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Family business celebrates decade with ambitious growth plan

A Stockport family business has celebrated ten years of trading by revealing an ambitious plan for growth, whilst turning the tired and dusty image of self storage on its head.

Self-styled Easy Access Self Storage began in Heaton Moor in 2006 and currently operates a Stockport and a Manchester site.

Bernard Bailey, co-owner and MD, says he and his wife and business partner Sue now plan to open a further three North West sites in their contemporary and comfortable trademark style by 2018.

With a planned five stores in operation within the next two years, this would make them one of the largest and most influential independent operators in the North West.

Easy Access Self Storage’s original Heaton Moor business moved to a new home in Bredbury last May. It offers a number of warehouse/workspace and trade counter units, offices to let, space for vehicle storage and drive-up storage units over four acres. It is situated on the site of the former Junction 25 recycling plant, just off the M60.

The flagship Trafford facility, opposite the Trafford Centre, opened in 2014. Bernard and Sue say it is the first of its kind in the north west to feature fully alarmed, entirely drive-up style self storage units, which the couple says are easier to open up and provide more flexible storage options .

The 1.35 acre site, branded in the company’s characteristic black and orange, offers 24/7 hour drive-up access, over 400 bespoke units, mailboxes, a ‘box shop’ and a high spec meet and greet reception area with complimentary self service tea and coffee.

Oldest son 19-year-old Aaron works for the business, taking responsibility for customer service and marketing operations. The company also employs three further key personnel across the two sites.

Bernard said: “Our tenth anniversary marks a pivotal period for Easy Access Self Storage and it’s a time when we are absolutely focused on becoming the independent name for quality and customer friendly self storage in the North West.

“From Wigan down to Macclesfield, by 2018 we plan to be providing over 250,000 sqft of self storage space”.

Sue said: “We created the Easy Access Self Storage brand with a strong eye on refreshing the UK approach to self storage.

“We wanted to create a comfortable, welcoming and professional atmosphere in our stores that also offered high levels of safety and service to our customers and their stored items.

“No one else has an offer anything like ours; we’re on a mission to turn the perception of self storage facilities being cold, dusty and clinical on its head.”

Easy Access self storage business clients include independent local and self employed businesses to blue chip multi-national users. They also have a large number of household customers across the two sites, storing everything from de-cluttered household items to hobbyists’ collections.

Storage rental prices start from £10 a week and storage unit sizes go from 25sq ft up to 400sqft+.

Sue and Bernard opened the original Easy Access Self Storage facility on the 1.5 acre site of their former civil engineering company. The land was sold to Bellway Homes for an undisclosed sum in 2015 and now forms part of the Heaton Manor development.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sara Teiger .