See the Swiss Alps this autumn: Return flights from £19

Basel is paradise to culture-seekers; home to 40 museums and art galleries and a perfect blend of Old Town glamour with modern architecture, visitors could be kept occupied for hours just wandering around this Swiss city on the banks of the Rhine River. We've discovered autumn flights to this destination, which is also just 90… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Sherbet London relaunches with new taxi “industry disruptor” vision

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“London’s taxi drivers are the best in the world. No question. It is about time that a real taxi company is the industry disruptor for once. That’s what we want to achieve with our new vision.” says Sherbet London CEO Asher Moses.

This month, Asher and his Dalston based team boldly relaunch the company with a new vision. Sherbet will combine three sections of its business to create a unique and modern service never seen by the trade before ; Ride, drive and advertise with Sherbet.

“It’s time for a radical change. We’re at a crucial turning point for the London Taxi industry. There are challenges, of course; there is also massive potential. Through technology and customer service excellence, I believe that there is a clear and certain future for expert, premium professional London Taxi drivers, driving sustainable, energy-efficient cleaner vehicles. That was always the vision when we created Sherbet London. The ‘relaunch’ is the next stage in that evolution.”, said Asher.

The new vision, powered by investment and belief in electric power train technology, focuses on delivering technological and service excellence to Sherbet London’s drivers and customers.

“This new evolution is all about the future. The future of the industry, our children’s future, the environment. So, we want drivers who either own or want to drive electric or newer vehicles. We want to establish a network that truly supports professional drivers who understand that technology and customer service excellence is the key to beating the competition. Our aim is to create a community that can truly compete with the likes of the premium private hire fleets, as well as challenger app-based brands. We all know the threats to the trade; over the coming weeks we’ll be unveiling our plans to strengthen and protect the future for the licensed taxi sector.”, Asher added.

Sherbet London operates one of London’s largest managed, media taxi fleets, delivering passengers and advertising messages safely and efficiently across the city, using high-technology and metrics to deliver customer satisfaction. The team provides impactful taxi media advertising with its fleet of more than 500+ high-specification vehicles, working with high-profile fashion and leisure clients including PrettyLittleThing, Boohoo, TopShop, TopMan, Embassy Gardens, VisitQatar and 888Casino.

Asher stated, “We will set out to provide a clear vision for all key stakeholders. Our premium drivers will sign up to a charter, that will cover vehicle checks, personal safety, customer service and even social media. We are ambitious for Sherbet London and for the wider industry. We are really excited to be launching this vision to the trade. It’s all about positive change for me.”

July 16, 2018 at 08:42PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Straight to Hollywood: Direct Los Angeles flights from £279rtn - incl. bags & meals

It's time to start California Dreamin' thanks to these direct fares to Los Angeles from our Flights Finder! Flights from London are with Air New Zealand - one of our favourite airlines for long haul travel! Checked luggage and inflight meals are included with the options listed below. We've seen options in May and between… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Mad for Majorca: All inclusive late season getaway from £279pp - 7nts hotel & flights

Pirates, going on an all inclusive holiday can sometimes be a bit expensive, so take a look at this holiday in Majorca on our cool holiday finder. You will stay for a week on an all inclusive board basis meaning all food, snacks and drinks are included in the price - all for under £300… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Flights to Melbourne, Australia from just £509rtn - incl. luggage & meals

Pirates, The Only Way is Melbs with these fantastic Australia flights we came across in our Flights Finder. For this price you'll be jetting off to Melbourne, Australia's hippest city and a fine base for exploring the rest of the country. We've seen availability between October and November 2018, as well as February and April… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Luxurious 5* all inclusive Mexico: 7nts from £818pp incl. flights & beachfront Hilton hotel

For those Pirates looking for something a little special, we think we have the perfect remedy to your post summer blues - a 5* beachfront escape to Mexico! Immerse yourself in the luxurious surroundings of the 5* Hilton Puerto Vallarta. It's beach side location is perfect for a week of relaxing in the sun! The… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Nice price New York: 4nt getaway from £369pp - incl. flights & Times Square hotel (2-4 share)

