Taxi Driver Online

Thoughts on this one please. A kebab shop in a pub and club area of one of our local LA's is acting as a "booking office" for hackneys plated by the adjoining LA. They have an illuminated sign outside with the taxi firms name and number on. If I understand the current legislation correctly, they can get away with this. The vehicles they book whilst people are waiting and eating their kebabs are all hackneys so my understanding is no operators license is required and no legal infringment.

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

Sounds pukka.

However, if the Kebab buyers are eating their Kebabs, in house, rather than taking them away to consume elsewhere. They should be paying VAT on them.

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Don't dream it ~ Be it.

Good point Wee Eddie. Having seen the place though I think they just wait outside. More room to throw up between consuming kebab and arrival of out of area hackney.

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

Which area?

please pm me if you don't wish to divulge

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Hackneys don't need an operator's license, so those passing on work to them also don't need one.

But the office might need planning consent, and the drivers and vehicles need to be certain that they are not viewed as plying for hire on the street.

If was the local LO I would put in motion a review of their food license.

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IDFIMH

I wouldn't be surprised if someone hadn't already done this. My understanding is that they just make a phone call to the despatch office when cars are needed. I believe the kebab shop owner or family members actaully own some of the hackneys on the circuit.

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

Are the council who issue the HC licenses interested?

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I think they are going to be CC.....

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related

So if a kebab shop/pub phones for a PH on behalf of its customers does it need a PH ops licence?

If it advertises this, or makes provision, then yes.

If a customer asks for them to ring for a cab then no.

Maybe in this case it might go down to the issue of does the Kebab chap ring cabs for non customers.

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IDFIMH

do they do salad and hot chilli sauce?

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

hi all...
Is it still legal for a hackney to be plated in one borough and work on a radio circuit in neighbouring borough, and also can a hackney take a booking over the phone from a customer in different area to be taken from a-b in that area

100% yes to your first part.

Your second part, sort of, depends where you take the booking. If it's within your licensing district then once again we are at a 100% yes answer. If the booking is taken outside of your licensing district then I don't really think anyone knows nor cares. But IMO it's legal.

As for the pick up and drop off locations, it doesn't matter where they happen, in your district, outside of your district, the questions always relate to where the booking was taken and by whom.

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IDFIMH

ok thanks sussex

This is no Legal Opinion but, I was under the impression that a Journey was expected to, either Start, or Finish, within the Licensee's Area.

I don't suppose that there would be any problem in bending such a rule, for the occasional Customer, but I think that should a Company be set up to regularly Trade in another Licensing Area, then you can bet your bottom dollar that the Local Trade would attempt to stop them.

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Don't dream it ~ Be it.