We are being driven out of business, claim Carlisle taxi drivers
Last updated at 13:25, Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Taxi drivers in Carlisle have spoken of how the credit crunch has hit the city’s once booming nightlife as more people stay at home.
They say making a living is getting harder as the effects of fuel price rises and the deepening economic gloom hit home.
Taxi drivers fear they may have also lost business through the introduction of free bus travel for pensioners. Some are also blaming the effects of the ban on smoking in public places.
Stuart Curtis, 33, who has lived in the city since 1992, said: “Carlisle’s a one-night-a-week town now.
“I used to go out in Carlisle myself and Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights used to be heaving. Now it’s only busy one night a week.
“I think more and more people are just staying at home.
“People used to queue down the road and on to Crosby Street to get into Buskers but now in the week Carlisle’s like a ghost town. It’s a real shame.
“It’s a struggle for taxi drivers and it’s only a matter of time before the number of taxis reduces.”
Chris Bray, a taxi driver for the last 12 years, said: “The night life in this city has just about halved in the last 12 months.
“Takings are down between 30 and 40 per cent, and I think the reasons are the smoking ban and the credit crunch.
“The smoking ban hit us and now it’s the credit crunch: people aren’t moving house, can’t get mortgages, and they’re spending less on going out.
“It used to be busy on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but now it’s just Saturdays, but even that isn’t that busy any more.
“Even on a Saturday night now, you can sit for an hour waiting for a job.”
Wayne Casey, chairman of the Carlisle Taxi Association, said price rises and free bus travel for pensioners have probably had an effect on the amount of trade.
He added: “It’s certainly quieter than it has been.
“I don’t think things have picked up since Christmas.”
In recent months, Carlisle has seen a number of nightspots in the city close as they compete for trade.
First published at 11:45, Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
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It would seem that K believes all it'll take to get people out is to give them a voucher entitling them a free drink.
Do you REALLY believe that's all that's keeping people away - that extra £2.50?
All we need now is for someone to claim people are shunning the pub because of the alcohol.
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In responce to RTS:
You have some great points, one being having some non-smoking and some smoking venues, catering for everybody's preference.When you refer to my original comment by saying "It would seem that K believes all it'll take to get people out is to give them a voucher entitling them a free drink." Course it won't. But its a starting point for ideas. Not the best idea, infact its pretty bad, but someone somewhere will have a solution. (This is the councils job, they just fail to do it). Anybody else have any ideas? Im interested.Posted by K on 17 September 2008 at 15:40