Former Pulp drummer Nick Banks has unveiled a taxi-pub – complete with a bar on the front passenger’s seat.
The 53-year-old has kitted out the interior with three working pumps which serve lager, bitter or cider.
The father-of-two has named the taxi ‘The Drinks Cab-innit’ which is also equipped with a disco ball, curtains and a bottle bar.
But obviously, the driver never drinks when getting behind the wheel.
The rock legend, who lives in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, can be seen roaming the streets of his home city in the bright coloured taxi dubbed ‘The Pink Torpedo’.
The idea to convert a taxi – which can fit up to five people in – came after Nick entered the ‘Bangers & Cash’ event – the UK’s first art banger car rally.
He assembled a three-man team for a charity drive from Sheffield to Monte Carlo this month to raise money for Roundabout – Sheffield’s youth homeless charity.
But Nick and his two “adventurers” had to find a mode of transport and scoured the obvious internet sites until finding one vehicle which stood out — an old ‘Boohoo’ pink taxi.
The friends got in touch with the Sheffield taxi community and eventually snapped up the taxi with 12 months MOT for £650.
He said: “We kept on the trial of the pink taxi and after dogged determination managed to buy it. We bought the taxi for £650, which is the maximum you are allowed to spend.
“One of our adventurers is in the drinks industry. Once we had this taxi we had to do something with it.
“He said we could turn it into a pub. He had the know how to take it forward.
“You have the potential for three pumps.”
The Drinks Cab-innit was unveiled to the public at The Brothers Arms, in Sheffield, on Saturday, September 8 as the World’s first and only Taxi-pub.
The trio had Kaltenburg lager and Thatchers Gold cider on tap served in the cab – and only charge by donations.
Sadly, the taxi won’t be giving you a lift to the pub any time soon, as it doesn’t take passengers and will be scrapped after the rally.
Nick says the pumps only work when hooked up to beer lines at a real pub due to having to stock up on gas bottles.
But when the trio set off later today they will instead have a bottle bar while driving from the South Yorkshire city to Monaco.
Nick says homelessness is on the rise and everyone is “three pay packets” away from living on the streets.
“I think it’s getting worse these days,” added Nick. “The transition from school to the working environment can be difficult and families can break up as well.
“There were periods where I was very close to being homeless. We are all two or three pay packets away.
“We are doing for the charity not just for the laugh.”
Nick is married to wife Sarah and two children Jackson and Jeannie.
He is the former drummer of English band, Pulp.
The band gained prominence in the UK in the mid-1990s with the release of the albums His ‘n’ Hers in 1994 and Different Class in 1995, which reached the number one spot in the UK Albums Chart.
The album spawned four top ten singles, including “Common People” and “Sorted for E’s & Wizz”, both of which reached number two in the UK Singles Chart.
He now plays drums in Sheffield-based bands Pollinates, Bigshambles and sometimes guests with The Everly Pregnant Brothers.
Nick is the nephew of Gordon Banks, goalkeeper of the 1966 FIFA World Cup winning England squad.
Roundabout is Sheffield’s local youth housing charity, providing shelter, support and life skills to young people.
By Ben Gelblum and Nathan Sandhu