Biggin Hill minicab company rescued from the brink (From News Shopper)

Biggin Hill minicab company rescued from the brink

11:33am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By Patrick Grafton-Green

A LOVED and trusted Biggin Hill minicab company - that faced closure when it fell into financial difficulties last year - has been rescued from the brink.

Shortly before Christmas, after 30 years of service to the local community, Biggin Hill Airport Cars closed.

Its ten drivers, many of whom live in the Biggin Hill area, had worked for the company for years, and faced spending the festive season without a job.

Meanwhile customers including the elderly and commuters had lost a valuable service.

Desperate to rescue their livelihoods, the cabbies contacted three men in a last-gasp bid to save the company.

Geoffrey Cooper, 62, of Petts Wood Road, was one of those men.

He and two collegues, Steve Truby and Paul Agar, also of Bromley, had experience running similar companies, having run their own luxury car service, That Personal Touch, for many years.

The trio had connections at Biggin Hill Airport Cars and knew of the its importance to the people of Biggin Hill.

They came up with a rapid rescue plan - a complex arrangement concerning the premises and licensing - and, miraculously, after 24 hours of the closure, got the company back up and running.

Mr Cooper said: "It was a stressful period but it was very exciting at the same time - we were determined to rescue the company.

"It was obviously very important to us that people did not lose their jobs, but this company is also of such importance to local people.

"So many of them have grown up with Biggin Hill Airport Cars on their doorstep."

Biggin Hill Airport Cars can be contacted on 01959 540550.