Manchester-based brewery Cloudwater is terminating its contract with BrewDog, which had enabled it to get its craft beers into Tesco supermarkets.
The local brewery issued a formal statement addressing the ‘winding down’ of its partnership with BrewDog, which has been embroiled in a row about workplace culture.
In a Disclosure documentary that aired on the BBC earlier this week, BrewDog co-founder James Watt was accused of inappropriate behaviour by colleagues in the brand’s bars in the US – allegations that he says are ‘totally false’.
BrewDog co-founder James Watt. Credit: BBC
Cloudwater has now said that it has ‘reviewed the situation’ with its Beer With Big Ideas contract with the Scottish brewery, and will begin to cut its ties.
They have said on Twitter that they were ‘simply not aware of the extent of the problem’ but stressed that they ‘stand in solidarity’ with those in the beer industry who are fighting for the best possible working conditions.
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Cloudwater’s termination of their contract with BrewDog will also mean they discontinue production of their Cloudwater Vs Brewdog New England IPA.
A statement shared on Monday states: “We’ve got an update for you all regarding our beers in Tesco.
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Cloudwater’s taproom in Manchester. Credit: Cloudwater
“At the very start of last year, we entered into a contract with BrewDog to supply Tesco stores.
“When the contract was produced, the opportunities, outlook and the context for this agreement looked very different.
“Following a review of the situation, including consideration of alternative opportunities through grocery to support the breweries involved in the Beer With Big Ideas initiative, we have begun the process of winding down the contract with BrewDog early, and have notified Tesco of our decision.
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“It will take time for both completion of remaining contractual negotiations and for long supply pipelines to clear.
“This is all we are able to say at the current moment. Thanks for your understanding.”
They later added on Twitter: “We simply were not aware of the extent of the problem and, as a human-centred employer that prioritises the wellbeing of its team above typical commercial goals, we stand in solidarity with people in the industry collectively striving for the best possible working conditions.
We simply were not aware of the extent of the problem and, as a human-centred employer that prioritises the wellbeing of its team above typical commercial goals, we stand in solidarity with people in the industry collectively striving for the best possible working conditions.
“In this regard, we can only aim to earn people’s trust through our actions. We’ll be trying our best to do just that.”
Another post from Cloudwater states: “We know a lot of folks will be disappointed to see the beers removed from Tesco shelves but we believe it’s the right decision for everyone.”
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After The Truth About BrewDog aired on Monday evening, James Watt posted on Twitter: “The BBC published claims which are totally false & they 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.”
Credit: BrewDog
Allan Leighton, chairman of BrewDog, said: “Since the publication of the open letter in 2021, we have overseen a major independent review into our culture, which included reaching out to all signatories and all leavers over the past 12 months, and we have implemented a wide-ranging action plan to address the issues raised.
“To those former crew members for whom BrewDog failed to meet their expectations, we are sorry. To those who felt strongly enough about their experience to participate in the programme, we urge them to get in touch with our HR Team or use our independent ethics hotline so we can listen and act. Their feedback is hugely valuable.
“Any allegations of impropriety are taken extremely seriously. James has provided full assurance that the BBC’s claims are not accurate and are based on rumour and misinformation. Where a complaint was raised in the US, these were fully investigated by an external third party and found to be without substance.
“James has committed to making improvements to his management style and he will continue that development under my mentorship. He has expressed considerable regret if his manner has in any way made crew feel uncomfortable – that is clearly not his intention and goes specifically against the collaborative culture we want to build.
“Under James’s leadership, BrewDog has grown from a 2 part-time employee start-up to a global brewer with over 100 bars, 5 hotels, 2,400 employees, with plans for considerable growth in 2022, with the creation of over 1,000 new jobs this year.
“In addition, BrewDog has taken a true leadership position in terms of sustainability. We have an incredible future, but our overriding priority is making sure we are the best employer we can be and that our people feel safe, valued and fulfilled. We will continue to provide updates on our journey.”
The Manc has contacted BrewDog for comment.
Featured image: Cloudwater / BrewDog
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Ticket requests are now officially open for Harry Styles’ one-night-only Manchester gig
Emily Sergeant
The time has come – the ticket request system for Harry Styles’ one-night-only gig in Manchester is now live.
In case you hadn’t heard, it was announced on Wednesday evening after much speculation that Harry Styles would be making a return home to Manchester for a one-night-only ‘intimate’ gig at Co-op Live to celebrate the release of his fourth studio album next month.
Styles is set to share Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally with the world on Friday 6 March – and it’s that very same night he’ll be taking to the stage in Manchester.
Although little is known about what to expect at the gig, the poster for the event does state that there’ll be a ‘special performance of the album’, so it seems fair to say that Manchester will be the first to hear the new set of songs in full live.
