Humphrey Smith, the owner and chairman of Samuel Smith’s Brewery, has passed away. He was 81.

The brewery and pub owner, who headed up the Tadcaster business for decades passed away following a long-illness.

Filings show he also resigned from his position at the business as director last month.

Ricard Sweeting, the mayor of Tadcaster was quoted by the BBC, calling Smith a “man of principle”.

He added: “He hadn’t been well for a little while but Mr Smith was a private man and it was kept quiet.

But it always is a shock when something actually happens and Tadcaster is in mourning.”

The brewery, which dates back to 1758, still uses stone Yorkshire squares, made of solid blocks of slate, to ferment all its ales and stouts (except Sovereign and Extra Stout) and the same yeast strain has been used since the 1800s.

However, the brewery’s owner made headlines frequently over the years. Across the company’s pub estate, Smith was known strict approach that included banning music, television, dogs, swearing and children.

The company has approximately 300 pubs in the UK but a significant number of these acre current shut and without tenants.

And 10 years ago, it also denied the council the chance to build a temporary footbridge over Tadcaster’s River Wharfe following a flood the year prior. With the brewery describing the repairs a waste of money, many local residents were left severely affected by lack of access.