2025-01-24
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Humphrey's World how the Samuel Smith's Beer Baron Built Britain's Strangest pub chain By Mark Blacklock in early September 2022, Olivia Bianco and her husband Liam were driving through Stamford Bridge, an idyllic village on the River Derwent near York, when a shuttered pub caught their eye.
Stuck to one of the Windows was an A4 sheet advertising for a couple to live in and manage the pub.
On the advert was a mobile number for Samuel Smith, the brewery that owned the pub.
Founded in 1758, Samuel Smith Old Brewery is one of the largest family owned brewery and pub operations in the uk.
Bianca had experience in hospitality and she and Liam were open to a change.
They decided to look into the job online.
They came across a few stories of couples who'd been thrown out of their jobs running Samuel Smith's pubs, largely for missing money or missing beer.
Bianca said nothing unusual about that, but when the couple dialled the number on the advert, they were surprised to find themselves speaking to Humphrey Smith, the stupendously wealthy chairman of the company who has been in charge since the 1970s.
He said, I can come and meet you tomorrow, Bianca told me.
It was very odd and we were very nervous because we were living in a small caravan and here was a millionaire coming to visit us.
The next morning, Smith, a small man in his late 70s dressed in a dark business suit, showed up at the couple's caravan in the East Yorkshire countryside.
Bianca recalled his roomy eyes.
Smith would be conducting their job interview personally.
He told them the meeting was strange.
It was like he was warning us, bianca said.
He was asking, are you sure it's right for you?
The following day, Smith met them at the pub, the New Inn and handed over the keys.