British pub owner drives customers home to ensure their safe return

Paul Hartfield, who took over the Flying Horse in Smarden in Ashford, Kent, had been offering customers lifts in his own black cab after taking over the pub from his daughter, The Telegraph writes.

Mr Hartfield hoped the service would ensure customers returned home safely and did not risk driving while over the limit.

The landlord did not make a profit from the scheme but asked customers accepting lifts to donate to the MND Association. He chose the charity because one of his pub regulars had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

The cab service, which Mr Hartfield started in Nov 2025, has helped about 100 people get home safely and raised £700 for the charity in December.

However, on Friday, following the publication of an article about the free rides by a local newspaper, Ashford borough council wrote to Mr Hartfield telling him they would have to stop.

Local officials have determined that although the pub owner was trying to help customers get home safely, under the law this is considered the provision of a taxi service, and since he does not have the required licence, he will be forced to discontinue the service.