A Scottish family-run restaurant company has restructured after collapsing into liquidation.
The “much-loved and established” Aberdeen-based company was able to relaunch from the same location but shed eight jobs.
Smoke and Soul Venues, based at the Old Smiddy, fell into liquidation with Middlebrooks Business Recovery and Advice appointed.
The liquidator said 16 staff were made redundant, and a new entity called Smoke and Soul with the founding directors and two former workers has been created. Four former staff were taken back on.
A spokesperson for the liquidator said: “Katie McLachlan of Middlebrooks Business Recovery and Advice was appointed as liquidator over Smoke and Soul Venues Limited on February 11, 2026.
“The appointment of the liquidator unfortunately brought a conclusion to the trading of the business and resulted in the redundancy of 16 members of staff, including the two founding directors.
“The liquidator has prioritised assisting these staff members in making claims for sums due to them via the Redundancy Payments Service.
“The directors together with two of their former employees under a new entity have purchased from the liquidator the brand, goodwill and social media accounts with a view to continuing to operate under the much-loved and established Smoke and Soul brand.”
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The spokesperson added: “The new entity has also worked closely with a former landlord to forge a path forward with continued operations from the Old Smiddy location.
“We wish them all the best with their new endeavour. Greater detail will be reported to creditors of the company in line with Insolvency legislation.”
The operator said earlier The Firepit venue in Aberdeen city centre had closed.
A public notice stated: “We, Lindsay Jackson and Corey Milne, were the directors of the company within the past 12 months before it went into liquidation and on the day it entered liquidation.
“We give notice that it is our intention to act in one or more of the ways to which section 216(3) of the Insolvency Act 1986 (the Act) applies in connection with, or for the purposes of, the carrying on of the whole or substantially the whole of the business of the company under the following name: Smoke and Soul.”
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Ms Jackson told The Herald: "The set up we had wasn't viable.
"It has just been really challenging to make a success of it. The business itself was growing but we had our hardest year yet to the point that we ended up closing."
An eleventh-hour approach from two managers led to a new proposal being brought forward.
"We were very lucky that we had two managers that worked for us in the company that could see the potential," she added.
The firm’s website said: “Based in Aberdeen, Smoke and Soul are a family-run business, founded by two local ‘foodies’ Corey and Lindsay.
“Our team are dedicated to serving delicious, high quality BBQ food from our unique venue 'The Old Smiddy' and out and about at weddings and events; showcasing our legendary, mouth-watering, BBQ slow smoked meats, that will always have you coming back for more."
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