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Snowdonia Travel "acquired' by Cityfox
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A bus registration search gives an effective date of 13/1/17:
Vehicle Operator Licensing Service said:
So does that mean that the service isn't authorised to commence until 13th January (even though that's illogically after its end date) so shouldn't actually have been running on Christmas Day and Boxing Day? Or is the online entry wrong and it was allowed to start on 25th December?
Page 25 of DVLA guidance on notice periods explains and I've I've previously mentioned the 21 day notice is only for varying registrations over the holiday period.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ile/542918/local-psv-service-registration.pdf
No doubt that observation will be taken as a criticism by some.
The entry appears wrong. Confirmation of acceptance is sent via post too.
It's not all good publicity for CityFox
http://m.bristolpost.co.uk/8203-out...aming-advert/story-30027961-detail/story.html
http://m.bristolpost.co.uk/8203-out...aming-advert/story-30027961-detail/story.html
I just love the reference in the article to Cityfox Group, I believe there was also a Cityfox House.
Rhys is very keen to give people exciting sounding job titles 'Marketing and Communications Manager'.
As the media are hungry for this kind of story, it'll probably go national and give publicity to a rather curious operation.
Rhys is very keen to give people exciting sounding job titles 'Marketing and Communications Manager'.
As the media are hungry for this kind of story, it'll probably go national and give publicity to a rather curious operation.
backontrack
Established Member
BTW, the front page of CityFox Group has a couple of misplaced apostrophes in quite prominent places.
Also, you've got a slightly baffling sentence structure in one example.
In fact, looking through the site, there are quite a few errors and typos.
CityFox homepage said:
Also, you've got a slightly baffling sentence structure in one example.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---CityFox homepage said:
In fact, looking through the site, there are quite a few errors and typos.
Last edited:
A lot of the content has been copied from other websites.
http://www.centralbuses.com/about/ Is copied almost word for word for Rhys' bus outfit. I would post a link but the bus website link has been dead for a while.
Still, when one is producing posters that look resemble period adverts for 'Confessions of a Window Cleaner', I guess there's not much time for websites.
Qwerty133
Established Member
He is no where near the first person to give close friends or family members important sounding titles for unimportant roles...
10k's worth of free advertising? I'll take that. 70% of comments we've received are positive and people have actually rang to book taxis because of the advert.
Branson's comment really is true 'any publicity is good publicity'
Thanks for the positive comments!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Rhys is very keen to recognise potential and give people opportunities - don't understand how me or the business employing someone can result to criticism from you, but then I suppose you've got to find something to try and attack me with. Since the taxi operation itself is quite large scale, the need for someone to carry out marketing tasks is high.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Thank you for your voluntary consultancy, I've passed this on to Sophie.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
The usual arrogant response then! I really do think that he believes he's the new Branson. There's one crucial difference; Branson would never respond to people in that fashion.
In a way more O'Leary - always willing to take free publicity and never afraid of a bit of controversy in aid of said publicity.
As an example, I don't believe Ryanair ever intended to charge £1 for use of the on-board toilets - but the associated publicity ("Ryanair is cheap") rumbles on years later.
Branson certainly wasn't the first to use the comment and it has to be qualified anyway because of incidents like Ratners.
Basically if somebody is aiming to be at the level of Ryan Air/President of the US it dosent matter how bad the stories about you get, if they're aiming to be something better then bad publicity is remembered a lot longer than the good.
'@El_Mayo @FirstBSA oh I dunno, I attempted to rip some stupid chink driver through the plastic screen the other day!'
http://tweettunnel.com/reverse3.php?mo=y&ga=0&b=y&pgn=18&bt=&st=&id=330558410&pn=13
Just one of the publicly available tweets from the archive of Mr. H. Now that really could go viral and might not be as 'good' publicity for the fox as the posters.
I'm not being vindictive and I believe that it's relevant in view of the current debate.
http://tweettunnel.com/reverse3.php?mo=y&ga=0&b=y&pgn=18&bt=&st=&id=330558410&pn=13
Just one of the publicly available tweets from the archive of Mr. H. Now that really could go viral and might not be as 'good' publicity for the fox as the posters.
