United kingdom Daily news: London Olympics 2012: If you can't find a hotel, try a Hackney Carriage as cabbie rents out his car as accommodation

Jumat, 29 Juni 2012

London Olympics 2012: If you can't find a hotel, try a Hackney Carriage as cabbie rents out his car as accommodation

London Olympics 2012: If you can't find a hotel, try a Hackney Carriage as cabbie rents out his car as accommodation

By Sarah Gordon

PUBLISHED: 06:37 EST, 29 June 2012 | UPDATED: 06:50 EST, 29 June 2012

While Tube and bus workers look like they'll be getting a bonus for working during the Olympics, black cab drivers are expecting a fall in fares after being told they will not be able to use lanes and roads reserved for those involved in the Games.

But one cabbie has found a way to top up his earnings, by renting out his Hackney Carriage as accommodation.

David Weekes has converted his cab into a 'Relax-A-Taxi', complete with sleeping space, bedside lamp, curtains, solar powered radio, iPad and portable fridge, and is planning on charging tourists Â£50 a night.

Home from home: Divid Weekes has kitted out his Hackney Carriage to host guests overnight

On tour: A volunteer tries out the mattress in the back of the cab as she is taken to see the sights of London

The mobile bedroom has been decorated with a Union Jack, Olympics-themed bed cover, not to mention a Paddington Bear toy to keep lonely travellers company.

Guests will have the option of being driven to different locations during their stay - such as going to sleep outside the Olympic Stadium or the London Eye - wherever it is legal to park a taxi.

Those worried about whether they will get a good night's sleep will be comforted to know they will be able to lay back on a memory foam mattress.

And camping chairs and a portable table are available for those looking to set up for dinner.

However, those who need to answer a call of nature during the night could struggle as there is no toilet available.

The unusual accommodation can be booked through private accommodation rental company Wimdu.

Mr Weekes has said customers can use the bathroom in his house if they want to park the cab outside his north London home, otherwise it could be a walk in search of public toilets.

An eye for a bargain: The cab accommodation will cost Â£50 per night, Â£110 less than the average hotel price in London during the Olympics

London Mayor Boris Johnson in froLondon Mayor Boris Johnson in front of Tower Bridgent of Tower Bridge

Let the Games begin: Boris Johnson marks one month until the Olympics by unveiling the official rings hanging from Tower Bridge

Mr Weekes said: 'Iâ€™m really excited that the Olympics are coming to the city but itâ€™s going to be a nightmare for cab drivers. So when I heard that I could rent out my taxi on Wimdu, I thought it was a no-brainer - after all, who knows London better than a cabbie?

'If being a cabbie doesnâ€™t work out, I might just stick with hosting!'

Cab drivers are expecting to see a fall in fares over the Olympic period as extensive 'Games lanes' have been drawn up across London which they will not be able to use.

Heavy traffic caused by the closures will see many people opt to walk or take public transport rather than pay a hefty taxi fare.

Accommodation during the Olympics originally soared as hotels cashed an increase in visitors to London, but in recent weeks prices have been dropping as hotels desperately try to fill their rooms with UK visitors.

The London organising committee originally reserved 40,000 rooms for officials and sponsors involved in the Olympics, pushing prices up as people expected a high demand, but it ended up returning more than a fifth of unused rooms.

The latest prices unveiled by Hotels.com shows that the average price of a hotel room has dropped by a quarter to Â£160 in the last month.

Two months ago, the four-star Radisson Edwardian New Providence Wharf in London's Docklands was asking Â£594 as a starting price for its rooms, but now they are available for between Â£150 and Â£306, according to Hotels.com.

It is not just hotels trying to sell off their last rooms, Thomas Cook is launching a sale between June 29 and July 2 offering up to a 50 per cent discount on its Olympics breaks packages, offering tickets and hotel accommodation.