Ray Warn to close Tenterfield Taxi Service after running the business for 32 years

Tenterfield Taxi Service officially closed its doors on Friday, March 31 after no one came forward to buy the business.

Owner Ray Warn and his daughter Nicole Haddock made the decision based on financial and medical reasons.

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It has been a family run business for 32 years.

"We just can't do it anymore as a family, it was the hardest decision we've had to make," Mrs Haddock said.

"It's broken my father's heart, everyone knows 'taxi Ray' and everyone knew my mum 'taxi Lyn'.

"Dad has had two heart attacks and I've recently had one myself at 48.

"We both can't drive now and it's not sustainable to run if you have to rely on other drivers," she said.

The business suffered and could have easily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but pushed ahead for another three years.

The family have been active in trying to find a potential buyer after spreading information across social media about the closure.

Mrs Haddock said anyone wanting to take over can lease the cars and equipment at a decent price.

"Hopefully someone will take over the lease from the government," she said.

"They can buy the cars and get the plates and run it themselves, it could be a good little business that can run quite cheap."

The Live Better community group is hoping to fill the void with some transport options along with some of the courtesy buses in town.

"At the end of the day it's not going to be enough," Mrs Haddock said.

"The town definitely needs some kind of public transport."

Mrs Haddock has worked as a driver and in administration roles to help her father over the years.

"If mum and dad ever needed another driver I would stop whatever I was doing to go and help them," she said.

"Mum ended up being quite sick and I cared for her for seven years until she passed away in 2016.

"After that I went into the administration side of things and just drove every now and then.

"It's been my life since we moved here from Sydney when I was 16.

"It's very sad to see it go, if there was any way to keep going we definitely would have."

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