Uber has won its appeal against Brighton and Hove City Council and will continue to operate in Brighton and Hove.

The taxi app company applied to renew its licence with Brighton and Hove City Council earlier this year, but its application was refused on May 1.

The city council's licensing panel said it had 'significant concerns' about the company’s data breach and Uber’s lack of commitment to use only Brighton and Hove licensed drivers in the city

Uber then launched an appeal, and today (December 11) the company learned it had won.

Responding to the news, Councillor Jackie O’Quinn, chair of Brighton and Hove City Council's licensing panel, said: “We’re very disappointed in the court ruling against our decision not to renew Uber Britannia Ltd’s (UBL) Private Hire Operator Licence.

“When making licensing decisions, our priority is the safety of residents and visitors, and that’s why we set a high level of conditions. All Brighton & Hove private hire and Hackney Carriage drivers in the city operate under the same licences and guidelines contained in the Blue Book and undergo the same background checks, whichever company they drive for.

“Part of our decision not to renew was due to concerns that UBL had not kept to the spirit of the commitment it made to keep to our standards and only use Brighton & Hove licensed drivers. The Court felt that Uber met the requirements under national legislation.

“UBL’s operating model is a challenge to local licensing conditions and the current licensing regulations. We have raised concerns that the legislation has not kept pace with the changing nature of the licensed trade with central government.”

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