Incredible 5* Croatian escape: 7nts B&B from £492pp incl. flights & hotel seafront w/ cave bar

At Pirate HQ we always get a bit excited when we find a hotel that fuses luxury with quirky styles and features. Which is why we think you should pack your bags and head out to Dubrovnik, Croatia with your favourite shipmate and stay in the 5* Hotel More. Not only does this luxurious accommodation… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Dom Rep in June: 7nt all inclusive break from £499pp - incl. resort, flights, bags & transfers

Pirates, check this bargain Caribbean holiday we have come across! You'll be staying on an all inclusive board basis at the Caribe Club Princess in the Dominican Republic for 7 nights for under £500 per person. The cheapest we've seen depart in June - get your summer started properly! Holiday details Duration is 7 nights… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

5* beachfront family Ras Al Khaimah break: 5nts half board from £399pp incl. flights, hotel & more

Looking for the ideal family holiday this summer Pirates? Well, our friends at Away Holidays are offering this incredible 5 night break to the UAE for less than £400pp! Immerse yourself in the 5* surroundings of the Hilton Al Hamra Beach & Golf Resort in Ras Al Khaimah. With it's palm tree laced, beachside location… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

August family holiday in Gran Canaria from £235pp - 7nts hotel, flights & choice of board basis

Pirates, we know going on holiday in the school holidays can be super expensive so be quick to grab this holiday in Gran Canaria in the sunny Canary Islands at this great price. It's flying from Glasgow (we know August isn't school holidays in Scotland) but it's a great deal for anyone from Newcastle or… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Official investigation launched into Grab's purchase of Uber

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Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade have officially launched an in depth investigation into Grabs purchase of Uber Technologies Southeast Asia business. Concerns have been raised about the legality of the takeover which may breach antitrust law. If the deal proves to gain the ride-hailing firm over 50% of the industry's market share, the maximum allowed in the country, the transaction could be blocked. The deal saw Uber agree to sell its Southeast Asia business to Grab in exchange for a 27.5% stake in the business. The investigation into the purchase will take 180 days, with the option of a 120 extension, according to a report in The Star.

May 21, 2018 at 10:08AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

2 weeks in Crete from £160pp - 14nts great rated hotel, flights, luggage & transfers

Pirates, if you are looking for a bargain break this June, then grab your squad and head to Crete on this super cheap 2 week holiday. The hotel you will stay in for your Greek getaway is award winning and great rated at TripAdvisor. There is limited availability so be quick pirates. Holiday details Travel… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Yurt-totally gonna love it: Group glamping trip in Scottish countryside from £26pp

Pirates, take a group of six friends or family for a stay in the Ettrick Valley Yurts in the gorgeous Scottish countryside from only £26pppn! These cosily furnished yurts are glamping at its finest: twinkly lights create a magical atmosphere, and the location in the rolling hills is perfect to gaze at the stars, unspoiled… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cool in Costa Dorada: 7nts from £127pp incl. equipped tent & flights

Pirates, keep it cheap & cheerful with 7 nights in Spain's Costa Dorada from £127pp including fully equipped tent at Camping la Torre del Sol & flights. This cosy, family-friendly site has a mixture of large standing tents and cute chalets to pick from, so you can customise this package to your heart's content. Holiday… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Witnesses sought after early-morning taxi collision in Dunstable

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Bedfordshire police are appealing for witnesses following a collision between a man and a taxi on High Street North in Dunstable in the early hours of Sunday morning. Officers were called to reports of a collision near to the junction with Church Street at around 3.55am, and attended the scene alongside colleagues from other emergency services.The man was taken to hospital with life threatening injuries.A section of High Street North was closed while the scene was dealt with, but has since been re-opened.

SGT Paul Stanbridge from Bedfordshire police said “This is clearly a serious incident which has left a man fighting for his life in hospital."We are working hard to establish the circumstances around the collision, and would ask that anyone in the area at the time who may have information to help our investigation gets in touch."

Anyone with information is asked to contact us by calling 101 or by using our online reporting centre, quoting Operation Scott.

May 20, 2018 at 11:03PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Last minute Marrakech holiday from £256pp - 7nts 4* hotel, breakfast & flights

Pirates, if you are still deciding where to go on your next holiday why not head to Marrakech in Morocco, we have found this holiday departing in June at a great price with breakfast included each morning. You can upgrade to holiday in July for only £315 per person and you can also opt to… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

The Suite Life: 7nt July holiday in Tenerife from £273pp incl. flights & 4* hotel (4 sharing)

Ahoy pirates, it can be super expensive to go on holiday in the Summer months, so check out this holiday in Tenerife we have found using our holiday finder that won't break the bank. You will stay for 7 nights in a 4* hotel in a stunning Junior Suite from just £273 per person, based… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Wine not try Bordeaux? Summer flights to French wine region from £23 return

Make like a vine and hang out in luscious Bordeaux. This famous French wine region has cheap flights from London (Stansted) during the summer month of June starting from just £23 return. You can also fly direct from Edinburgh or Cork but flights are a bit more, starting from £75 return in September. Offer details… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

New York from just £487pp: 4nts at funky 4* Times Square hotel & return flights

Start spreading the news pirates, cheap mini breaks in New York are available in our Holiday Finder! We spotted some great rates at the 4* Yotel, a funky pod hotel that's just off Times Square in Manhattan. Early-bird departures in January 2019 offer the best value, with flights available from London, Edinburgh and Manchester. Holiday… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Direct flights to California, USA from £268 return: San Francisco & Los Angeles available

