The brewery was established by his predecessors in 1758 and Humphrey took over in the early 1980s. Until then the brewery had run its 300 or so pubs mainly as tenancies, where the business was let out to individual landlords, while still tied to the brewery. Over a relatively short period all were converted to managed houses, which allowed Humphrey free reign to set his own rules and impose them on his managers. This slowly but surely resulted in his somewhat idiosyncratic ways of enforcing the banning of mobile phones, music, televisions, laptops and of course, swearing at their pub estate. Over the years his iron rule was characterised by unannounced visits at all sorts of odd times of the day. I'm told that particularly, closing time was one to be especially on your guard. Subsequent peremptory sacking of managers for not following his rules to the letter was meted out. That is all fairly well known though, as are the outcomes. Disobeying his edicts, which are usually displayed clearly all over the pubs, seemed to make him particularly crabby if the sackings and closures are anything to go by. Following such dismissals, a large number of his pubs were closed and remained so, some for many years and many are still. (Up to fifty percent.) But we know all this I think.
New to me yesterday was that he was an old Etonian, which I suppose explains a lot - or doesn't depending on your point of view. While it has been seen before in smaller measures, there was a fair old outpouring of support for him from some former colleagues and pub managers, mostly along the lines of "If you obeyed the rules, you got on fine with him". The consensus, such as I could make out is that those who fell foul of him didn't think highly of him at all, while those who hadn't did. Despite ups and downs, the mayor of Tadcaster was pretty effusive in his praise of the man saying, according to the BBC, " Humphrey was a "true gentleman" and a "man of principle"."I've known him all my life and he's a respected person. He had Tadcaster at heart. 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."
As I've mentioned before in this blog, I've met Humphrey once and seen him in a local pub on one other occasion. He was a dapper man, both times dressed in a dark blue suit and very busy looking. I last wrote about Sam's here in 2022 and I commend it to you and my two accounts of meeting the man. The first in 2009 when I actually spoke to him and the other ten years later when I was next to him and didn't. I have also written fairly extensively about Sam's and their pubs when I was good at this blogging game. I commend all to you, particularly where I discuss his London estate, which was mostly acquired from one of the first Pub Companies, Henekeys, and operates on a modified model of the Humph regime.
I could go on, but I won't, but what will happen next? His London estate run by his son, Sam gives us a clue. There the rules still exist, but are applied more in the breach than the observance. Mobile phones are used willy-nilly, as are laptops and swearing - though I think anything excessive is jumped on - as it should be in any licensed premises.
My view is that is what will happen in the rest of the Smith Empire. While not encouraged, phones will be tolerated for simple things like silent scrolling, finding out the next bus and ordering an Uber etc. There is unlikely to be Juke boxes,TVs or live music. Illegal and ad hoc sackings and closures will become a thing of the past. Pubs will be able to attract managers more easily and more closed ones will re-open. I predict that young Sam will not throw out what makes Smiths different, but he will tone it down while keeping the best bits. That would be fine as I'm sure most of us still want the nod to the past that typifies Sam's pubs. If that does happen that is the optimum outcome and while not what Humphrey would have done, it is what he should have done,
So farewell to Humphrey Smith. A character, an oppressor at times, but a man who knew what he wanted and was not afraid to do just as he liked. Not always admirable traits for sure, but old school from a time breweries were full of such larger then life individuals, particularly family owned ones and Humphrey was probably the last of them in terms of running the business as a fiefdom.
They don't make them like Humphrey Smith any more and while that is a good thing, he certainly leaves a legacy to live up to. Or live down.
At times like this I miss my old mate the Pub Curmudgeon who would no doubt have also written about this. It has dragged me out of semi-retirement too.
Humphrey was very wealthy man. Rumour has it he was one of the first to see the value of the then derelict London Docklands, was also a landowner in Yorkshire and elsewhere, and freeholder of most of his pub estate including London. Lad did all right for himself.
I haven't used any photo of the Humph as I am unsure about copyright, but easily googled.
15 comments:
Mr Smith's major achievement was developing a substantial export trade for his brewery in the USA and other countries which ensured financial independence and also had a significant influence on the brewing industry in the USA
Well-written, and informative TM, as one would expect from your good self. Pitched at just the right level, as well.
My thoughts also turned to dear old ""Mudgie" and, as you rightly say, he would undoubtedly written about Humphrey's passing. It's at times like this that I feel we miss Peter the most, but quite often there are other posts and topics where I still expect to see his comments and replies, turning up.
On a different subject, I'm thinking of dragging myself along to the BGBW Summer Party, on 16th July. Ansbach & Hobday are hosting. Would be good to see you, if you are in London on that evening.
Thanks Paul. I'm a bit undecided about the Guild do. It would be a special trip, but not out of the question. I'll let you know.
A really well written piece, lacking the hateful comments I've seen elsewhere on social media.
