FASCINATING reading the feature on Seven lost pubs in Southampton but for some of us “ old school cabbies “ , it’s tinged with sadness, at their loss.

Not just , for the obvious reasons, like taking customers too and picking up,from the pubs but as a reference point.

When I and many other older taxi drivers started in the trade, we knew or learned the location of pubs.

So when a customer asked for say Oregon Close , you asked , “ What pub is that near ?" The Robin Hood, so you knew what route to take.

This was of course depending on the customer knowing the area, if not , then your good old A -Z came out, unlike today, when new drivers , depend, solely on sat navs.

This is more so , with Southampton Private Hires not having to do a topography knowledge test!

For some customers, the whole experience, is not the same, as having a chatty cabbie, who keeps his eyes on the road and not looking at a screen.

Sadly the economic effects of this current pandemic, could mean even more pubs being lost forever and saying. "Which Tesco Express is that near?", just doesn’t ring the same.

Like traditional pubs, old school cabbies, could be a dying breed, so make the most of us , while you still can.

Perry McMillan

Hackney carriage taxi driver and old school cabbie