Thu 23rd Jul 2015 - BrewDog reports £7.3m raised so far in £25m crowdfunding push BrewDog reports £7.3m raised so far in £25m crowdfunding push: BrewDog has reported a total of £7.3m has been raised in the three month since it launched Equity for Punk IV, aiming to raise £25m. The total number of investors in Equity for Punk IV is 13,022 and the average investment to date is £496. They have bought a total of 142,649 shares and there are 11,436 new Equity for Punks investors. BrewDog now has a total of 26,004 investors. The company stated: “We love our Equity Punks. They have, in many cases, followed us from our cold and drafty beginnings in Fraserburgh to where we are today (in Ellon; still occasionally cold). Their continued support and belief in our business, our people and our beer keeps us heading to work each morning. To count over 26,000 craft beer lovers as our shareholders is nothing short of amazing. We are proud that we involve them in the running of our company, rather than conventional rafts of faceless backers who follow their investment from the financial pages of the broadsheets. Putting the people who really care in control is what we are about. One of the major differences since the previous rounds of Equity for Punks has been the launch of our innovative referral scheme. Since we started issuing and tracking referral codes the numbers involved have risen and risen (although the chance to take home bottles of Death or Glory might have something to do with that). Every penny of the money raised so far – and that which comes in from this moment on – will be reinvested in our business to help grow BrewDog for those who have become shareholders. Already the investment has enabled us to start work on the new brewery expansion, and we are actively looking at opening new bars.” Reports shows further fall in young drinkers: The Government has released its annual report: Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England 2014, showing a continued decline in the number of 11 to 15-year-olds drinking alcohol. Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “The figures highlight the hard work being carried out by pubs and bars across the country to eradicate under-age purchases and to promote responsible consumption. Under-age purchases from pubs and bars stand at just 6% compared to almost a quarter for off-licensed premises and that figure has almost halved over the past two decades. Pubs and bars take their legal responsibility very seriously and this report lends weight to the ALMR’s argument that the pub still represents the safest and most secure environment in which to drink. We would like this good work taken into account when prioritising enforcement and, in particular, following calls from police for greater investment in ID scanning equipment. That the number of under-age drinkers remains so low is particularly encouraging given the evolving nature of our sector. Licensed premises are increasingly spaces for people of all ages to socialise with more and more emphasis on food. Crucially, we are not seeing an increase in illegal activity as more and more young people choose to eat out and that is very encouraging.”