Humphrey Smith, the reclusive owner of the Samuel Smith’s brewing and pub business, has died aged 81, prompting mourning in his hometown of Tadcaster. The brewer, established by his family in 1758, became famous for its eccentric pub rules — banning mobile phones, music, televisions and swearing — which Smith enforced after taking control in the 1980s.
Tadcaster’s mayor, Richard Sweeting, described Smith as a “true gentleman” and a “man of principle”. “He hadn’t been well for a little while but Mr Smith was a private man and it was kept quiet,” Sweeting said. “But it always is a shock when something actually happens and Tadcaster is in mourning.”
“Humphrey Smith, owner of Samuel Smith's brewery known for banning phones and swearing in pubs, dies aged 81.”
The flag on the town centre brewery was flown at half-mast in tribute. Sweeting added: “The one thing people are saying is that it is the end of an era and it’s true because you often saw him walking through the town. I’ve known him all my life and he’s a respected person. He’s a true gentleman and he had Tadcaster at heart.”
The business, based in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, runs about 200 pubs across the UK. It is the smallest of the three breweries in the town and operates as an unlimited company, allowing it to maintain financial privacy. Upon becoming chairman, Smith turned tenants into managers directly employed by the brewery, enabling it to dictate its strict policies. Its website describes its pubs as “havens from the digital world”.
“Mr Smith had his standards, Mr Smith had his reasons and a lot of people understood,” Sweeting said. “Mr Smith was also a man of principle and there would have been a reason for regulations in the pubs. A lot of people were quite happy for those regulations because we respected him.”
Councillor Kirsty Poskitt, who represents Tadcaster on North Yorkshire Council, said her family had close ties with the brewery and that she found Smith passionate about local history. “He was very well-known, not just in Tadcaster, but across the country and probably throughout the world. It’s impacted lots of people. It’s a sad day,” she said.
Smith’s contributions to Tadcaster extended beyond brewing. Sweeting noted: “He’s done many things in Tadcaster unseen that people don’t know about. There’s a lot of amenities in Tadcaster that, if it wasn’t for Mr Smith and the brewery, we wouldn’t have. We’ve got a lot to thank him for.”