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BrewDog’s chief executive has denied any inappropriate behavior following allegations in a BBC documentary that accused him of abusing his power in the workplace by behaving inappropriately around female employees.
Several staff working at the craft brewer’s outlets in the United States claimed to have seen company boss James Watt give private late-night visits to female customers and his conduct often made female bartenders “uncomfortable”.
In the BBC Disclosures program broadcast on Monday evening, more than 15 former BrewDog employees spoke out against the CEO.
Mr Watt has strongly denied all the allegations, adding that the BBC’s claims are ‘completely untrue’
Katelynn Ising, a former employee of BrewDog’s flagship bar and brewery in Canal Winchester, Ohio — DogTap — told Disclosure that female staff would dress up to avoid unwanted attention from Watt.
She told the show: “We would make it a point to warn the new girls – like, ‘Hey, just so you know, James Watt is coming to town.
“‘Just, sort of, leave after your shift, don’t really hang around [and] don’t always do your hair and make-up that day, such as not attracting his attention”.
The BBC published completely false claims and published them despite the extensive evidence we provided to demonstrate that they were false.
Reluctantly, I am now forced to take legal action against the BBC to protect my reputation.
— James Watt (@BrewDogJames) January 24, 2022
She also claimed to have seen Mr Watt taking drunk female customers in their twenties on a private tour of the brewery.
Watt’s lawyer strenuously denied the allegation, saying the Scotsman regularly took male and female friends and customers on evening tours of the brewery, and that they were not intoxicated.
The lawyer added that an allegation of such behavior made in 2021 had been “thoroughly investigated” and “unsubstantiated”.
He said: “Mr. Watt regularly takes women and men, friends and clients, on evening tours of the brewery.
“It is not true to say that those who accompany him are intoxicated.
The claim he made was made by an employee in June 2021.
“This has been thoroughly investigated – allegations have not been substantiated – no further action was warranted by Brewdog USA HR.”
The craft beer company, which was founded in Ellon, Aberdeenshire in 2007, has expanded across the UK, Europe and the US.
It now owns more than 100 bars around the world and employs more than 2,000 people.
While Mr Watt declined to be interviewed for the documentary, ahead of its broadcast on Monday evening he took to Twitter to make a statement.
He said: ‘The BBC published claims that were totally false and published them despite the extensive evidence we provided to demonstrate that they were false.
“Reluctantly, I am now forced to take legal action against the BBC to protect my reputation.”
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