Furious Birmingham taxi drivers demand apology

Nov 26 2008 by James Cartledge, Birmingham Mail

guests to your house you make sure you have 10 seats.

“We want a public apology from the licensing committee over the disgraceful running of this meeting.”

But Coun Bruce Lines (Con, Bartley Green), vice-chairman of the council’s licensing committee, who was in charge of the meeting, defended its organisation.

He said: “It was unprecendented, we did not expect that many drivers to turn-up.

“We had planned to have two one-hour sessions with 1,000 people in each.

“The venue was not quite up to scratch but there were some people there that wanted trouble and ruined it for the rest of them.

“We did not call off the meeting, the police did.”

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: “Officers were called at 6.50pm yesterday to Aston Villa’s Holte Suite, in Trinity Road, following reports of a large number of people gathering for a meeting.

“The group dispersed and the incident was brought to a safe close at 9pm.”

Police said there were no reported offences and no arrests.