Call Sign May 2006 - Page 6 - METROCAB WAVES GOODBYE AS THE BAILIFFS GO IN...

JERY’S WORLD	Caption: Driver 1: "I heard that Dial-a-Cab wuz movin’ to Bradford?" Driver 2: "Naaah! I ‘eard dat we sold out to Mountview and was bein’ sent to Nairobi!" Driver 1: "I’ll ask my mates on the Internet, they’ll know cos I fink they are DaC advisors!"
METROCAB WAVES GOODBYE AS THE BAILIFFS GO IN...
Friday 3 March surely saw the curtain come down finally on any chance that the Metrocab had of returning to mainstream cab manufacturing. On that fateful day, the Runcorn Bailiff company of Crellins walked into what had been Metrocab’s premises at Darwell Park in Tamworth and took back anything of value on behalf of the landlord. It was in April 2004 that amidst a fanfare, the new company handed over their first TTT since reforming following Metrocab’s administration 14 months earlier with a loss of 100 jobs. The restructured company told Call Sign that they were looking to build 5 cabs a week. A Dial-a-Cab TTT with a ‘55’ plate and some modifications was spotted on the Finsbury Square rank several times and seemed to suggest that perhaps Metrocab	The Metrocab TTT - now gone forever were serious. Sadly that does not look to be the case. DaC driver and avowed Metrocab user, Keith White (A16) told Call Sign that he was very disappointed to hear the news. "The TTT is undoubtedly the best taxi ever produced for the London market. I will now just have to keep my current cab for ever!" The original Metrocab was launched in the 1980s with a Ford diesel engine while the TTT Metrocab had a Toyota drivetrain. Before entering administration for the first time, Metrocab at their peak were producing up to 100 vehicles a month. Now it seems certain that the Metrocab has gone forever because who in their right mind would contemplate spending such a large sum of money with a company having such a poor record…?

GROSVENOR HOUSE RANK BACK TO NORMAL!
Taxi rank on Park Street to open 5May…

Grosvenor House, the "Grande Dame" of Park Lane, is currently undergoing a multi-million pound refurbishment programme. The first opening will be the forecourt and lobby area on Friday 5 May 2006. From 6am, guests will once again be able to arrive in style using the main entrance to Grosvenor House, located on Park Street, W1. The taxi rank will consequently be in service from this time. The full completion of the restoration is due in 2008, with staggered openings planned in stages over the next 12-18 months.
Grosvenor House is the preferred venue for numerous high profile events, including the BAFTA’s, the Grosvenor House Arts & Antiques Fair and the British Book Awards to name but a few. Over 100,000 room guests are received every year to the hotel with an additional 300,000 attending events in The Great Room.

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