With COVID-19’s grasp on the world, transportation has had to adapt, with safety being the number one priority. While this in relation to public services has been sparking conversation, as well controversy, what’s lesser focused upon are the pandemic’s effects and implications on luxury private hire – more specifically, the chauffeur industry.
Nick Young operates Southampton Chauffeur Hire (SCH) – a private hire regulated company – catering for executives, weddings, cruise passengers, etc. As a sole trader, meaning he is the exclusive owner of the business and is self-employed, Young runs all aspects of the company, including the driving of passengers.
As you can imagine, the coronavirus pandemic has caused cancellations and postponements across the board when it comes to the different transfers SCH gets paid to carry out, which has been ‘devastating’ according to Young.
The chauffeur said: ‘When the lockdown started it was a progressive email deluge of people cancelling and postponing their weddings and their cruise tours to places like Stonehenge, Bath, Salisbury Cathedral, that kind of thing. All the international travel was cancelled. All my executives travelling for work abroad were cancelled.’
In fact, out of all SCH’s regular customers, only one remained – someone who worked in Canary Warf, London, and required to travel on a weekly basis. With the loss of income, Young said, due to being a sole trader, having other income streams and financing (not leasing) his 2017 Mercedes S-Class long-wheelbase chauffeur car, he’s been able to ‘tread water’.
Phillip Welbourne-Jones, who Young often subcontracts chauffeur work to when needed, has seen his New-Forest-based business, Arrow Chauffeurs, take a heavy hit as well. Like SCH, he also used the word ‘devastating’ to describe the coronavirus pandemic’s effects on the company. He said: ‘I’ve done five jobs since March, in all, that’s it, full stop.’
Welbourne-Jones added: ‘COVID has destroyed countless chauffeur companies. I know of four that have gone under already.’
‘I’ve done five jobs since March, in all, that’s it, full stop.’
With regards to coronavirus-related measures to keep both the driver and passenger safe, SCH has implemented those advised by the government, passed down to the local (Southampton) council, such as providing hand sanitisers and the wearing of facemasks. This isn’t a legal requirement, according to Young, though the chauffeur states he adheres to the guidelines. Passengers also always sit in the rear seats and ‘aren’t allowed in the front passenger seat’.
Young said: ‘The guidance is for everyone, so I’m more than happy to adhere to the guidance. I don’t want to put others at risk, so I put in place the guidance from the government and licencing authority.’
When speaking about the process of making a booking during the current coronavirus situation, the SCH chauffeur explained: ‘I would tell the customer what the guidelines are. It may well be that they don’t want to wear facemasks in which case I may not get their custom, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.’
Welbourne-Jones has also had to change and adapt his usual chauffeuring habits in the name of safety, though it has meant taking away some of the luxuries his customers would usually enjoy, such as newspapers, water, chocolates, blankets and pillows in either his Audi A8 long-wheelbase vehicle or Mercedes V-Class MPV.
This hasn’t sat well with the chauffeur, though, stating: ‘At the moment because of COVID, I’ve been turned into a taxi and I hate it. All the niceties are gone, it’s just a car, just a taxi. Though [customers] still get the service.’
‘All the niceties have gone and that’s quite upsetting.’
Despite the significant disadvantages to the current, COVID-caused situation, there are a few, small advantages that have come as a result. Upon being asked about any benefits Young has found, he mentioned the lack of traffic when travelling to London, as well as the lower fuel prices. Both him and Welbourne-Jones also expressed enjoying the time off and extra time spent with their families.
‘I’m confident that I’m going to get back to semi-normality eventually depending on what kind of customer I’m looking at.’
In terms of the future (with coronavirus-related restrictions easing) business-wise, it’s getting better, in Young’s opinion. Enquiries and bookings are starting to come in more frequently and in greater numbers. He said: ‘I’ve had some weddings where weddings have been allowed, but with restrictions on numbers, so already I’ve had I think three wedding bookings for next month.
‘That’s looking up, so I’m confident that I’m going to get back to semi-normality eventually depending on what kind of customer I’m looking at, whether it’s cruise terminal, whether it’s airports, weddings, or sometimes taking people to special events.’
Welbourne-Jones expressed more of a concern, stating ‘COVID is hard and it’s only going to get harder’, but also mentioning he expects business to pick up next year and that it’s just about ‘surviving’ until then.
Young concluded: ‘To me personally and financially as a business, it hasn’t been the end of the world.’
petrolheads 
Thanks for the insightful read.
LikeLiked by 1 person