Land-hoarding Tadcaster brewer has town over a barrel on bridge scheme

Plans to build a footbridge to reunite both halves of flood-hit Tadcaster have hit troubled water after a prominent local landowner refused to play ball.

Links between east and west Tadcaster were effectively severed when the town's eighteenth century stone bridge suffered a partial collapse in the midst of flooding during storms Eva and Frank.

Plans are afoot to restore the old bridge with government ministers pledging £3 million to fund North Yorkshire County Council's 12-month reconstruction programme. An additional £300,000 was made available to restore pedestrian access via a temporary pontoon bridge while work is carried out.

But this temporary crossing now looks to be in serious peril after a significant local landowner threw a spanner in the works.

Samuel Smiths Old Brewery, headed by eccentric businessman Humphrey Smith, owns a great deal of real estate in Tadcaster and is known to exert significant influence over day-to-day life in the town and those who live there. It decried the proposed footbridge as a 'waste of public money' and said it would not permit its land to be used in the scheme.

In a somewhat stroppy email to County Hall the brewery laid blame for the bridge's collapse firmly at the feet of the county council and said Tadcaster was 'fortunate' to have other river crossings available for use 'above the flood plain'. (See below for full email content).

Tadcaster residents and political representatives have expressed strong support for the proposed bridge and reacted with fury and disbelief at the brewery's attempt to veto the project. Hundreds of local residents crammed into a public meeting at Riley Smith Hall on Monday evening where many voiced their anger.

MP for Tadcaster, Nigel Adams MP (Con, Selby & Ainsty) used his facebook page to attack the brewery's obstinance. He said, "The decision by Samuel Smith's Old Brewery not to grant permission for a temporary footbridge across the Wharfe on their land adjacent to Sainsbury's is outrageous and completely contrary to the community spirit shown by town residents and businesses since the Boxing Day flooding.

"This morning I met with the government's Flood Envoy, Robert Goodwill MP in Tadcaster. He is of the same opinion as me that the Brewery owner should immediately reconsider his position and allow the construction of the footbridge, which is so badly needed by residents and traders to reconnect the town.

"Alternative positioning of the footbridge is being actively considered now to ascertain whether a different location is feasible given the size of the structure. Additionally, every legal avenue is being examined to see whether the initial desired location can still be utilised, despite the landowners unwillingness to cooperate.

"The government has acted speedily since Boxing Day to support flood victims, including the announcement of £3.3m funding for Tadcaster Bridge and a temporary footbridge. It is, in my view, an extraordinary decision for one individual to unilaterally decide that this assistance is not a good use of taxpayer's money. I'm sure that many people in the town will share that view."

The Selebian understands that a nearby alternative site is currently being looked at to deliver a footbridge.

♦ What do you think? Has the brewery got a point or is Tadcaster being held to ransom in a real-life game of Monopoly? Scroll down to leave your comments (click here if reading on The Selebian's app)