Taxi Driver Online

Hi there,

I'm working on a new food series for the BBC, and was wondering whether anyone knows any good taxi-rank cafes in the UK - preferably not in London, but having said that I'd be keen to hear about any!

I'm especially looking for places that do good breakfasts...

Any help or advice much appreciated. Best way to contact me is by email: catherine.phillips@bbc.co.uk .

Thanks!

Catherine

Any chip shop,Macdonalds or Burger king

OMG!!! in a climate that has made it almost impossible to dispense with a number two after 5pm the BBC thinks it will find a modern day Cabman's Rest, it will be a good watch if they can find some, but it will be a needle in a haystack.

I appreciate that it is quite unusual - I figured this would be the best place to ask though.

I fear that the Cab-Rank Café has, more or less, died. They existed, primarily, to service the Night Cab-Ranks in the pre-Telephone days.

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Don't dream it ~ Be it.

I don't think I can think of a single one in Brum that is regularly frequented by cabbies in any numbers.

And that is largely due to the fact that most of our drivers now are Asian, about 90%ish, and of that number most are Muslim; they don't eat bacon or sausages (no pig at all) and all their food needs to be halal.

So the full English breakfast at the cabbie cafe for them is a no-no, hence the death of the cabbie cafe, whether for breakfast or lunch.

Hope you have better luck elsewhere.

Now if you're talking about the cabbie curry house in the 'dead of night' or early morning hours, then that's a different story; quite a few of those in Brum now.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Hi Catherine.

Not sure about the best breakfast, but I can suggest a place where taxi drivers often go for a bacon butty and coffee and it probably has the best view of any taxi drivers place of rest. Go to Google maps and search for "Sea View, near Constitution Hill Road, Poole". On the arial view you should see some cars parked in a semi circlular road to the right of Constitution Hill Rd. If you then drag the orange Street View man onto that bit of road by the parked cars you should then see the tea hut with a couple of cabs in front. Spin around for an amazing view of Poole Harbour. You will notice the 2 friendly cab drivers waving at the Google car.

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Nobody told me to use my initiative. To err is human to arr is pirate.

Ask your Wood Lane site.

I'm sure some of the nice foreign national gentlemen who drive your staff around via your chosen Scab provider could show you a cafe or two.

That's providing they can speak to you in English, and find their way there without their little sat nav unit.

Ask them whether they are legaly in the country, that would be a good subject to start the proceedings of.

Regards.

GBC.

Into year 22 of never paying the BBC a penny through a tv license.

we have a greasy spoon at the bus station thats frequented by some cabbies but i wouldn't reccommend it most prefer to head up to the burger van on Easton layby

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

That's just it, it is now a burger van rather than a hut with a log fire and a good supply of PHM & Penthouse mags to read, with a comfy armchair and the haze of 3000 B&H stubs

Many of the local B&H cabbies use Mac's Cafe during the day, and the All Night Diner or Buddies during the night.

But I couldn't think of anything worse than sitting and eating with those misery guts.

Make good telly though.

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IDFIMH

As one earlier poster said, most of the old drivers are gone now and the Asians have taken over, every Cab which is transferred now, goes to an Asian. Asian work a totally different shift pattern to the English. A Manchester Cab cafe now, is any Curry house in Rusholme after 2am.

There's one in Liverpool by Lime Street Station if it's still there

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Lol, are you having a blond moment toots!?

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

One of the draws of the old Cafés (like the Rest Cabins) was that they had a telephone and many of the regular customers knew that number. Also, that Café Number would be known to the local Directory of Enquiry, Switchboard Operators who, in the old days, put many phone calls through to their destination.

So, ring Mick's Diner at 3am and you'll find an available Taxi.

I can just remember the London Cabins, in the early 60's, which were a feature of the 'pre-radio' Days. There was one on the Embankment that we used to visit, as young blades, on a regular basis, but you'll have to find someone in their Seventies to get a better view.

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Don't dream it ~ Be it.