Move over 2018 because this early bird New York deal is ALL about 2019. Grab your squad and book early on our holidays finder to save a packet on a trip to Manhattan. This deal includes direct flights and 4 nights in a 4* Times Square hotel from just £369 per person, based on 4… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Magical Marrakech winter sun holiday from £191pp - 7nts 4* hotel, breakfast & flights

Pirates, any of you up for some winter sun this year? We have come across this great holiday in Marrakech staying for 7 nights with breakfast included. The holiday is based on 2 sharing and the hotel scores really highly at TripAdvisor and is award winning. Holiday details Duration is 7 nights (longer or shorter… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Beachfront escape in Zanzibar: 9nts B&B from £452pp incl. flights, beach bungalow & breakfast

Ahoy mateys, escape the cold, depressing UK winter and try somewhere different for your holiday? Because we're nice pIrates, we have discovered these adorable beach bungalows along with some cheap return flights to the paradise island of Zanzibar, to create a winter escape you'll remember for years to come. Home of the wild dolphins, paradise… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cheap Kavos getaway from £160pp: 7nts incl. flights & 24-hour bar: Just £49pp deposit

This holiday will definitely appeal to party pirates wanting non-stop fun on their summer holidays. The hotel -- located in the infamous party town of Kavos -- has a 24-hour pool bar and hot tub. This September, grab your bestie and head to the Greek island of Corfu where you will stay 7 nights in… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Lovely Latvia: Flights to Riga from £32 return

Ahoy pirates, if you want to visit a great country at an amazing price, take a look at these flights to Riga in lovely Latvia. There are many dates available at great prices throughout September. Team them with a great accommodation and you have yourself a great mini break. Flight details Direct flights Departures from… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

San Diego flights from £339 return: Many dates in late Summer & Autumn

Irish pirates will love this cheap AF San Diego flights we've uncovered on our flights finder, starting from just £339 return from Dublin and Shannon. These are for late summer right through to Spring 2019 which gives you plenty of options and seasons to choose from. Not from Ireland? These flights to San Diego are… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Latest Taxi protest takes place in Wolverhampton against the amount of private hire licences being issued

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Wolverhampton taxi drivers have staged a Go-Slow protest today against the City Council who they accuse of jeopardising their future and public safety by granting thousands of new private hire licenses. A similar protest took place just a few weeks ago as reported in Taxipoint, when hundreds of taxi drivers from Coventry descended on Wolverhampton city central to express their concerns over the amount of drivers licensed in Wolves are traveling into Coventry to pick up fares. The over influx of drivers comes as many want-to-be minicab drivers flock to join ride-hailing platform Uber. The West Midlands Private Hire Drivers Association is behind today's protest according to sources at the Express and Star.

The WMPHDA said in a statement on their website: "The protest is about helping and supporting taxi drivers far and wide toward protecting public safety and driver livelihood" Wolverhampton Council dismissed the last demonstration from taxi drivers in Coventry by pointing the finger at those in Westminster but drivers feel that it's the local council who should be held accountable for the endless amounts of licences being granted.

July 16, 2018 at 02:18PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

5* Algarve luxury: 3nts B&B from £203pp incl. flights, hotel & €30 resort credit

Drop everything Pirates because our friends at the luxurious 5* Macdonald Monchique Resort & Spa have got an incredible late season deal, just for you! Jet off to Portugal this October (August & September dates also available) and enjoy exclusive rates in their 5* Algarve hotel plus €30 of resort credit (per booking) to use… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

5* Crete late season getaway from £279pp - 7nts hotel & flights (all inclusive from £417pp)

Ahoy! Why not treat yourself to a 5* holiday, we have found this awesome holiday in Crete on our holiday finder staying for a week in a luxury hotel. October is a great time to visit as you will hopefully miss the crowds of summer with the weather still being quite toasty. You can choose… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

August family holiday in Turkey from £257pp: All inclusive 7nts - incl. 4* hotel & flights

Mateys, check out this all inclusive family holiday we have just come across for peak season August; prices start from just £257 per person, based on 4 sharing or £351 per person based on 2 sharing! Travel in September and save even more. This Turkey getaway includes return flights, 7 nights at a plush 4*… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

IT’S WIN LOSE OR DRAW FOR THE TRADE BUT NOT FOR THE LTDA. THEY’RE FIGHTING THEIR OWN FIGHT, WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH US!...by Sean Paul Day

Everyone should be outraged at the  statement released by The LTDA that  they gave evidence to the Met in relation to claims that ex-Uber General Manager Jo Bertram “misled” the High Court. 

The action taken by The LTDA isn’t merely passivity, but an orchestrated attempt to appear active in their pursuance to bring Uber (or whoever) to book. The reality being, it is yet another postural, but meaningless exhibition that’ll have no bearing on how the company operates, and no consequences for the actual act of perjury which allowed them to retain their licence. 

Let us be under no illusion, the interview with the Met conducted in front of the LTDA’s legal team- which I take to mean Demidecki- is not dissimilar to other demonstrable- yet disingenuous -attempts to satiate the LTDA’s TAXI readership. A tactic used to coerce readers into thinking that the association is at the coal face of the action, whilst at the same time costing The LTDA nothing. 

The reality is this, the legal route offers only two effective options, the first is to serve litigation papers against Uber for obtaining their licence by deceptive means. Most underestimate the enormity of this. In respect of the company’s relationship to the driver, Uber acts as either the principle or the agent (to be determined at the employment tribunal appeal) and there  are 40000+ of them. A licence obtained by fraudulent means would render it null and void meaning  journeys undertaken by its drivers are illegal. As far as Insurance payouts go, you could say, they were compromised somewhat? It beggars belief, that the LTDA have not yet started proceedings. 

The second option, is to file a lawsuit against TfL for breaking a long standing trade agreement by creating a‘corporate structure’ that allowed Uber’s operation to infract heavily on the working practices and earning potential of licensed taxi drivers. embedded in the system allowing its drivers to work on the ‘on demand’ market even though the driver does not meet 'Required Standard' criterion and the vehicle does 'Conditions of Fitness' opposed to bookings that have been accepted by Uber 

Certainly, under the previous administration, TfL decidedly went against the true meaning of the law as laid out in the 1998 PH Regulations to assist Uber’s smooth incorporation into the market. TfL would have known the contravention existed and that Uber’s modus operandi was in transgression of it. The consequences here are huge, as it would mean TfL was party to the perjury in the HC (Remember, this was a case brought by TfL seeking a HC ruling on what constituted a meter only) The crux here is, TfL claim to have been hoodwinked by Uber. Yeh, right! 

Everyone should recognise that this is win, lose, or draw for the trade, and what the trade needs - and deserves - is drastically improved representation from The LTDA. The above options are the only effective avenues the trade should be concerned with. Furthermore, there should be zero  tolerance for the tired old distractions that have served as a disincentive to their readership in the past. Will the trade get the representation it deserves? Well, members who have been pushing for it tirelessly for two years have just had their branch suspended, pending an investigation into intimidation tactics being used in the run up to the Branch Elections. Another distraction away from what the LTDA should be doing,  Stalling for time is preferable as effective action could work out quite costly. But surely it’s the members money, and The LTDA should be doing right by them. 

Our fight is with the LTDA until they themselves finally decide to take up the fight. The old coppers club moaning to the Met about Jo Bertram ain’t gonna cut it with me, that’s for sure!

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A winter warmer: All inclusive week in Egypt from £250pp incl. flights & beachfront hotel

Sack off the awful British January winter with an all inclusive week in the African sun. The 4* Hawaii Le Jardin Aqua Park hotel lies right next to the beach near Hurghada, Egypt. The hotel also boasts an incredible on site water park with oodles of slides, great for cooling off! This tiny price also… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

August family stay in Berkshire: 5nts from £150pp w/ hot tub & sauna (sleeps 5) *pets welcome*

If the idea of airport queues and lost passports cause you to come out in a cold sweat, then why not opt for a UK staycation this summer? We have found this funky holiday home in Berkshire, less than 20 miles from the capital, that boasts it's own sauna and hot tub. Sleeping up to… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber appears to be ‘untouchable’ says Gouriet QC

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In a decision which is more likely to be mis-cited than any in recent memory, and which has already been widely misrepresented on social media, the Senior District Judge has dismissed the prosecution of an Uber driver for plying for hire in Reading.

