Hi Mike,
Thank you. All went well.
Many Thanks,
George S.
Event Coordinator
Boat International Media

Our Head Marshal Paul proudly modelled our new Taxi Marshals vest for the camera!

The post Taxi Marshals at the Guildhall appeared first on London Black Taxis.

Earlier this month, one of our Pink Taxis festooned the grounds of the Natural History Museum in London.

Our client, Spectra-DMC (the UK’s Top Destination Management Company), hosted a gala dinner in the museum’s Hintze Hall.

Our Pink Taxi, lavishly garlanded with pink flowers, greeted the guests at the museum’s front entrance on Cromwell Road.

If you need a taxi for an event, film shoot, public relations stunt, or wedding, we hope you will contact us. We have black, white, and silver taxis, too. Whether you want to fill your taxi with flowers, wedding guests, or important celebrities, we would love to be part of your plans.

www.londonblacktaxis.net

www.londonweddingtaxis.net

www.londontaxisfilmproduction.com

Telephone +44 (0)20 3984 4515

Telephone +44 (0)20 3004 4953

The post Pink Taxi at London’s Natural History Museum appeared first on London Black Taxis.

We had the pleasure and honour to transport Sir Neville Purvis and his lovely wife all week to and from Royal Ascot Racecourse.

We do hope that Sir Neville and his wife has a lovely time and ended the week with a few winning races.

The post Sir Neville Purvis at Royal Ascot Racecourse appeared first on London Black Taxis.

In September 2019, we were contacted by Rays of Sunshine to help grant a wish to Ellie (named changed to protect privacy), who wanted to go shopping in central London in a Pink Taxi.

Our Pink Taxi was off the road that day, so we put a message out on Twitter to see if there were any pink taxi owners out there who were willing to help. We received dozens of heart-warming replies from taxi drivers wanting to help “pro bono” and from the general public wanting to donate something.

In the end, we teamed up with pink taxi owner Carlos Oliveira and taxi driver Steve Jones. Carlos wasn’t available that day, but he loaned his taxi to Steve so that we could organise Ellie’s shopping transportation for the day.

Steve gave the taxi a special sprucing up and festooned it with pink ribbons.

Steve collected Ellie and her family at Great Ormond Street Hospital, took them to Selfridges Oxford Street, waited until they were finished shopping, then took everyone back to GOSH.

Ellie didn’t want us to take her photo, so we are honouring her privacy. But driver Steve tells us that there were smiling faces all around and some very happy shoppers at the end of the day.

All of us here at London Black Taxis, taxi owner Carlos Oliveira, and taxi driver Steven Jones were so happy for this opportunity to donate our services to Rays of Sunshine and help make Ellie’s wish come true.

Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity was formed in 2003 to brighten the lives of children who are living with serious or life-limiting illnesses.

The post A Pink Ray of Sunshine appeared first on London Black Taxis.

www.londonweddingtaxis.net

The post Vintage London Taxis appeared first on London Black Taxis.

There’s a better than average chance that by now, you’ve heard about those ‘app’ connected taxi services that are quickly becoming popular here in the UK. But the big question on everyone’s mind is “Am I safe when I use one of these services”?

If you haven’t heard about these ‘app’ connected taxi services, here’s how it works. You decide which ‘E-Hail’ service you wish to use. Examples would be Uber and Lyft. You then use a phone app to find a car that is registered with their service that is in your vicinity. That car picks you up, and takes you where you want to go, sometimes (but not always) cheaper than a black cab you would hail on the street.

Unlike traditional medallion taxi companies, or a black cab service, just about anyone can drive for Uber or the other E-Hail services. Basically, all you need is a car and a smartphone app. There’s no license check. (Ever hear of a driving job where your driver license is not checked before you start?) Didn’t think so … me neither.

There is however a downloadable video test which you will need to pass, which is just about as difficult to master as tying your shoes. After you pass, you get all your paperwork in an ‘official, for your eyes only’ email, and then you’re off.

This makes it sound just a tad easier than it really is. There are a few other things that need to be addressed before you can start on your new career. The right shirt? That one’s kinda easy, not too many wrinkles and no smell. But what about insurance?

Services like Uber require all drivers to have taxi insurance. They do provide supplemental insurance, however only when the app is on. It works like this… When the app is off, then the driver is covered by their own insurance. When the app is turned on, a low level of liability insurance kicks in. As the driver accepts a trip/fare, a higher level of coverage begins, and remains in place until the passenger exits the vehicle. Important to note is that no app is infallible. Things can and do go wrong.

