INTERVIEW
MICHAEL LOCK by Kate Cotton
By the Dart INTERVIEW TAXI FOR ONE
T
axi For One is the brainchild of Dartmouth taxi driver Michael Lock. His Smart car can get around the back streets of town and country lanes, with a solo passenger and their belongings. Michael said: ‘‘My little car can get to places in the town
that others can’t, including Southford Road and Above Town. Business is good and I have more than 50 regular customers. People weren’t sure it would work but I’ve proved them wrong. No one else is doing this around here but there are others in the country. “The nice part of being a taxi driver is I get to hear
everything that’s going on. Lots of older people like me because I’m Dartmouth born and bred and know their families. I look after my older customers including deliver- ing shopping and fetching their pills from the chemist. “I spend a lot of time going up and
down the hill into town and also doing runs to Totnes train station and Exeter Airport.” Michael operates the business from
the Naval College who’d just bought one from Currys!” Michael was born in Dartmouth and both he and
wife Diane attended Dartmouth primary and secondary schools. Diane was in the year below Michael and they didn’t know each other at the time. They met while out with mutual friends at the Market House pub in the town. They married four years later, in 1978, at St Saviour’s
Church. Just after they met Diane went to work in Kensington,
“I’ve always worked with people and
his Townstal home, often working from 7.30am to midnight, including weekends. Sunday can be his busiest day. He added: “I love it. I like meeting people and talking to everyone. My earliest recent booking was a 3.30am to Totnes, for the coach to London. “People sometimes forget I’m a single seater and book
like talking to them while driving. I can rabbit on for hours!”
London, as a nanny “to three lovely red-haired children”. Her neighbours at the time included David Jacobs, Lord Snowden and the 70s band Mud. Michael would regularly visit Diane and her boss paid for their honeymoon in Majorca. The couple bought their home in Townstal 31 years ago, which now has the most beautiful mature garden backing onto a wonderful rolling view. Michael said they have “fantastic neighbours and friends”. Diane’s parents Averil and Rex Boulton
owned Boulton’s Newsagents in Broad- stone for 34 years. Michael’s dad, Donald Lock, was a steward at the Naval College. Michael and Diane have four boys,
now in their 20s and 30s – James, Daniel, Thomas and Matthew. James, Daniel and
Matthew went away to study at university. Architect James lives locally with four children; Daniel
me for more than one passenger. Three women booked me the other day and I did three trips up and down the hill – but they were happy to wait!” Michael set up the business, with its distinctive orange and white logo, in October 2013. He said: “I’m amazed how many people take photos of
the car. A couple of years ago I couldn’t decide what to do so I looked at taxis. I was on the moors having something to eat with my wife, Diane, when we saw a Smart car and thought ‘why not?’ “I had to speak to South Hams District Council, who’d
never issued a taxi licence to a car with less than four doors before. After four months of to-ing and fro-ing, checking wheelchairs could fit in etc, they granted me a licence. “The car’s actually deceptively big inside. It can easily fit a wheelchair and has room for two suitcases. I’ve even had a fridge in there, when I picked up one of the officers from
is in Aberdeen working for an oil company; Thomas is in Bath working for a publishing company; and Matthew is a photographer who lives in Galmpton. Michael left school at 14. He said: “I wanted to leave as soon as possible and earn money. Nobody I knew made plans to go to university in those days. “My first job was at International Stores which is now
the Co-op. Then I worked at the Naval College, Pillars Builders and the higher and lower ferries. “I worked on the lower ferry when it was the old wheel system and it was lots of fun. I also worked as a wine steward at the Naval College in the 80s, first in the gunroom then the wardroom with the officers. “I saw many members of the royal family and served
wine to The Queen. I saw Princess Diana, Prince Andrew, Prince Philip and Princess Anne. I also spoke to Prince Michael of Tongo when he came in the bar – he was really nice.”
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