THE TAXI CENTRE LIMITED

What THE TAXI CENTRE LIMITED does

The Taxi Centre Limited (trading as Grantham Motor Company Limited) is a UK-based specialist taxi and private hire vehicle dealership established in 2001 and headquartered in Glasgow, with a registered office in Gateshead as part of the Vertu Motors plc group. The company supplies new and used taxis and minibuses from more than twelve manufacturers — including Skoda, Toyota, Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan, Hyundai, MG, Ford, Renault, LEVC, BYD, and Geely — alongside purpose-built vehicles such as the LEVC TX, wheelchair-accessible taxis, and hybrid/electric variants. It positions itself as an impartial multi-brand dealer, drawing on staff recruited specifically from the taxi industry rather than mainstream automotive retail, with several employees exceeding 20 years of tenure. Over 25 years the company has delivered more than 30,000 vehicles to UK drivers and operators.

The business operates a sales-led go-to-market combining a consumer-facing e-commerce website, phone-based inside sales, a Glasgow showroom, and a network of 100+ Vertu-affiliated dealerships for nationwide vehicle collection, with free mainland UK home delivery. It is the official sales and aftersales partner for LEVC in Scotland and North East England, holds FCA authorisation as a credit broker, and supports customers in accessing government Plug-in Taxi Grants (up to £7,500) and EV Chargepoint Grants. Pricing spans roughly £14,134 for used entry models to £74,564 for top-spec LEVC TX, with finance options including Hire Purchase and Personal Contract Purchase and exclusive trade discounts for licensed operators. Revenue is generated from vehicle sale margins, finance broker commissions, and insurance product margins, with customer segments spanning individual drivers, fleet operators, corporate accounts, and union members via a referral partnership with Unite the Union. The Taxi Centre is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vertu Motors plc, a publicly listed UK automotive retailer (LSE: VTM), and the operating entity is registered as a private limited company in England and Wales.

Name

THE TAXI CENTRE LIMITED

Legal name

Grantham Motor Company Limited

Website

https://thetaxicentre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Taxi Centre is a UK specialist dealership supplying new and used taxis, minibuses, and electric vehicles to professional drivers and fleet operators, financed via FCA-regulated credit brokerage. It operates as a multi-brand impartial retailer within the Vertu Motors plc group, with an LEVC regional partnership and nationwide delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Dealership

akta.pro primary industry

Street-Hail Taxi & Taxi Fleet Operators (THAIAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Street-Hail Taxi Operators (Metered/Radio Dispatch) (TLAFAHAA), Street-Hail Taxi Services (THADAEAA)

Keywords

• Taxi sales
• Taxi finance
• Used vehicles
• Minibus taxis
• Wheelchair accessible taxis

Headquarters

HQ city

Gateshead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Sales: Sale of new and used taxis from multiple manufacturers including Skoda, Toyota, Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan, Hyundai, MG, Ford, Renault, LEVC, BYD, and Geely. Revenue generated from the margin on vehicle sales.
2. Finance Commission: As a credit broker, The Taxi Centre receives commission from lenders when arranging finance for customers. Commission may be a fixed fee or fixed percentage of the amount borrowed.
3. Insurance Products: Sale of insurance products including Tyre & Alloy Wheel Insurance and SMART Insurance from single insurer partners. Margin earned on sale plus training support from insurance administrators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Taxi Centre supplies new and used taxis and minibuses from multiple manufacturers (Skoda, Toyota, Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan, Hyundai, MG, Ford, Renault, BYD, Geely, and LEVC) to professional taxi drivers and fleet operators. It is the official LEVC sales and aftersales partner for Scotland and North East England. The company also provides taxi finance products (Hire Purchase and Personal Contract Purchase) as an FCA-regulated credit broker, plus insurance products, free mainland UK delivery, home demonstrations, part-exchange valuations, and trade discounts for taxi operators.