Kicking in, and kicking out? What about in-between? This has of late been dubbed ‘the gap period’, This gap period is the time when the app is on, but there is no passenger in the vehicle, and has become a lightning rod for controversy for drivers, regulators, and members of the public as well.

You may be thinking … “Well, he’s got his personal car insurance, right? No problem.” Not so fast. Most personal car insurance policies have a list of exclusions, and one of them is ‘driving-for-hire’. Ouch…

Facts don’t lie. Regardless of what the different E-Hail services say about not being a Taxi Service, if you pick up passengers, at a pre-booked location, for Financial Reward, you are effectively, a private hire driver.

If you are driving around ferrying passengers as an ‘app’ driver, then you need to have commercial taxi insurance. A normal car insurance policy is not sufficient, and in all likelihood would be voided in the event you are involved in an accident while driving for an E-Hail service.

These ‘app’ services are side-stepping the established regulations and are effectively providing a hail-down service, something that only black cabs are permitted to do. Standards that are set low for entry to what has become an immediate hire market means that drivers that are untested, and not professionals, are being let loose to practice on the public.

E-Hail services promote their services to potential customers with the expectation they will be receiving first class limousine service for less than regular taxi prices. This is being done at the expense of its drivers. Because of the continued intake of new drivers by companies like Uber and its competitors, along with their price competition, the earnings of a driver are being pushed downward. Because of this, drivers are increasingly having to work longer hours in order to earn an income comparable to what they had made previously. Longer hours behind the wheel jeopardizes the safety of both drivers and their passengers. Ultimately, the only thing this can do, is add to the stress of drivers, and this will bring about poor service and poor safety in the long run.

Because the drivers are paid so very little for their time by these companies, in an attempt to cut corners is often made by sharing their phones with other drivers who are unapproved, non-licensed, and worst of all, non-insured. This tiny action can put the general public in grave risk. Cheap is not always good. It’s your choice of course, but consider this …

Black Cab drivers are self-employed and pay taxes like any other small business. You would be hard-pressed to find a Black Cab driver that does not know the London roads like the back of their hand. Each and every Black Cab driver that is pushing themselves around the roads has undergone vigorous testing on their road knowledge. This test, called The Knowledge, involves a detailed verbal conversation where the driver must tell the best route from point A to point B to point C and then back again, from any of 250,000 random locations.

A Black Cab driver is further obliged to take a driving test in order to prove that they are worthy of carrying people through busy hectic streets. This test is known as the DSA Taxi Driving test. It includes the teaching of proper techniques for both picking up and dropping off passengers safely. In addition, all Black Taxi Drivers must complete, and pass, an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) test to further ensure that they are to be trusted in the transporting of individuals.

So which would you rather ride with: an app-connected E-hail driver with no training and possibly invalid insurance or a professionally trained, vetted Black Cab driver with the right insurance to cover you in case things go wrong? Your choice.

The post App-connected E-Hail Taxi Services, Are They Safe? appeared first on London Black Taxis.

In February, we worked with Grasshopper Films in their production of this Japanese tourism video. About half way through the video, you can see our Black Fairway taxi and our driver Jon doing his best Karate move!

London Taxis Film Production
www.londontaxisfilmproduction.com

We are also a full-service Licensed London Black Taxi Service
www.londonblacktaxis.net

The post Working with Grasshopper Films appeared first on London Black Taxis.

You can book our Taxi Marshals online or phone +44 (0)203 00 44 953

Last evening, we provided our Taxi Marshal services to CL Events for a corporate event at The Gherkin.

Our Taxi Marshals Howard and Barry organised a queue of waiting taxis and assisted departing guests to ensure their safe ride home.

There was an excellent flow of waiting taxis. Good work.
–Alison, CL Events, February 2016

For more information and prices, please visit
www.londontaximarshals.com

The post Our Taxi Marshals Help at The Gherkin appeared first on London Black Taxis.

You can book our Taxi Marshals online or phone +44 (0)203 00 44 953

You want to look after your guests even after they leave your event venue. Don’t spoil your perfect event by letting your honoured guests struggle to find safe transportation. Our Taxi Marshal Service can help get your guests home safely and efficiently.