I enjoyed your posts on Sam Smiths Rochdale estate a few years back.
Cheers Martin. I keep meaning to do all the missing ones. Now, that's a plan.
The world misses Mudgie.
That’s why you need to pull your thumb out and save beer bloggery.
Not sure about this tosh tho.
Your what you think will happen reads more like what you hope will happen.
The weird rules will likely be dropped as the effing and jeffing ban is only needed if you sell cheap pish and attract the towns dregs. Sams can maintain a value position north of Spoons and south of much of the rip off pub industry and attract respectable people. The devices ban never made sense to begin with.
Iti s easier to destroy a reputation than build one. Sams have a poor reputation to work for. It’ll take years to rebuild. There’s no easy route to atracting managers to open the shut pubs. Humpf dying turns a corner but isn’t a magic bullet.
Humpf had a daughter aswell as a son and she will likely now own a stake in an underperforming business with underutilised assets in a business she has little interest in.
The simpliest route to buying her out is asset divestment, raising the cash to buy her out, leaving the son with a brewery and smaller estate. Taking more debt to buy her out whilst half the real estate lies rotting is an expensive move. Selling the shut pubs solves 2 problems. Some might go to people wanting to run pubs, most will go to developers.
The USP of Sams is trad pubs and decent beer at a fair price. No reason to change that radically tho a little moving with the times is required.
I will go get a pure brewed when I can post it openly on twitter using my phone.
Of course that's a theory, but it views the world from only an asset perspective and you will likely know that isn't the usual ways of family businesses, though it does happen.
There's a lot of dosh in the Smith legacy and I suppose if like you suppose she is of the ilk that would want to accumulate even more dosh than the likely plenty and then some she will have already, then your way works. It is far more likely that what happens to the business is tied up in covenants,conditions and ore to protect the business - that's usually what family businesses do.
Another point is that the brewery assets that aren't being used can be released, adding to the already ginormous pot without needing to buy anyone out.
If you think that changing the business model to entirely embrace what everyone else does is a likely move, you may be right, but there is little to be gained by that and much to lose.
As for wishful thinking, maybe, but it still makes more sense to loosen the strings, get pubs open and yes, flog off what will never be opened again. The move to get pubs open is already under way and the passing of our dear Humph will accelerate it.
We shall see.
They will sell them in 2 or 3 parcels of pubs/property. Separately the brewery will be sold if possible, closed if not. The old beerage aren't interested in the beer any more. Look at old Greenall Whitley, they got out when the going was good. It was only Humph holding it all together and the others ain't interested. I suspect Sam was doing it out of loyalty to his dad. He can now enjoy a well earned early retirement.
Nothing is much said about the town of Tadcaster. Hopefully all the run down property will be restored and a Renaissance period will ensue. As long as its not all held in trusts etc
Jump about the Post Humph bus.
I suspect you are wrong, but we shall see.
Fuller, Smith & Turner (Fuller's), Charles Wells, Jennings Brewery. Wychwood Brewery, Morland & Co.Mansfield Brewery, Hardys & Hansons (Kimberley Brewery), Ridleys Brewery. Gale's Brewery (George Gale & Co.) Brakspear Brewery
Another incoming.....
The thing is the ownership is in the hands of people who are not pub enthusiasts. The Beerdia thinks in terms of pubs, breweries and beer dominated sloshy evenings. The Smiths will think terms of premises that stink of fags and stale beer in the morning. The smell of the blocked drains because the discretionary Repairs and Maintenance budget is held back. To them is an albatross round the neck. Get in there and enjoy the misery before they are gone. Speak with the old soaks on the red benches and court their views.
Let's see. FST and Youngs. Family no longer had control. External pressures to realise assets.
Jennings.Cant remember. Wychwood. A long complicated story I believe, but money at the root of it.
Mansfield and Hardy and Hanson. Legal loophole allowed covenants to be set aside in court allowing the companies to be bought despite not wishing to be.
Gales. Ran.out of money essentially.
I could go on.
Each story involves greed somewhere which can never be ruled out.
None of us know, that's the beauty of it all. Once upon a time we would not imagine there would be no ICI or no Whitbread. All things have their day and pass. As I see it a company held in aspic for over 40 years cannot suddenly start improving and evolving gradually. Likewise it cannot stay as it is. Any move forward with be difficult for the senior staff. There must be a lot of pent up frustration within the staff, along with perhaps much potential. Thje danger is they will try and change / improve things and it will go horribly wrong. There is a certain still to running a brewery and pub estate. It would need a whole new senior team. Can they be bothered with things like own brand crisps and soft drinks etc etc. Capable new people will not go with current quirks.
One thing is for certain, there is much uncertainty,
Cookie, Daughter Maude has her own business down south and mightn't suddenly take an interest in pubs or brewing.
It's probably the shire horses that are most worried.
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