How Britain's most reclusive beer baron ruled Samuel Smith's pubs with an iron fist banning modern comforts - while keeping an entire town locked in 'the Dark Ages'

By JOHN SIDDLE and JAKE HOLDEN, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 12:04, 1 July 2026 | Updated: 12:23, 1 July 2026 The British pub is perhaps this country's most famous and best-loved institution, and beer baron Humphrey Smith devoted his life to defending it with an iron fist. His death was announced yesterday, and he leaves behind a somewhat polarising legacy - a stout defender of pub values, or an uncompromising, fearsome figure and terror to landlords. Smartphones were forbidden, as were laptops, televisions, music and fruit machines in the more than 200 pubs he owned. Swearing, dogs, muddy boots and children were also unwelcome in many premises. Those who knew the 81-year-old in his home town of Tadcaster in North Yorkshire called him a 'Dickensian figure' in his old-fashioned ways, but it's a description that, like a lot of things about the man, is double-edged. Locals accused him of locking the picturesque market town in the 'dark ages' when talking to the Mail in 2024. His beer empire - the Samuel Smith Old Brewery - was reported to own 70 per cent of Tadcaster's commercial property, and it was said to have been wasting away under his management, or lack thereof. Derek Hawley, 70, previously told the Mail: 'We like Tadcaster, but it is just stuck in time. Lots of the shops are empty because they're owned by Humphrey Smith. 'We'd like to see more happen here. A prime example is Boston Spa, four or five miles away, which is thriving, and Wetherby, too. 'Tad, because of Humphrey, it's in the dark ages.' Pictured: Humphrey Smith, the reclusive owner of the Samuel Smith's brewery, going for his daily lunchtime swim in Tadcaster Mr Smith (pictured) who was born on December 17, 1944, headed the family brewery in Tadcaster which traces its history back to 1758 and claims to be Yorkshire's oldest But others took to his defence, insisting he was 'cordial' and a 'nice man' who is wrongly blamed for the town's failings and was 'misunderstood'. Mr Smith was born on December 17, 1944, and headed the family brewery from Tadcaster. The business began in 1758 and claims to be Yorkshire's oldest. Under his leadership, Samuel Smith's grew into one of Britain's most distinctive pub companies, operating more than 200 establishments across the country. He was a very particular man, borne out in the strict rules on how his pubs were run - landlords could reportedly find themselves out of a job if Smith believed they had failed to enforce his rules. Landlords Eric and Tracey Lowery were sacked in a notorious incident in 2019 when Mr Smith overheard a customer tell a joke containing a swear word at the Fox and Goose in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire. They had only been in the job seven weeks before they were turfed out of the pub and the flat above. It was this particular nature about how his business was run that locals said was to the detriment of Tadcaster. One told the Mail previously: 'A lot of the buildings on the high street are falling apart and wouldn't be fit for any business to rent. Pictured: A coaster in one of the Sam Smith pub's which encourages people to talk - and bans devices Pictured is the Samuel Smith brewery in Tadcaster where Mr Smith runs his 200-pub strong chain  'But Humphrey is also very selective as to which businesses are allowed to rent from him. He won't have any big chains renting from him. 'We all agree that Tadcaster could be a lovely little town with nice bars and independent restaurants, but he stands in the way. 'The few restaurants we have are nice but struggle as there's no reason to come to Tadcaster unless you live or work here. 'I don't think it can get much worse to be honest. The butcher does well and the cafes seem to do well, but that's it. I'd hope we're at rock bottom, but who knows. 'He has too much control and he shouldn't have the right to that. We live here too.' But from the outside, his appearance appeared to be a far cry from his formidable reputation as a fearsome beer baron. He was often seen meandering to the local pool for a lunchtime dip with a worn towel under his arm, dressed in a three-piece suit, of course.  Patrick Tunney, 86, who has lived in Tadcaster for more than three decades, said: 'He's the Laird of Tadcaster. That's what I've heard people describe him as. 'I've heard him described by people who admire him and I've heard him described by people who absolutely abhor him. 