MP Backs Rural Pub in Licensing Row Over Charity Lift Scheme

A rural Kent pub at the centre of a licensing dispute over a customer lift service linked to charitable fundraising has received backing from its local MP, who has formally called on the council to consider creating an exemption for community transport schemes of this kind.

The Flying Horse, a village pub in Smarden, launched the initiative in November 2024, offering customers a lift home in return for an optional donation to the Motor Neurone Disease Association. By the time the scheme was brought to a halt, it had helped roughly 100 patrons get home safely and raised around £700 for the charity.

The service was halted after Ashford Borough Council’s licensing team ruled that the arrangement met the statutory definition of private hire transport under national taxi and private hire legislation — meaning the vehicle, driver and operator would each need to hold the relevant licences. The council indicated the service could resume legally if those licences were obtained.

Weald of Kent MP Katie Lam has since written to council leader Cllr Noel Ovenden, asking whether Ashford Borough Council would consider introducing a limited exemption to its licensing policy to accommodate initiatives of this nature — specifically where no fixed fare is charged and any money raised goes entirely to a registered charity.

In her letter, Lam acknowledged that exemptions to private hire requirements already exist in a number of narrow circumstances, including funeral transport, wedding vehicles and care workers transporting clients, and suggested there was no inherent reason why community-focused schemes could not be treated similarly.

She argued that the current framework, while serving a legitimate public safety purpose, should not stand in the way of grassroots community initiatives operating in good faith.

The case carries particular resonance for the licensed trade. Smarden, like many rural English villages, has limited public transport options, and the pub’s scheme was seen locally as filling a practical gap for customers wanting to drink responsibly without the worry of getting home.

Lam highlighted that losing the service could have a tangible commercial impact on the venue, suggesting that its ability to draw customers at peak trading times may be compromised without a safe travel option being available.

The intervention comes at a time when rural pubs across England are under sustained financial pressure, with rising operating costs squeezing margins. For many village locals, any initiative that strengthens the offer and builds community goodwill is seen as commercially as well as socially valuable.

The MP has asked the council to confirm whether any internal discussions have taken place regarding a potential policy change, and if not, to initiate them. Ashford Borough Council has not yet publicly responded to the letter.

The case may prompt broader debate within the licensing sector about whether existing private hire legislation is adequately equipped to accommodate modern community and charity-linked transport schemes — and whether local authorities have sufficient flexibility within the current framework to act.