New car hire service in central London allows MINI test drive A new car hire service in London allows people to hire a MINI for just 26 pence an hour. Inspired by the 'Boris Bike' scheme, the first MINI docking station has opened in West End’s bustling Berkeley Square. The station is open from 0800 hrs to 1800 hrs every day until Thursday 6 December, with the aim being for commuters to experience driving fun in a MINI Cooper for less than the cost of a chocolate bar.
The initiative comes off the back of new research revealing that Londoners have the least amount of fun in Britain, followed by their counterparts in Manchester and Birmingham – with 142, 148 and 152 minutes fun-time daily. This is compared to a smiling Swansea whose residents manage to find more than four hours (244 minutes) to enjoy themselves each day.
The MINI Fun Hire Service will allow drivers to get used to the new MINI Cooper Hatch, with its famous go-kart handling and grin-inducing driving dynamics. Staff will accompany the driver for the hour and even drive it back from their end destination.
Studies show that Brits have fun for an average of just over two hours a day – that is a mere ten percent of their year. With more than half of Brits (54 percent) blaming their fun-deprived days on their daily commute – and a further 42 per cent admitting they work too many hours to be able to enjoy themselves.