Ahead of the event, we publicise your event to all of our drivers, as well as to all other major London Black Taxi circuits. There is a vast Twitter network of London taxi drivers, and we publicise your event via that network, as well as via Facebook and other social media.

During the event, at least one Taxi Marshal will position himself on the nearest main road and flag down any passing taxis and direct them to your venue.

At least one other Taxi Marshal will then organise your guests into the waiting taxis. If guests wish to share a taxi, the Taxi Share Scheme enables the Marshals to place up to 5 or 6 passengers in the same taxi, thus reducing waiting times and allowing the guests to share the fare.

Your guests will pay for their taxi fares in cash. Our fees do not include the cost of the actual taxi fare.

In recent months, we have provided Taxi Marshal services to

Cl Events for an event at the Gherkin

GSP Events for an event at Gilgamesh

Hi Mike
Please thank the taxi marshals for their help at the event at Gilgamesh last night. They were brilliant
Have a great Xmas and look forward to working with you next year.
Sarah, GSP Events Ltd

Jack Morton Worldwide for an event at the Cutty Sark

Blue Strawberry Events for a wedding event at  the Louise Blouin Foundation

Citi Bank for an event at the Imperial War Museum in aid of City Veterans Network

Your Taxi Marshals did a great job. I would definitely recommend you and will use your services for next year’s event.

Tornabuoni Art for an event at the Italian Embassy

Informa Events for an event at the National Maritime Museum

Studio Design UK for an open-air event in London’s East End

Hi Mike, Thanks again for arranging the Taxi Marshals for our event. It all went perfectly.
Thanks again
Chris, Studio Design UK

For more information and prices, please visit
www.londontaximarshals.com

The post Our Taxi Marshal Service appeared first on London Black Taxis.

Style never goes out of fashion. Well-crafted objects, bespoke garments and original jewellery have much more charm than uninspiring knock-offs at the sales; now is the time to hunt them down.

Winter is the perfect season for car boot sales and a trip to vintage clothes shops. It’s tempting to sit in bed and search for online vintage clothing but trust us, doing it in person is great!

You won’t have to fight the crowds to find the perfect piece and you can feel extra virtuous for getting up early – reward yourself with a hot chocolate in a cosy cafe whilst reviewing your bargains. You can’t do that with online vintage clothing.

If you’re in London, cheer up a boring weekend by having a day rummaging through some vintage clothes shops and cut-price vintage stalls.  Online vintage clothing is one thing, but vintage clothes shops, car boot sales and flea markets are one of the most fulfilling ways to spend a day browsing and picking up some thrifty finds.

Where to go, what to look for, you ask?

Battersea and Wimbledon are probably the best-known car boot sales in London:

• Battersea [www.batterseaboot.com, every Sunday 1:30-5pm, entry 50p]
• Wimbledon [Wimbledon Stadium, Plough Lane, SW17 0BL, entry 7am, £2 for the first hour, 50p after]

Equally great boot sales are:

• Dulwich Hamlet Football Club in East Dulwich [Sundays, entry 11 am, 50p, Edgar Kail Way, SE22 8BD]
• Old Kent Road [Sundays, entry 8am, 50p, Hornshay Street, SE15 1HB]
• Hayes Street Farm [entry 6am, 50p, 239 Hayes Lane, BR2 7LB]
• Princes May School in Stoke Newington [Every Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday from 9am-2pm, entry £3, N16 8DF]

Please check that your planned destination will be open before setting off! Even vintage clothes shops are sometimes closed unexpectedly, unlike the online vintage clothing option.

A dedicated bargain hunter will resort to researching online vintage clothing blogs for the best local vintage clothes shops or online vintage clothing specialists.

Ready to go? Print the map, get some cash, and loosely plan your target for the day. Car boot sales and vintage clothes shops are awash with ideas for interior designers, hipsters and smart fashion-savvy folk, but remain rigorous and informed with your selection.

If you’re looking for vintage fashion finds in vintage clothes shops or online vintage clothing stores, follow your instinct and style. It’s useful to know that you can get the musty smell out of fabric – be it a dress, cushion, or a lovely set of linen napkins – with some baking soda or cat litter. Most good vintage clothes shops or online vintage clothing shops will have dry cleaned their clothes already, but you never know! That old book smell, which most people find pleasing but some are allergic to, can be expelled by dusting the pages with cornstarch.

The post Hunt Down Your Vintage Treasures This Winter appeared first on London Black Taxis.