Tony Cobley
Established Plymouth law firm, GA Solicitors, has advised a Plymouth taxi firm on the acquisition of a rival company as part of a multi-million-pound expansion plan; establishing it as one of the largest taxi providers in the city.
Need-A-Cab, which was established in 2010, has this month acquired Crownhill Taxis, expanding its team to 200 drivers and 30 office-based staff.
GA Solicitors’ corporate team, led by partner James Peterson, was instructed by Need-A-Cab to advise upon this substantial deal.
James Peterson, partner of GA Solicitors and head of the corporate commercial team, commented: “Need-A-Cab has grown significantly since its inception, initially merging with 24/7 Taxis, then Star Cars in 2017, and now Crownhill Taxis. This makes them one of the leading providers in the city and we have been delighted to advise them through the various aspects of this latest acquisition.
“This growth is testament to the supporting environment the management team provides its drivers and staff, as well as the high levels of service provided to customers.”
David McIntosh, co-owner of Need-A-Cab, added: “The acquisition of Crownhill Taxis was a strong opportunity for us. We undertook significant market research and understood there was a real opportunity to continue to grow and develop in the city.
“We were ably supported by James and the team at GA Solicitors who ensured we were fully protected throughout the purchase and highlighted any potential risks and legalities associated with the deal.
“This will add a further 60 vehicles to our fleet, all of which will be rebranded and the drivers provided with our uniform. We have set up a new control room and also launched an app to ensure our customers can book their taxis easily and reliably, with no interruption to the service.”
James Peterson joined GA Solicitors in 2006 and was promoted to partner in July 2017.