A BREWERY owner has blamed a rise in business rates for the decision to close one of its sites.

Petra Wetzel, who runs WEST, said it was no longer commercially viable to run WEST on the Corner, a restaurant and pub in the west end of Glasgow.

In a statement, Ms Wetzel said that the level of rent and insurance, and the recent increase in rates forced the decision.

The WEST brand also has another pub in the city’s Glasgow Green and the owners said they plan to focus on that business.

Staff will also be transferred to the pub at the Glasgow Green.

Ms Wetzel said: “It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to close WEST on the corner.

“Our company motto is 'Glaswegian Heart, German Head' and the idea for a little WEST in the West End was most definitely a heart over head decision.

“I lived on Woodlands Road as a student and my son Noah loved the idea of a corner pub in the West End.

"However, the level of rent and insurance, and the recent increase in rates has meant the site is no longer of commercial benefit to our business."

The Herald ran a campaign earlier this year highlighting the potentially devastating effects of rates revaluation on businesses.

It led to a rethink by the Scottish Government, with Finance Minister Derek Mackay announcing a £45m package of measures to ease the burden of the new rateable values, including a 12.5 per cent cap on business rates rises for hotels, pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes for the first year.

Mr Wetzel came from Germany to study at Glasgow University and created West in 2006.

The company's flagship site is in the former Templeton's Carpet Factory building on Glasgow Green.

West on the Corner was opened in 2015 after a £350,000 refurbishment of the premises.

But Ms Wetzel said the company would now focus on its Glasgow Green venue.

She also voiced concern over the lack of chefs in Scotland.

She said: “Like many restaurant owners in Scotland, the lack of qualified chefs has also been a huge frustration to us and we are now concentrating our efforts on our flagship WEST venue on Glasgow Green and brewing award-winning lagers and wheat beers.”