Cheap flights to California are now available for late 2018 and early 2019, making the USA West Coast one of our must-book destinations for this year. Prices start from just £268 return for direct flights on the new 787 Dreamliner plane. There are plenty of dates available to both San Francisco and Los Angeles; prices… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Scandi-mania: Cheap flights to Stockholm from £23 return

Hey pirates - if you want to visit a chic city, why not grab a super-cheap flight to Stockholm, Sweden from only £23 return? There are a bunch of gorjina bars and restaurants, as well as cool attractions like the ABBA museum. There are some really cheap dates available in June, so the weather won't… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Disneyland® Paris break from £99pp incl. 2nts Disney® Hotel & 3 day Park entry (2-6 share)

Pirates, it's time to take the whole family to discover the magic of Disney with this package from MagicBreaks! With this deal you'll get 3 days of Disney® Park entry (including FASTPASS®*) and 2 nights accommodation at Disney's Davy Crockett Ranch. This deal is valid in late-May and throughout June* - get your summer started… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Beachfront Italy from £175pp: 7nt Autumn holiday - incl. flights, hotel & breakfast

Autumn is a great time to visit southern Italy as temperatures hover around the 20's but the crowds of peak season have dispersed. It's also a lot easier to find cheap holidays like this B&B banger in Puglia that's available from as little as £177 per person, based on 2 sharing. As this hotel is… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Caribbean in July: 7nts all inclusive from £690pp - incl. flights, 4* resort, transfers & bags

Ahoy, be quick to grab this super cool Caribbean getaway in the stunning Dominican Republic. There are great prices on July dates; couples starting from just £690 per person, based on 2 sharing or families can travel from £645 per person, based on 4 sharing. You'll save an extra £50 off the already discounted price… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

“Uber is running scared” says LTDA following latest PR campaign

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Our enemy is throwing everything it can at trying to improve its image in London in time for its appeal hearing on the decision not to relicense it last year. This is not the act you would expect of a company confident of victory. In fact, it smells like desperation; this once cocksure predator is now grounded, with its wings clipped.

In case it slipped beneath your radar, its latest campaign is called Uber “makes sense.” Over the next few months it will be pumping out a series of feeble video ads highlighting the app’s apparent safety features in a bid to curry favour with our regulator, politicians and the growing number of disaffected former supporters. Uber will attempt to show that its drivers are fully licensed and how surge pricing works.

The first (rather cheesy) video which has emerged shows a customer receiving their driver’s name, picture, rating, car information, and licence details before they get in the car.

The campaign’s lack of a catchy headline aside, the whole thing suggests that Uber is clearly keen to ramp up its PR to prove to City Hall, TfL and the public that it deserves a place in London and “makes sense” for Londoners to use. It’s hardly the work of a genius, and not likely to go down in the annals of history as a classic. It’s more akin to something a couple of sixth formers could have scribbled down on a napkin at breaktime if you ask me. Still, with the court hearing over its licence approaching in June our nemesis has obviously got the jitters. And it has a right to.

In the past fortnight, Brighton and Hove Council has joined the ranks of local authorities refusing to let Uber on its streets. After lengthy considerations the council’s Licensing Committee said they were “not satisfied” that Uber was a fit and proper operator – people in high places at last seems to be catching on. They raised concerns about the massive data breach that Uber hid, and the number of drivers cross-border hiring in Brighton under licences issued by other local authorities. The Chair of the Licensing Committee stressed that these problems are continuing despite Uber blocking drivers using the app who are not licensed in the south-east region. Unsurprisingly, Uber is appealing the decision and, as in London, will be able to continue operating in Brighton and Hove during the appeal. Even if it loses this appeal the ability of Uber drivers to cross-border hire in Brighton remains a huge problem, for it and everybody else who is trying to earn an honest living in this business.

All Change

Val Shawcross announced that she is retiring and stepping down from her post as London’s Deputy Mayor for Transport in the summer. Heidi Alexander, the current MP for Lewisham East, will be giving up her seat in Parliament and taking on the prole. A Labour moderate, she’s close to Sadiq, having worked as his deputy when he was Shadow Minister for London. She ran his campaign to become Labour’s candidate for Mayor in 2016.

It’s a shame to lose Val as she really seemed to get the issues facing the trade and was committed to supporting us. Nevertheless, as soon as Heidi takes over in the summer I’ll make sure to meet with her as soon as possible. It’s critical that she understands why continued taxi access is important for London, that we need more rapid charging points if we’re going to lead to way in going green, and that she supports TfL’s efforts to better regulate PHVs and crack down on companies such as Uber which doesn’t seem to think it should have to play by the same rules as everybody else.

May 20, 2018 at 11:26AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Magical Madeira: 7nts on Portuguese island from £248pp incl. hotel, breakfast & flights

Pirates, jet off to the stunning Portuguese island of Madeira for a blissful 7 nights in July from £248pp including the 3* Residencial Vila Lusitania, breakfast & flights. While many have only heard of the place for birthing Madeira wine or Cristiano Ronaldo, this gorgeous, sunny enclave makes for a wonderful holiday. Holiday details: Travel… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT