Oswestry taxi shortage harming night-time economy
- Published
Pub landlord Gary Brennan said one group of customers tried 10 different taxi firms, without luck
Business owners in Oswestry say a lack of taxis in the town is ruining the night-time economy.
Publicans and restaurateurs believe people are not coming into town in the evening because they cannot guarantee they can get home again.
Drivers not returning after the pandemic and wheelchair access have been cited as contributing factors.
A night-time bus service will run throughout December to help ease the problem over Christmas.
Gary Brennan runs The Griffin Inn in the town and says that the taxi issues are having an effect on his business.
"We had some people from Four Crosses, they tried getting a taxi home at 20:30, called about 10 taxi companies - no taxis, he said.
"They had to call a taxi to come from Welshpool. It's killing the night-time economy in Oswestry."
The Oswestry Business Improvement (BID) will be running a night time bus service on Friday and Saturday nights throughout December in a hope to ease the taxi shortage and boost the town's economy at a key time of year.
The bus service was first used in 2019 as part of the organisation's Get Home Safe scheme.
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