'Bootlegger' claims Wrexham Lager owes him money
- Published
Bootlegger, real name Karl Phillips, launched the Bootlegger 1974 Pilsner with Wrexham Lager in 2020
Social media personality Bootlegger said there was "no money going in my bank account" regarding his collaboration with Wrexham Lager.
In a video posted to social media, external, he was seen visiting the Wrexham Lager site, where he claimed he had been owed money since the start of the year.
Bootlegger, real name Karl Phillips, launched the Bootlegger 1974 Pilsner with the brewer in 2020.
Wrexham Lager said he was "fully paid up to date" before the video was made.
In an update posted later on Friday, external, Bootlegger claimed one of the company's directors had visited him at his home and told him he would be paid what he was owed.
He added he would be attending a meeting with the firm next week.
Famed for his drinking exploits and his understanding wife who he calls "the flamethrower", Mr Phillips has more than 360,000 followers on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In the four-minute original video captioned "Big always ducks small lads or so they say", he explained the history of his relationship with the brewer, saying they began working together "just before Covid" when the Bootlegger 1974 Pilsner was released.
Wrexham Lager says it has made "several attempts" to talk to Karl Phillips
"I'll have to be extremely careful what and how I say these things, but these people are no longer the people that I knew and loved once," he said, adding last year he had to wait several months for payment by the company.
"There is still no money going in my bank account," he added.
Mr Phillips then entered a building and confronted a staff member about the "money outstanding that you owe me".
The staff member said he probably needed to speak to someone called John, adding: "I know they've been trying to arrange a meeting with you."
Mr Phillips replied that "nobody's phoned my phone" and left.
He ended the video saying he "might go down, but I'm going to go down fighting, baby".
"You heard it and you've seen it then, they've been trying to arrange a meeting with me. You tell me how can you arrange a meeting with somebody when you don't even pick the phone up and ask them to come round," he said.
Responding to the first video, Wrexham Lager said "we appreciate Karl and the collaboration with him on the Bootlegger product", but went on to "clarify a few things".
"Karl was fully paid up to date before the making of this video. Bootlegger is still sold in our shop and on the pumps in several bars in Wrexham," the statement said.
In the video, Mr Phillips is seen at the Wrexham Lager brewery site
It added: "The Wrexham Lager Co is still run by the same family that Karl has always dealt with and will continue to be run by them for many years to come.
"There have been several attempts to contact Karl and sit down with him and we look forward to catching up with him properly in person."
Wrexham Lager have been contacted for further comment on Bootlegger's update.
MOMENTS, MUSIC AND NOSTALGIA: Wynne delves into the archives of the 1980s
FOR THE LOVE OF SPORT: The biggest names in Welsh sport and the stories behind them
- Published4 August 2023
- Published23 October 2023