I'm not being vindictive and I believe that it's relevant in view of the current debate.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Too true Carl; publicity and use of the media can be a double edged sword....
As the Daily Mail have pointed out today, it is actually a complete lift (incl. the same image) of a flyer done by another firm in Southampton two years ago
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11705647.Southampton_taxi_boss_apologises_over_poster_row/?ref=rss
In addition, one of the other Southampton firms then used it against that business with the Student market!
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I'd imagine he didn't really do that, but that is probably sufficient for someone to be arrested on suspicion of racially motivated assault, is it not, at least until it was proven e.g. by CCTV download that he in fact did not make any such attempt and was just mouthing off on Twitter?
Interesting. I'd suggest he should perhaps rein in such a temper as what will become a very high profile character if his bus operations are a success (and good luck to him with them, FWIW).
No, provided you got the real message, and the other text is certainly large enough not to miss it. Whether the photos are a balanced choice I question, but if it saves accidents and even lives, well done Rhys.
This type of advertising message is one of the most difficult to bring off as it appeals to others to take concern for an individual's behaviour.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Neil and Daikilo
I don't think anyone is realistically saying that he did that. In fact, I'm sure that Rhys didn't do that; however, as is often said, what you post online is there forever so perhaps he needs to be a bit more circumspect.
Also, if you court publicity, it can work against you.
Journalists will happily take what you say and dig further, as shown by the Mail Online article. This highlights not just the reaction locally but the origins of the campaign in Southampton and the adverse and (in part) counter-productive reaction there.
Although mr O'Leary has some going to catch up with the proprietor of the charleville lodge hotel in Dublin, the proprietor is known for his social media outbursts and has attracted 47k followers on the hotels Facebook page.
The same owners cafe, the white moose also in Dublin, has 104k followers. Both are worth a read for how to attract publicity by taking digs at various customers!
The business snapchat is hilarious as well. Certainly worth looking his businesses up on Facebook and reading a few posts.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
As am I.
Yes, this. He's just being laddish in the way many people of his age are - and most people just ignore that as being laddish. The thing is, he's potentially a high profile manager of a public transport business. Can you imagine Brian Souter, controversial though he may be, posting that kind of thing? He might, though, I suppose, be taking lessons from O'Leary - but even he isn't laddish, he's just blunt.
FWIW, though, I don't for a minute believe the person who posted that he was going to do bad things to an airport if they didn't de-ice a bit quicker intended to actually do them - but he still ended up arrested and tried (though I believe found not guilty as it was obviously a joke). So Rhys should watch out for the same possibility if he posts this kind of thing which was tantamount to admission of an assault (even if that assault never actually occurred and he was just gobbing off, as you and I both believe to be the case).
Unfortunatly, it's not an isolated example and there are various outbursts on social media, some recent, that certainly raise eyebrows. This combined with various previous fantasy businesses and job adverts give a revealing insight into a persons character.
Then there's this gem from Shaun Craige posted in Fat bus bloke's blog.
"Just to put record straight Rhys hands and city fox had nothing ever to do with Bristol greyhound ltd/ pier buses uk I'm Shaun Craigie and was the only director when company closed.I got rid of Gary Willams a freind of Rhy hands because he was losing me thousands a week due to his on going contact talking to his mate the network planner of first bus behind my back and not recording his involvement with him.making it impossible for me to keep running my buses due to underhanded moves to force me off the road I handed my licences in. I was never called to a public enqiry for ending my service with out notice wonder why ? I complained to traffic commissioner for months on many occasions about first alway brushed under carpet,I gave them one week to do something about first they never did.
so on the Friday I walked in to there offices and handed them my operator discs and pulled my buses off the road"
http://publictransportexperience.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/the-greyhound-and-fox-part-3.html
Not forgetting Nick Siddaway who ran Cornwall Busways and various dealings with the TC.
Earlier this week Rhys claimed to have designed a livery for Rotola but when someone in the industry asked questions about it , he went silent as the story was obviously dodgy.
I'm not bashing Rhys or his businesses for the fun of it however, I think most people in the industry are aware of his reputation. I'm aware that some will disagree and they are entitled to their view and to do their own research.
