Jim Thomas has penned an article on a recent news story, from his Anderson Shelter website:
Again the good name of out trade has come under attack from lazy journalism. This time from an online magazine aimed at the City of London called "City AM".
In her article in the Capitalist column about the reintroduction of foot messengers to the square mile, HARRIET DENNYS refers to John Griffin as Britain’s best-known Taxi driver.
Harriet obviously hasn't done her research. Griffin has never been a Taxi driver, he never had the strength of character to made the grade. He is in fact no more than a back street minicab driver who found a way of amassing a fortune on the backs of extremely low paid foreign workers desperate for a job. Apart from the fact he tells his drivers to park on licensed Taxi ranks, there the similarity ends.
You would think that writing for an online City magazine, Harriet would at least take the time to do some basic research into articles she posts but no, sadly not. She goes on and actually calls him a Taxi Tycoon later in her article.
In her interview Griffin takes a pop at the trade he aspired to emulate and now despises, saying;
Addison Lee is on an “upwards spiral”, with revenue up 22 per cent for the year to date, lifted by the new iPhone app for mobile bookings – “the single biggest contributor to revenue upturn in the company’s history”. “The days of standing in the street waving your hand to get a cab are over.” (
Really? Well it keeps me busy enough John!)
MEANWHILE, Addison’s Lee’s legal battle to win the right to use bus lanes has come to a disappointing (for him) conclusion. (
)
The court has refused the minicab firm’s appeal, in a judgment that has left the him fuming.
Griffin has been on tenterhooks for weeks to hear whether he would secure the ruling to allow his vans in Bus Lanes.
“We are only seeking fairness,” said Griffin, who plans to seek a judicial review.
“We demand the right to trade on a level playing field with our competitors.”
Jim writes : That's easy done Johnny, just get your minicab drivers to do the knowledge and buy a fleet of proper Taxis. That way they can legally drive in most bus lanes and use licensed Taxi ranks, instead of flouting the law.
Mind you Johnny, you wont get away with paying them the minimum wage, so you probably wont be doing that!
Harriet, next time you get in one of Griffins vans, ask the driver how much he earns an hour, I promise you, you will be shocked!
