TRADE unionists have slammed Brewdog’s James Watt as he splashes his millions on “vapid” TV while ditching the living wage for his workers.

Mr Watt, who co-founded craft beer giant Brewdog in Aberdeenshire in 2007 before going on to accumulate a fortune of over £250 million, has complained that after the Labour government’s October Budget, there has “never been a more difficult time to start a business in the UK.”

He said: “There are still an amazing batch of entrepreneurs and opportunities in the UK, but I think the environment at the minute does mean that some need that extra support to really grow to their full potential.”

Mr Watt made the comments as he promoted a new TV show in which he and investment firm Founders Capital will each put up £1m of investment into a start-up business.

He continued: “I’ve always been so disillusioned and, frankly, fed up with the tired format of reality TV business shows relying on worn-out tropes and stale stereotypes of entrepreneurs for comedy value, which are well past their sell-by date.”

Trade unionists in the hospitality sector have taken repeated issue with Mr Watt’s running of Brewdog — ranging from his personal conduct to recently ditching a commitment to pay workers the living wage — and were unimpressed by his largesse, branding him the stale stereotype.

Unite Hospitality’s Bryan Simpson told the Star: “If Mr Watt has enough money to waste on vapid programmes about capitalist greed, perhaps he should spend that money on the workers who made him his millions.

“Brewdog workers were told they would be paid the real living wage only to have it stopped; they were promised a share in profits but have ended up with pennies.”

Brewdog has been contacted for comment.