'It's split in the community - you love him or hate him. He's a Marmite man. 'Sadly, the town isn't the same as it was 30 years ago, and it's not the same as it was before Covid. 'We've lost the bank, the building society, the main post office and lots of the pubs. 'There doesn't appear to be any intention [by the brewery] to do anything about it. '[Mr Smith] lives and walks through Tadcaster every day and some people say they can't understand how he doesn't see what's happening around him.' Many Samuel Smith pubs occupy handsome historic buildings and retain traditional features, including open fires, wooden panelling and Victorian fittings. The Victorian tradition extends beyond the building and found its place in further strict rules for the landlords he employed. At the Cow and Calf in Sheffield, manager Louise Brownhill and her husband Steve claimed they were dismissed after Smith discovered his preferred dessert was not in stock (a chocolate fondant). Mrs Brownhill said the couple had been unable to stock the dessert because the brewery had not provided them with a freezer. At an employment tribunal involving two former Edinburgh pub managers, Mr Smith was characterised by a judge as 'combative and argumentative'. Pictured: A derelict former solicitor’s office owned by the Samuel Smith's brewery in Tadcaster Pictured: A derelict building rots in the centre of Tadcaster near the Samuel Smith's brewery Pictured: Local Derek Hawley told MailOnline: 'Tad[caster], because of Humphrey, it's in the dark ages.' Employment judge Murdo Macleod said Mr Smith appeared dismissive of the proceedings and gave the impression that they were either 'a waste of his valuable time or beneath him'. A certain penchant for frugality also ran through multi-millionaire Mr Smith's life - foregoing flash Rolls-Royces and Ferraris for his trusty Austin Allegro. In later life, he was said to travel by public bus, sometimes appearing unexpectedly at distant pubs with a portfolio tucked under his arm. His empire had a profound effect on the running of Tadcaster - exemplified by the amount of sway he had when the historic bridge there collapsed into the River Wharfe following devastating floods in 2015. He refused the council's use of his land to build a temporary crossing unless he was given input into the permanent replacement. Eventually, the local authority found a space of council-owned land that could be used for the interim bridge and then Prime Minister David Cameron had to step in for the permanent replacement to be built. But the Mayor of Tadcaster Cllr Richard Sweeting said the town was in 'mourning' over his death and that the town would not have had a lot of the facilities it does without Mr Smith. He said: 'It's the end of an era. Mr Smith has been part of Tadcaster for many years and has done a lot for this town. 'But he wasn't one for publicity. He would like to do things behind the scenes. We wouldn't have a lot of the facilities in the town if it wasn't for Mr Smith and the brewery. 'I knew Mr Smith extremely well. There was one thing he did have. He did have the town at heart. He was a Tadcaster person. 'I have known him all my life and his mother. He has done a lot for the church and the community. To me, he's just Mr Smith. They do a lot of unseen things. 'Talking to people in the town, Tadcaster is in mourning. It's the end of an era. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this sad time.' Beer runs deep in the veins of Tadcaster. It is home to three breweries total, with John Smith's being set up by members of the same Smith family in the 19th century, though it has long been separate from Sam Smith's and now part of Heineken. Molson Coors also has a plant in the town, where 'Spanish' beer Madri is brewed. Companies House records show Smith resigned as a director of Samuel Smith Old Brewery on June 17, 2026. News of his death was first reported by York Press, which said it had received a verbal confirmation of his passing over the phone from the notoriously media-averse brewery. The British Pubs Facebook site posted: 'An absolute titan of the British brewing world has passed away. Humphrey Smith, the famously traditionalist and eccentric owner of Yorkshire's Samuel Smith's Brewery, has died.' The post continued: 'Love him or hate him for his strict rules - banning smartphones, tablets, music, and even swearing - he ran his pubs entirely his own way to preserve the classic, tech-free British Pubs experience.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. 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