An award-winning chef and her husband have been ordered by North Yorkshire Council to stop offering free lifts home to customers at their rural restaurant, Hansom in Bedale, after the practice was deemed illegal under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.
Background of the Restaurant
Ruth Hansom, who grew up in Darlington and trained at the Ritz in London, opened Hansom two and a half years ago. The restaurant quickly gained recognition, appearing in the Michelin Guide and receiving a glowing nine-out-of-ten review from Times critic Giles Coren, who praised its savoury bread and butter pudding as “gorgeous, sensual, full of love and truth.”
The Informal Lift Service
The couple began offering lifts after noticing customers walking home in the dark on unlit roads. Mark Hansom, who works full-time, would drive diners within a 10-mile radius. No charge was made, but the council argued that the restaurant derived a commercial benefit, bringing the service under private hire licensing rules.
Ruth Hansom said: “We had people coming from bigger towns like York and Darlington in an Uber thinking they could get one back, but they couldn’t.” She added that customers from nearby villages often walked home in pitch-black conditions, prompting the informal offer.
Council Intervention
Following a complaint, the council sent an email headed “Allegation – Using Own Vehicle as a Private Hire Vehicle,” stating that the lifts fell within the private hire licensing regime. It required the Hansoms to obtain a private hire operator’s licence, along with vehicle and driver licences, to continue the service.
Ruth Hansom expressed disappointment: “There’s so many great restaurants in North Yorkshire that are bringing tourism to the area and helping the local economy. People come up to the restaurant, but they stay for the whole weekend.”
Council’s Position
Karl Battersby, North Yorkshire Council’s corporate director for environment, said: “We are always willing to work with businesses. While offering customers lifts may seem like a helpful gesture, transporting members of the public without the proper licences in place creates serious risks for both the business and the customer.” He emphasised that the rules ensure appropriate insurance, safeguarding, vehicle safety, and driver suitability checks.
The restaurant has now stopped the lift service, and the couple hopes for a compromise in the future to support rural hospitality businesses.