Product overview

The Taxi Centre is a UK-based taxi and private hire vehicle dealership, established in 2001 and part of the Vertu Motors plc group. It operates as an impartial taxi specialist, offering new and used taxis across multiple product categories rather than being tied to a single manufacturer. Its core product categories are: Standard Taxis (New), Hybrid Taxis, Electric Taxis, Minibus Taxis, Wheelchair Accessible Taxis, and Purpose Built Taxis. New vehicles span brands including Skoda, Toyota, Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan, Hyundai, MG, Ford, Renault, BYD, Geely, and LEVC. The flagship purpose-built product is the LEVC TX electric taxi, for which The Taxi Centre is the official sales and aftersales partner for LEVC in Scotland and North East England. The company also sells a range of used taxis and provides taxi finance products (Hire Purchase and Personal Contract Purchase). Additional services include free mainland UK delivery, home demonstrations, part-exchange valuations, and trade discounts for licensed taxi operators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Standard Taxis New standard taxi vehicles from multiple manufacturers including Skoda, Toyota, Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan, Hyundai, MG, Ford, and Renault, available in saloon, hatchback, and estate body styles. The Taxi Centre acts as an impartial dealer, selecting vehicles based on reliability, efficiency, and value rather than being tied to a single manufacturer. New vehicles range from £17,495 (Skoda Scala) to £32,495+ for higher trims.
• Hybrid Taxis Hybrid taxi vehicles combining petrol engines with electric motors for improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions, including the Toyota Corolla hybrid, Kia Niro hybrid, and CUPRA Formentor PHEV. Suitable for private hire and taxi operators seeking fuel-cost savings and eco-friendly credentials.
• Electric Taxis Full electric taxi vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions, exempt from Low Emission Zones (LEZs) and Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charges, including purpose-built electric models such as the LEVC TX with pure EV driving modes and pure-EV options from BYD and other manufacturers.
• Minibus Taxis Multi-seat taxi vehicles including van-derived people carriers such as the Ford Tourneo Custom (8-seater), Renault Trafic (9-seater), and Volkswagen Caddy Maxi (7-seater), designed for airport runs, school transport, and group travel with seating configurations up to nine passengers.
• Wheelchair Accessible Taxis Taxis designed for wheelchair accessibility, featuring deployable ramps, grab handles, and securement systems to accommodate disabled passengers, including purpose-built hackney cabs such as the LEVC TX.
• LEVC TX Purpose-Built Taxi The London Electric Vehicle Company's purpose-built electric taxi featuring eCity technology with an electric motor and range-extending petrol engine, seating up to six passengers with a panoramic roof, wheelchair accessibility ramp, and three-year vehicle warranty (up to 120,000 miles) plus five-year unlimited-mileage battery warranty. Available in TX Vista, TX Vista Comfort, and TX Vista Comfort Plus variants. The Taxi Centre is the official sales and aftersales partner for LEVC in Scotland and North East England.
• Used Taxis Pre-owned taxi vehicles including former demonstrator and pre-registered cars, available across multiple brands (Toyota, Skoda, Kia, CUPRA, Hyundai) with varying mileages and specifications, many featuring full service history. Used taxis range from £14,134 (Toyota Corolla) to £32,495 (Skoda Superb).
• Taxi Finance (Hire Purchase & PCP) Finance packages for taxi purchases arranged by The Taxi Centre as an FCA-regulated credit broker. Hire Purchase (HP) is available on all new taxis with fixed monthly payments over an agreed term, no mileage caps, and VAT reclaimable for VAT-registered businesses. Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) is available for specific models including the LEVC TX, with fixed monthly instalments and a final balloon payment for ownership, with mileage caps and increased limits for taxi drivers.

Quantifiable outcome

• We have delivered tens of thousands of new and used taxis to customers nationwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial sales and aftersales partner for LEVC - manufacturer of the iconic London black taxi. Partnership covers Scotland and North East England. The Taxi Centre sells LEVC TX taxis including TX Vista models with electric range-extender technology.
• Unite the UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive discount rates on LEVC TX Vista offered to Unite the Union members. Union members with valid membership qualify for special pricing when ordering.
• Government Plug-in Taxi Grant (PiTG)coreOthersThe Taxi Centre helps customers access government plug-in taxi grants. Category 1 taxis (70+ miles zero-emissions range) qualify for up to £7,500 savings. Category 2 taxis (10-69 miles range) qualify for up to £3,000 savings. Grant deducted at point of sale.
• EV Chargepoint GrantminorOthersGovernment grant providing up to 75% towards installation cost of smart charge points. Available to homeowners with off-street parking who own eligible electric vehicles.
• Vertu Motors plccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVertu Motors plc is the parent company of The Taxi Centre (trading as Grantham Motor Company Limited). Part of one of the largest automotive retailer groups in the UK.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lookers plc: Major UK automotive retailer operating franchised dealerships across multiple volume and premium brands. Comparable in multi-franchise retail model, finance commission revenue, and aftersales; broader portfolio but similar customer segments including fleet buyers.
• Pendragon plc: UK automotive retailer with volume and premium franchises, now part of Lithia Motors. Comparable as a multi-franchise UK dealer group with parallel manufacturer relationships, fleet services, and finance income streams.
• Marshall Motor Group: UK-listed automotive retailer (now part of Constellation Automotive Group) operating multi-brand franchised dealerships across the country. Comparable as a multi-franchise UK car retailer with finance, fleet, and aftersales offerings; overlaps with The Taxi Centre in mainstream manufacturer partnerships and finance-led revenue.
• Arnold Clark: UK's largest independently owned automotive retailer with a broad multi-franchise model and significant used car operations, including fleet and commercial sales. Comparable to The Taxi Centre as a scaled UK car retailer with growing digital and finance capabilities, though far broader in scope.
• Inchcape plc: London-listed global automotive distributor and retailer with UK retail operations. Comparable as a multi-brand automotive retailer and distributor, though operating at substantially larger scale and across multiple international markets.

Others

• Vertu Motors plc: UK-listed automotive retailer group and parent company of The Taxi Centre. Not a peer in the product sense but the controlling entity whose strategic decisions, capital allocation, and group-level capabilities directly shape The Taxi Centre's competitive position.
• Auto Trader Group: UK's dominant online automotive marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of new and used vehicles. Not a direct competitor but materially relevant as the discovery channel through which taxi drivers research purchases before transacting with retailers like The Taxi Centre.
• Bristol Street Motors: UK multi-franchise automotive retailer and sister company under the same Vertu Motors plc parent as The Taxi Centre. Comparable in business model and back-office infrastructure, though serving mass-market retail rather than the taxi vertical.

Emerging players

• Cazoo: UK online used car retailer offering direct-to-consumer vehicle sales with home delivery. Comparable as a digital-first vehicle retail model that competes for UK car buyers, including taxi drivers, with a similar home-delivery value proposition to The Taxi Centre.
• Cinch: UK online used car marketplace and retailer (part of Constellation Automotive Group). Comparable as a digital vehicle retailer offering home delivery and finance, increasingly competing with traditional dealers including specialist operators like The Taxi Centre for self-employed and small-fleet buyers.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-taxi-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about THE TAXI CENTRE LIMITED