challenges, we had a plan in place to continue to steer through this. However, the business has HMRC arrears, predominantly from the pandemic.

“Like many in the industry, the HMRC had been working with us. However, this recently changed and the debt was demanded to be paid back within a short period, which meant the we could no longer continue to trade.

“We are at least pleased that staff members will all be paid and we wish them all the best for the future, and we would like to thank our customers for their custom.”

The Clubhouse on Friar Gate in Derby was run by the same company and will also close its doors.

The company’s two freehold sites in Derby, The Greyhound on Friar Gate and Derby Brewing Tap House on Derwent Street, will be sold. Both remain open and will be sold as a going concern to safeguard jobs, and are being marketed by the administrator.

Paul Harris, Managing Director of Derby Brewing, said: “It is with huge regret that we have been unable to steer the business through this extremely challenging period. We have unfortunately joined a growing list of operators to close previously successful businesses.

“The final nail in the coffin was a combination of the government allowing energy contracts five-fold previous levels to remain in place once their 50 per cent support was removed, and the, in our view, unreasonable behaviour of the HMRC.

“We are extremely sad for the team members who have lost their jobs and the dismantling of a business we as a family have built over nearly 20 years.

Trevor Harris, Director of Brewing, added: “This is an extremely upsetting situation for the team and family. We are pleased, however, that we have been able to continue the name of Derby Brewing, returning the business into a smaller family operation where we hope to build from.”

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