The lawfulness of the Uber app, and its equivalence to a taxi ‘for hire’ sign, were not addressed.

The material facts

The defendant was a TfL-licensed driver of a private hire vehicle also licensed by TfL.He was working through a Smartphone App provided by Uber.On the date in question, about 60 Uber vehicles were showing on the Uber App map of Reading. Reading Borough Council has refused to licence Uber as an operator there.The defendant’s vehicle was stationary on a road in Reading. It had no significant markings, or any marking advertising a telephone number or other means of contacting Uber to make a booking.The vehicle was not at a taxi rank, and could not be hired from the street by hailing it down in the traditional way.The vehicle’s outline, however, was visible to any Uber customer using the Smartphone App. That outline advertised the presence of an Uber driver.Licensing Enforcement Officers saw the vehicle on their Smartphone App, approached the car, introduced themselves, and interviewed the defendant.The defendant said that he was waiting for a booking through the Uber app.

The decision

The key passage in the judge’s decision to find the defendant ‘not guilty’ is: “The fact that Mr Ali’s vehicle had no distinctive markings, was not at a stand and was not available to pick up passengers on the street combined with the fact that the whole transaction was conducted via an App where the booking process starts, is recorded and the fare estimated, leads me to find that Mr Ali was not plying for hire.” It is respectfully submitted that focusing on “where the booking process starts” misses the central question, which is whether a vehicle, not being a hackney carriage, has advertised itself as available for immediate hire. Plying for hire will occur before any booking process starts, and certainly before any booking is made. The driver who directs potential customers to a licensed operator, so that they can then book his vehicle in the usual way, is plying for hire – the subsequent booking via a licensed operator is immaterial: Rose v Welbeck Motors Ltd, Chorley Borough Council v Thomas.

Uber app: The Big Issue

It was hoped that this prosecution would determine, once and for all, whether displaying a vehicle’s proximity and availability for immediate hire on the Uber App is the modern equivalent of displaying a ‘for hire’ sign on the vehicle. It is regrettable that that all-important question was never answered. Indeed, on one reading of the decision, the judge might even be thought to have been careful to avoid answering it: the determining factors (the vehicle’s lack of distinctive markings, its not being parked at a stand or able to be flagged-down in the usual way) had no bearing at all on what was really at issue.A charmed life

St. Christopher is the patron saint of travellers. There is even a patron saint of automobile drivers – St. Frances of Rome. Perhaps it is time we had one for PHV operators, so that obeisance may be made and candles lit to encourage (and continue) divine intervention on their behalf. It is not that Uber has the blessing of the courts as to the lawfulness of its operating model – it hasn’t: all attempts to obtain a definitive ruling have, for one reason or another, been stopped in their tracks. Deus ex machina in more ways than one, perhaps. A judicial review of TfL’s decision to licence Uber had to be withdrawn, because it was out of time (no other reason). ‘Plying for Hire’ was said by the Senior District Judge to be irrelevant to the recent Uber appeal against the non-renewal of its licence; as was the possible unlawfulness of Uber’s cross-border operations. The CPS (wrongly) discontinued the ‘plying for hire’ prosecution of an Uber driver in Bromley. And now a Reading Uber driver has been acquitted of plying for hire, without the court having fully considered the unlawfulness of the model under which he operated. The Uber model should have been properly tested in the courts long ago. Until it is, we will have licensing authorities up and down the country being told they are powerless to stop an invasion of Uber drivers over whom they have no control – Uber even braving the streets of councils that have refused to give them a licence. There is understandable concern, across a wide

spectrum that by no means is limited to licensed taxi drivers, that Uber appears to be ‘untouchable’.

July 16, 2018 at 10:03AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Gerald Gouriet QC THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT