Don’t know if this is the right place to highlight some of the crazy things that we come across with local licensing but here goes.
Gateshead licensing recently told one of our customers that his despatching system would have to be replaced as it didn’t comply with their rules. The reason stated was that operators need to enter the driver number that would be doing the job as the booking was being taken. Don’t think I need say much more on this but he went away very red faced.
Just yesterday Darlington licensing committee decided that it’s no longer allowable for a customer to state a general destination area such as town when ordering a car. They say the records need to show exact pickup and drop-off details and “as directed” would be a hanging offence and the arguments still ongoing.
But by far the most common complaint we get is when a licensing officer walks in and demands a hard copy printout for the last three months. Aside from the fact that nobody in their right mind would ever read through so much stuff, they fail to realise that it would involve multiple boxes of paper and ink cartridges not to mention a about a days time to print.
Common sense clearly isn’t a prerequisite to be a licensing official.
