It's 3am, you pile out of one of Stockport's late night spots - but how are you getting back?

Or perhaps you're doing a shopping trip and need a bit of an extra hand with the bags - what to do?

Or you've got to catch a flight from Manchester airport, and it's starting to look a bit tight - who can get you there quickly?

Ahmad, Kevin, Nick and Yousef are just four of the drivers at Lynx Taxis who have these bases - and many more - covered.

All of them pride themselves on having encyclopaedic knowledge of the local area, and are emphatic about working for Lynx - a family-run business based in Hazel Grove - as opposed to a franchise.

Take Kevin - after a career as a chauffeur, he's been working at Lynx for six years.

"I was born in Stockport, and never really lived anywhere else", he said. "It's a big part of my life - I like the people and the culture."

"If you've got local drivers, they know where they're going, they know where they are, and the customers like that.

"The way I treat every passenger who gets in my car is they're all VIPs.

"From Doris who's retired to Jason who's going to work - I always treat them the same.

"Courtesy and nice journeys for them, always - whether they're going to work, to the doctor's, or for a nice meal."

Driver Yousef is similarly enthusiastic about working at Lynx, saying simply: "We're the best!".

"Driving for Lynx, I get to be myself", he explained.

"I get to be that person that I want to be. I don't have to come into work with a mask on - I get to have that nice conversation with my customers, that banter with my customers, have that relationship with my customers.

"That's how the customer feels comfortable.

"I've been doing this for a long time - I know Stockport like the back of my hand, now. It's like my second home.

"Lynx, being a family business itself, means there's a better relationship among staff and customers.

"With customers knowing it's a family-run company, they feel more comfortable.

"And being a family business - I would put money into their pockets before I would a franchise.

"Because, at the end of the day, when a customer rings, they want to speak to a person. That's how it is with Lynx - they speak to a person, not a computer."

This sense of character and personality is something that other Lynx drivers maintain is crucial.

"You get all sorts of fantastic characters in the area", Stockport local and driver Nick said.

"You're getting local knowledge which you wouldn't get with drivers who are out of the area.

"I used Lynx before I was even driving with them as a service myself, so its great to be part of the team.

"Here, you're guaranteed to get a driver that can get from A to B without taking you around the houses."

Similarly, Ahmad, who has been driving with Lynx since 2016, said: "It's very reliable, with very friendly staff.

"I drive to the airport a lot of the time. It's good to see people going on their holidays, listen to their different opinions, and when they come back you can ask 'how is this country? How is the culture? How was the people?'

"When you support your local business, it's helping each other - support local businesses as much as you can!"

Lynx Taxis was established in 1988, and services Stockport, Manchester, and east Cheshire.

The company boasts an expansive fleet of 500 modern vehicles, with saloons, estates, eight-seaters, multi-purpose vehicles, and more.

Always family-run, they aim to be 'community-led' as much as possible.

This can mean supporting local charities and good causes, such as Shaw Heath food bank.

It also means fixed prices - even with fuel costs rising - and hefty discounts for passengers.

Students can get 20 percent off, for instance, and OAPs get 10 percent off.

Lynx can even help with things like booster seats, wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and even that extra helping hand getting bags of shopping to the door.

Find out more and / or book a ride on their website here.

You can also stay up to date on the Lynx social media pages here: Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Book a ride with Lynx on 0161 480 0000. You can also use code NEWLYNX for £5 off your first ride.

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Lynx Taxis is a sponsor of Nub News. Support from local businesses such as them helps us keep our local news free and easy-to-read. If you own a local business and would like to sponsor us, get in touch at [email protected].