Taxi Driver Online

This is in quite a few outlets. The photo credit suggests he's maybe done this through some sort of news agency

Wonder who complained about this, though? I smell a rat


It's elf and safety gone mad! Grinch council BANS festive taxi driver from wearing Santa beard 'for the safety of the public'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... ublic.html

• Taxi driver, Brian Makwana, 37, dressed as Santa Claus to spread festive cheer
• South Kesteven District Council told him not to wear a Santa beard for safety
• One passenger complained saying they were unable to identify Brian
• To get around the ban, he coloured his normal beard with white hair spray

A fuming taxi driver has slammed Grinch council killjoys after they banned him from wearing a Santa beard over health and safety fears.

Brian Makwana, who celebrates his 38th birthday on Christmas Day, dressed as Santa Claus to spread festive cheer for his customers.

To complete the look, the dad-of-three donned a white beard but now town hall Scrooges have ordered him to remove it 'for the safety of the public'.



The bizarre ruling came after one passenger complained to the council saying they were unable to identify Brian because the beard covered his features.

Brian, who works for CB Taxis in Grantham, Lincolnshire, was told the rules stated his face must match his official ID badge.

Despite wearing a face mask to work for two years during the Covid pandemic, South Kesteven District Council banned his festive beard.

Brian now says he will be forced to scrap his 'Santa Taxi' which he had planned to drive around town until the New Year.

He said: 'Without the full costume it just doesn't have the same effect.

'I get waves from members of the public on the street and in cars, both young and old.

'But since I'm not wearing my beard, I get nothing as they just think it's a person wearing a Santa hat.

'After all it was council and government advice about wearing a mask and this was deemed acceptable so what is the difference, as you can see my eyes and the side of my face?'

The taxi driver also said that the size of his photo on his badge is only visible if a customer were to lean in closely or request to see it, which he claims 'has never happened.' 

In a bid to get round the beard ban, Brian coloured his normal beard with white hair spray, but it 'flakes badly and doesn't last very long'.



Despite running into the 'elf and safety' killjoys, Brian says he's 'determined to continue to put a smile on people's faces'.

He said: 'It makes me feel that some people need more Christmas cheer to help them because they are feeling so bad or low to have to complain about something like this.'

Brian received an email from the South Kesteven District Council licensing team after they had received one complaint.

The council said it is not their 'intention to spoil the festivities' but the 'safety of the public must always be the key priority'.

A spokesperson said: 'The photo on a driver's identification badge gives passengers reassurance, if needed.

'Therefore, we ask that any item of clothing that makes it difficult to identify a driver, must not be worn.'

When I get a minute I will show you how it should be done.

Won't know until I turn the bucket in and they count it, but I reckon I have raised about £400.00 so far this year - I have high hopes for tomorrow too.

Last year £515.05 and best ever was £556.xx (can't remember the pennies).

But good on him for giving it a go.

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Chris The Fish

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

one of our local drivers used to drive dressed up as santa during the run up to xmas day (not for charity) he reckoned it doubled his tips and nobody ever complained .

But SKDC are one of the most woke jobsworth councils in the UK !

If the passenger had concerns and I am shocked any passenger wanted to check his ID ( maybe it was a councillor or employee of the council) they could have asked him to remove the beard to compare to his badge photo surely but I suspect the passenger was a councillor on the licensing committee !

I notice also that only national news outlets are carrying this not the grotsville journal or the Mercury

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

It's on the Grantham Journal's website, Edders, and is more or less the same article, and with the same photos:

https://www.granthamjournal.co.uk/news/ ... s-9290883/

I'd guess someone to do with the trade (friend or family of another driver or competitor) or maybe one of these people who just don't like taxi drivers, and are always looking for something to complain about.

Or maybe even some daftie or zealot with an axe to grind about Christmas and Santa - you know, the type who denigrate anything to do with Christianity or Judaism, but will shout 'Islamophobia' at the drop of a hat.

Maybe the latter is unlikely, and I'd say more likely to be trade-related or just anti-taxi. But suspect that if it had been someone directly to do with the council or licensing then the driver would have become aware and/or it would have been disclosed in the article.

I didn't go past page 1 of the search and usually if it's not in the Mercury it's not in the grotsville journal either they tend to share stories that are "district wide"

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

But obviously the way round it is to use your own beard

But if this guy shaves it off twice a year then can't see how his image can be consistent with the photo badge a lot of the time, but I suppose it's just regarded as a reasonable difference in appearance.

But I wonder what would happen if someone complained to Ellesmere Port Council


The Cheshire town that exists in a parallel universe where Santa's a taxi driver

https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/ch ... e-25702723

It started out as a joke, but cabbie Nigel Dixon, 58, is now putting his striking resemblance to Santa to good use


Image: Sarah Savory/Cheshire Live

When taxi driver Nigel Dixon grew his beard a few years ago, little did he know that it would lead to him becoming known as Father Christmas in his home town.

But for the 58-year-old cabbie from Ellesmere Port, it's a role he's happy to play during the festive period - particularly as it has helped him raise thousands of pounds for charity and good causes.

"It puts a smile on people's faces - that's what I do it for," the former Vauxhall worker told Cheshire Live. Nigel, who lives on the Stanney estate, has been driving around in his cab during December dressed as Santa for the last six years.

As part of his job Nigel has a number of school contracts so his resemblance to the main man has proven to be a big hit with the children he transports, although adult passengers are equally as pleased to be picked up by Nigel in his red suit.

It's a role that requires meticulous planning, with Nigel shaving his beard on June 25 and letting it grow until Christmas Day when he cuts it off again and repeats the process. He raises around £500-800 each year, with Claire House Children's Hospice once again the beneficiaries of his efforts in 2022.


Image: Sarah Savory/Cheshire Live

Explaining how it all began, Nigel said: "It started because I grew a beard and everyone started calling me Santa, it looked so realistic. I thought to myself I'll buy a suit for a joke and people loved it. I started raising money for charity and it just took off from there.

"You get some fantastic reactions. The kids start jumping up and down in the taxi. Seeing the look of shock on their faces when they see you, it's brilliant. There are kids who see me and call me Santa all year round!

"It gives you a warm feeling inside. And it's not just the children who love it. The binmen are shouting and waving at you when you go past."

Over the years Nigel has also visited schools, hospitals and nursing homes dressed as Father Christmas - so it something he could envisage becoming a career?

"No, I don't want to make a profit from it," said Nigel, who has been a taxi driver for 12 years. "That's not what it's about, so I won't be making a career out of it!"

Nigel's efforts to spread festive cheer across the town has been highlighted by his proud sister Sarah Savory on community Facebook page Pride in the Port. She posted: "As some of you will know or have had the pleasure of getting a cab with him! My brother Nigel Dixon is again driving his cab dressed up as Santa and collecting for Claire House please give what you can! He makes me incredibly proud each year."

Kim Jones responded: "He is amazing. He starts growing his beard every year so that it looks more authentic for children. He always talks to kids as he leaves Asda car park and he will let parents take a picture of him with their child/children. He collects for charity every year and his sister Sarah Savory always posts how much he collected. Nigel is just the best."

Another uber-clanger below. For the likes of people on here, it would actually be quite a good joke if it had been meant. But it obviously wasn't

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggNY3b6cQhI&t=3363s

(Strictly speaking, the clue is in the words 'Grinch council' - if that had actually been the name of the licensing authority, the 'c' would have been capitalised - 'Grinch Council' )