And if all of that wasn’t exciting enough as it is, the tickets are only £20 per person.
But, of course, there is a bit of a catch, as this isn’t your regular online queuing up for tickets scenario, this is a ‘ticket request’ system instead.
So, like us – and literally every other fan in the vicinity of Greater Manchester and beyond this week – you’re probably wondering what a ‘ticket request’ system is… what does it look like? How does it work? Basically, what the heck is it? Well, we’ve done a bit of digging around to get to the bottom of it so you’re not left too much in the dark.
According to Ticketmaster’s website, if an artist is running a ticket request, they’ll invite fans to request tickets so you don’t have to compete in a first-come, first-served sale.
This means you can take your time to review the available options and request the right tickets for you.
All you need to do is tell Ticketmaster which shows you’re interested in, the type of ticket you want, and your payment details. Then, if the tickets you request can be fulfilled, your card will be charged and you’ll get emailed instructions to access them in the Ticketmaster App.
Unfortunately, as much as we’d love it to be the case for everyone, submitting a request doesn’t guarantee you tickets – it really is just luck of the draw.
To request tickets, you’ll need to follow these three simple steps:
Select which shows you’re interested in and the type of ticket you want
Add your payment details
Harry Styles ticket requests are now live / Credit: Johnny Dufort (Publicity Picture)
Ticketmaster will then send you a summary email that details the tickets you’ve requested. Your card won’t be charged at this time, but they may charge a temporary £1 authorisation to your card to validate your request.
A maximum of two tickets per person can be requested, which has been set to allow for as many fans as possible to get tickets.
Now, here’s the crucial part – you will need to submit your request for tickets while the window is open until Sunday 8 February at 11pm GMT. After the request window closes, you’ll get a second email by 11:59pm GMT on Tuesday 10 February confirming whether or not your request has been fulfilled.
All that’s left to do now is provide you with the link here and send you on your way… oh, and may the odds be ever in your favour.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Oldham RLFC chairman to step aside following ‘stadium ban’ and winding-up petition
Danny Jones
Oldham Rugby League Football Club chairman Bill Quinn has said he is stepping down from his role at the organisation following a reported club-wide stadium ban and an HMRC winding-up petition earlier this month.
Quinn has now claimed that the petition, which requires a company to appear in court over debts, has since been resolved, but the 59-year-old is still set to leave the local outfit.
Mirroring the concerning circumstances that nearly saw Salford Red Devils disappear completely last year, before a former player’s investment rescued the sporting institute in the eleventh hour, Oldham RLFC looked to be staring down a deeply concerning period of uncertainty.
Speaking directly to Roughyeds fans in a lengthy video share on social media, Quinn said that while he disagreed with many of the comments left by supporters online over the last few weeks, he understands their frustration and right to know what’s going on in and around Boundary Park.
Reiterating that he’s “more than happy” to answer reasonable questions levelled by Oldham residents and matchgoers, he said that he denies allegations made by fellow native club, Oldham Athletic, stating that they are “totally unfounded and untrue”.
The Latics are currently refusing the rugby league side from using their usual home ground, with the football team also serving as landlords and raising concerns over unpaid taxes and outstanding funds still owed to debtors – including OAFC themselves.
You can read their most recent public statement in full HERE.
However, Quinn claims that both entities claim the other one owes them money, and the situation looks to be unfortunately heading towards formal litigation.
Nevertheless, while Chorley-based businessmen say the club is prepared to settle their monetary differences if arrears prove to be the case on their part, he has still said that he will soon be quitting.
As you can see, despite plenty of support and sympathy from the faithful fan base, the process looks to already be in motion, and many are being urged to provide their feedback on what should happen next.
"Trust between a club and its supporters relies on openness and communication — both of which currently feel lacking. This open letter is not written in a spirit of hostility, but out of genuine concern for the future of Oldham RLFC".
Despite Quinn’s insistence that “everyone will be paid”, the spectre of possible liquidation has still caused plenty of concern among the community.
In the case of Salford RLFC, they were fortunate enough to have ex-winger Mason Caton-Brown step in as part of a consortium – you can read our full interview with him HERE – but as the weeks and months of that saga proved, a lot can change even day to day.
As for the coaching front, Alan Kilshaw has been confirmed as the new boss of the Roughyeds following director of rugby Mike Ford and his assistant Callum Irving leaving last week.
While winding-up summons obviously still loom large over the club at the moment, Oldham fans do at least have games to look forward to, with the Greater Manchester Championship club set to face off against Dewsbury Rams in the third round of the Challenge Cup this Sunday, 8 February (3pm).
Daisy Jackson -
26th January 2022 