Then there's this gem from Shaun Craige posted in Fat bus bloke's blog.
"Just to put record straight Rhys hands and city fox had nothing ever to do with Bristol greyhound ltd/ pier buses uk I'm Shaun Craigie and was the only director when company closed.I got rid of Gary Willams a freind of Rhy hands because he was losing me thousands a week due to his on going contact talking to his mate the network planner of first bus behind my back and not recording his involvement with him.making it impossible for me to keep running my buses due to underhanded moves to force me off the road I handed my licences in. I was never called to a public enqiry for ending my service with out notice wonder why ? I complained to traffic commissioner for months on many occasions about first alway brushed under carpet,I gave them one week to do something about first they never did.
so on the Friday I walked in to there offices and handed them my operator discs and pulled my buses off the road"
http://publictransportexperience.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/the-greyhound-and-fox-part-3.html
Not forgetting Nick Siddaway who ran Cornwall Busways and various dealings with the TC.
Earlier this week Rhys claimed to have designed a livery for Rotola but when someone in the industry asked questions about it , he went silent as the story was obviously dodgy.
I'm not bashing Rhys or his businesses for the fun of it however, I think most people in the industry are aware of his reputation. I'm aware that some will disagree and they are entitled to their view and to do their own research.
Robertj21a
On Moderation
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I get the impression that a good many on this forum are well aware of a number of relevant issues.
THarris123
Established Member
It never stops in the land of the fox! A quick browse of Companies House this evening reveals that Mr. Stockley has resigned as a Director of Snowdonia Travel effective 31/12/16 and received today.
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09495777/filing-history
He is still shown as a Director of Excite Venues (It was going to be a nightclub) & Velvet Fox.
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09495777/filing-history
He is still shown as a Director of Excite Venues (It was going to be a nightclub) & Velvet Fox.
THarris123
Established Member
Although it is interesting, do you have nothing else better to do than search for stuff about Cityfox on the internet?
There is a clear agenda. We all know about Rhys's past. It's getting boring having it dragged up again and again.
It was on the radio yesterday that around 80% of teenagers get involved in something inappropriate on social media, so his internet past is in the majority. He clearly has sufficient finances and willing to take a risk to fund his business idea at a young age unlike many of us, and should be admired for that regardless of his past misdemeanours.
His plans have previously been found out before being reality and this has been his downfall in the past, he has clearly learnt from this as he is now citing commercial sensitivity on his night bus plan. Learning from past mistakes is a big positive.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Let's be fair about all of this.
On one side, talk of illegality of operation and people's sexuality (as has been spread elsewhere beyond this board) is beyond the pale. It's not appropriate and should not be tolerated. I'm sure that Phil Stockley would not risk his reputation by running outside of the law. Likewise, we should all applaud and embrace entrepreneurship and not seek to denigrate the efforts of others. We all do things in the past that we perhaps regret - I know I do
Look at Velvet - Phil Stockley worked very hard and did some really good things, but would also concede that some mistakes were made on the way (and not those highlighted by armchair experts).On the flip side, there is a very genuine interest in what CityFox say and do. They've courted publicity before (see KernowFox) and are very active in social media and that is obviously to create interest and demand. I think that interest is fair enough especially in KernowFox where there was no existing product.
So is the past an issue? Well, yes in so far that current perceptions are tainted by the past and it has created a level of cynicism amongst some people. That's why "learning from mistakes" is important.
Unfortunately, even this week, we have CityFox applauded for an innovative advertising campaign. It then gets highlighted in the national press that it's been taken lock, stock and barrel from another unrelated taxi business. It does hark back to previous examples of alleged plagiarism. Have lessons been learned?
To overcome cynicism, the maxim is often that to change views, you have to do things sufficiently differently and sufficiently long enough to show that things have really changed.
Rhys and Phil appear to be open to taking questions (subject to understandably not divulging commercially sensitive information). There is a raft of conflicting information (part fact, part belief) out there. Perhaps asking some genuine questions might be more appropriate if people want answers?
As you know, I generally have a PhD in cynicism (in all facets of life) but I have tried to be balanced
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