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Concrete
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY
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FEATURES 17
www .concrete-online.co.uk
17, 2001
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1e A decade ago, Ray Townsend had a £300,000 house bought and paid for. Ten years on, he is driving a taxi in Norwich. Will Halsey found out about life behind the wheel ... bank. But all my money and the house had he question, "Why I am here?" may not occur to the average university been put up against the property development, and thanks to Margaret Thatcher I was one of student that often , especially with five months' holiday a year and far from many who were repossessed. I blame myself formidable schedules term time, but because I fell for it, but Thatcher created the atmosphere - people were seeing their houses with several famous success stories spurning university - Richard Branson and John Major go up by £500,000 a week, it was paper among them - and ever more employers using money, and I chased it. I wanted more and more money, I think everyone did in the 80s. their own selection techniques rather than degrees, it does call the investment of universiYou can still see the legacy among young people, I think society has changed after so many ty into question . But while the famous successes make great years of Tory rule. Thatcher didn't believe in society, she stories in tabloid newspapers, those on All my money and the house believed in self. Everything was the other side of the had been put up against t he supposedly going coin are more often property development , and than not forgotten . sky high, me Take Ray Townsend, a thanks to Margaret Thatcher included, but it was night. You don't discuss Oscar Wilde in the can 't work up ladders any more. We all come all false . 54 year old Norwich I was repossessed. back of a taxi. from different routes, and none of us started cab driver, who has out as taxi drivers. Why taxi driving? seen both sides of the Have you ever overheard any interesting When you're 54, fence. While he never conve rsati ons between passengers? What does an average day's work involve? overweight and with only university-of-life skills, made millions, Townsend had a £300,000 I haven't overheard anything threatening I normally come in about 3pm, and I'll work you're got nothing. lt has to be on you 're CV house bought and paid for just outside national security, but I have heard a few lurid these days. They employ 54 year old brain suruntil I've hit a certain figure or a certain number Norwich , and potentially lucrative investments conversations. Girl and boy on their way home, of hours- usually 1am or £100. Although I take geons because they want somebody who has in property deals. Then , the property market boy telling girl what he's going to do when they £100, I have to rent the taxi , so that's £30 a been doing it for thirty years. But they don't crashed and everything became nothing. get there in no uncertain terms. I had that with day, and then there's diesel which will be From relaxing in Norwich and watching the employ 54 year old anything else. There are no a couple of blokes as well after I picked up at another £15. I only see about £50 of it. I work idealistic taxi drivers; most do it because they money pile up, Townsend suddenly found him and his family in council accommodation . have to, and most started out as something off the trains until about ten or eleven, then the Loft. else. You don't find people leaving school askpeople are leaving the pubs and restaurants. I What happened? Do you like drivin g? ing how they become a taxi driver. People just mooch about, picking up. My normal eating When I came up to Norwich I had a bit of Not really. it's not difficult, is it? it's mind numbbecome taxi drivers after leaving the army, or habits reflect why so many taxi drivers are money. I bought a house and had a bit in the being slung out of the police, or when they ing. Basically, if you can drive, you can be a grossly unfit. I'm four stone overweight and I taxi driver, as long as you learn the roads. I've ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ eatmeatsandw~hesduringtheday~wo~ never fallen a lot more hours than ordiasleep at the nary people do, because When you 're 54, wheel or anyyou just can 't get the money overweight and with only thing like that, unless you put the hours in. but I know a I work six days a week, ten university-of-life skills, couple of hours a day. you 've got nothing. lt has guys who What kind of people do have done to be on your CV. that and you pick up? crashed . They At night, it's all the students tried to deny it afterwards but everyone knows and young people going to the pubs and you don't drive into the back of a parked lorry clubs. If you 're going to get any trouble it's at for no apparent reason . I've never reached my night. Years ago I used to just do nights, startlimit - I'm usually bored out of my mind before I ing at seven then working until three or four in get physically shattered . the morning. But I got into one or two scraps, so now I do a bit in the afternoon and then Have you had any famous faces in the back the evening, but stopping before the clubs turn out. That way I avoid most idiots, though of your cab? You're not going to get Madonna in a town like not all of them. Norwich , but I did pick up Lord Hattersley from What problems have you had with passenthe station to take him to the UEA. gers? I've had several people run off without paying, What do you do to relax? I don't have many interests. I like reading and but luckily nothing major, just three or four quid jobs. I've had run-ins where I've had to doing crosswords. I've often considered a pull 'em about a bit. No one's ever done anyhobby but at 54 I think I've left it a bit late. I thing to me, but I've done things to them. The normally watch a bit of TV when I get in at night, espeother day a customer said cially if my something I took exception ' ' I have overheard a few wife has to, I replied , and he said, lurid conversations. Boy "Just t-king drive, knobvideoed something. On a head ." I flew out the car, but telling girl What he'S night off, I by the time I got round he going tO dO When they usually just was 25 yards down the stay at home road. 1 don't bash people get home .. . about because you 're and watch TV. bound to get reported , but I like a few it's not the police you have to worry about but cans but I don't go down the pub. the licensing authorities. You can get bans of What motivates you? a few weeks to a few months for swearing or violence. I'm quite happy if I wake up every morning. I'm not trying to be morbid about it, but I'm not on Do you like chatting with your passenthe Watergate break-in , I'm a taxi driver. I'm happy having a cheese sandwich as opposed gers? I never start a conversation in the taxi. I used to smoked salmon. I just want to keep the balls to when I started, but it's difficult because in the air - I haven't crashed the cab, no one's they're in the back. I'll respond to what they run off without paying, the kids are all well. I ring my wife every night about 7pm for a chat say, but it's pointless to start a conversation I think most people just want to keep themand she tells me who's rung , who's skint, who selves to themselves. it's usually something wants a tenner put in the post. I'm just happy if of little impact, like how United got on last everyone else is OK.
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Hours
MonCiays -9pm Frid ys 7pm-8pm • UIZ
January
If you are interested in working any shifts behind the bar, please see Gareth Dan"e s, e Bar Manager.
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