The death of Humphrey Smith at the age of 81 sees the passing of the controversial owner of Samuel Smith’s brewery in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. He leaves a legacy of closed and shuttered pubs, and often appalling treatment of both his publicans and customers.

But he had a strong belief in traditional brewing methods that included the Yorkshire square fermenting system. Resident coopers built and repaired oak casks while local deliveries were made by horse-drawn drays.

Smith inherited a brewery (above) that dates from 1758 and is Yorkshire’s oldest beer maker. It was opened by a member of the Smith family following a falling out that led to two breweries in Tadcaster sharing the family name. John Smith’s is now owned by Heineken whereas Sam Smith’s remains fiercely independent.

Humphrey Smith studied at Eton College, then he and his younger brother Oliver joined their father Geoffrey at the brewery. When Geoffrey died suddenly in 1965 the brothers took over, with Humphrey eventually becoming sole owner and chairman.

He built a reputation for ruthless behaviour and often curious business decisions. He removed the branding from all his pubs: only the beers on the bar told customers they were in a Sam Smith’s pub.

He stopped dealing with other suppliers and the wines, spirits, soft drinks, peanuts and crisps all came from Tadcaster. There’s a common menu for all the pubs with strict portion control.

At a time when most British lagers are parodies of the real thing, Humphrey brewed a genuine beer in collaboration with Ayinger in Bavaria, Germany. The beer was praised for its authentic taste, with supplies of yeast sent to Tadcaster on a regular basis. But in 2005 Humphrey ended the relationship with Ayinger and made instead Pure Brewed Lager to his own specification.

He could be vindictive in his treatment of other companies. In 2011, he took legal action against the small Cropton brewery when it used the White Rose of Yorkshire symbol on a special beer called Yorkshire Warrior.

Even though sales of the beer were going to the regiment’s benevolent fund, Humphrey took Cropton to court on the grounds that the White Rose symbol was Smith’s registered logo. He won the case.

It’s estimated that around half the brewery’s 200 pubs are closed as a result of Humphrey’s bizarre attitudes. The closures include several in the home town of Tadcaster, including the flagship outlet the Angel and White Horse. He banned music, TVs, mobile phones and all electronic devices, children, dogs and bikers – the last dubbed “undesirables”.

Customers were evicted for swearing. At the Fox and Goose in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire, Humphrey heard a customer using the F word. He immediately closed the pub, leaving publicans Eric and Tracey Lowery jobless and homeless.

When he visited the Cow and Calf in Sheffield he dismissed publicans Louise and Steve Brownhill when they failed to serve him his favourite dessert, chocolate fondant.

In 2019 the Cheshire Midland pub in Hale, Greater Manchester, was closed when brewery representatives found a man using a mobile phone. He claimed he was sending an urgent text message, but he was told to leave the premises. The pub was then closed, and the stock was removed the following day.

Humphrey was not troubled by the hardship faced by his publicans when he closed their premises. In 2024 he axed the Shoulder of Mutton in Bradford without warning. That year he also shuttered the Wellington Inn in York and popular landlady Sue Frost was evicted with 24 hours’ notice.

In spite of its close ties to the Smith family, the Crown Inn in the village of Bolton Percy in North Yorkshire has been closed. Generations of Smiths have been married and buried there.

Humphrey took on the powerful GMB trade union when he sacked a number of managers for serving more than full pints of beer.

One manager, supported by the GMB, took the brewery to court for constructive dismissal and won the case.

The London pubs are run by Humphrey’s son Sam. Such famous outlets as the Olde Cheshire Cheese and the Princess Louise enjoy an easier relationship with Tadcaster, but in 2025 there was outrage when Humphrey abruptly closed the Ye Olde Swiss Cottage pub.

The pub dates from the 1830s and is such a famous North London landmark that both the neighbourhood and underground station are named after it. No reason was given for the closure and, despite its history and status, the pub was not listed as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). If it had, it could have stopped the axe falling.

Humphrey incurred much criticism in 2015 when floods swept away a bridge over the River Wharfe that connected two halves of Tadcaster. The bridge was needed for people to go to work, take children to school, visit surgeries and other communal activities.

The local council proposed laying a temporary bridge over the river, with one side on Sam Smith’s brewery land. Humphrey refused and locals had to make a nine-mile detour to get from one side of the river to the other.

If he had a positive side, it was to remain true to traditional brewing methods. The Yorkshire square fermenters are the beating heart of the brewery. The system, in common with the Burton unions, cleanses beer of yeast and produces sparkling pale ales.

Sam Smith’s produces only one cask beer, Old Brewery Bitter (4 per cent). Its extensive range of bottled beers is highly regarded, in particular Taddy Porter (5 per cent) and Imperial Stout (7 per cent).

The bottle-conditioned Yorkshire Stingo (8 per cent) is aged in oak casks, some of which are more than 100 years old and maintained by resident coopers.

Humphrey Smith leaves a mixed legacy, with both ruthless and traditional streaks. It seems likely his son Sam will take over the running of the company, but this cannot be confirmed as the brewery refuses to answer media enquiries.

It’s to be hoped that, whatever the outcome, publicans will enjoy greater freedom to run their outlets and serve customers keen not only to enjoy good beer but also to use the electronic devices the modern world has to offer.