Companies

Free Now hails later pub closing but warns of Christmas shortage

Taxi-hailing platform reported a 38 per cent increase in turnover in 2021 as Free Now country manager says changes to alcohol licensing laws may help ease the pressure on demand for taxis at peak times

Niall Carson, country manager of Free Now: ‘With increased demand for taxis, our drivers are doing well, but obviously we have to deal with the fact that there are fewer drivers than before the pandemic.’ Picture: Fergal Phillips

Free Now, the taxi-hailing platform, has welcomed the changes to alcohol licensing laws announced by the government last week, saying they could help ease the pressure on demand for taxis at peak times.

But Niall Carson, country manager for Free Now, warned of possible cab shortages in the run-up to Christmas. Demand for taxis is 30 per cent higher than before the pandemic, according to Carson, who said that on a recent Saturday evening, there ...