ACCESS SELF STORAGE ROMFORD CHAMPIONS LOCAL BUSINESS

Leading storage company to host local Business Expo

Access Self Storage, one of the UK’s leading storage operators, will host an exciting Business Expo at its Romford store later this month to encourage local businesses to link up and inspire them to make the most of their counterparts in the Essex region.

With over 30 stands, taken by a vast array of businesses including letting agencies, debt management companies, taxis & couriers, builders, financial services, accountants and creative agencies, the Access Self Storage Business Expo, in partnership with bestofhavering will provide the perfect opportunity for small businesses in the area to build new relationships and explore new ways to promote themselves to the local community and beyond. With over 300 businesses expected to pass through the event, the Expo is a ‘must attend’ date for the business calendar in September 2010. Stands and tickets are still currently available.

The Access Self Storage Business Expo in partnership with bestofhavering will take place on Thursday 23rd September 2010 from 5pm to 8pm at the Access Self Storage site on Southend Arterial Road. Canapes and beverages will be available for all businesses attending.

David Fletcher, Store Manager at Access Self Storage Romford, said “The diverse mix of small businesses that use self storage makes Access the ideal location in which to host a networking event for the local business community. By providing an opportunity for businesses to network we hope to highlight the potential growth they can make by helping other non competitive businesses in the area”.

Julie Marriott from bestofhavering said; “thebestofhavering is passionate about finding the best businesses in the area and promoting them. The Access Self Storage Business Expo is one of many ways we do this.”

Access Self Storage as a service provider to many local businesses is ideally positioned to provide a forum where they can come together to network and explore opportunities.

ACCESS DISCOVERS THAT GUYS ARE MORE SENTIMENTAL THAN GIRLS

The results of an Access Self Storage survey suggest that guys are more nostalgic and sentimental than women, when it comes to the possessions they treasure most.


We asked students to name the three things they would keep forever. Of those surveyed 67% of men said they would keep photographs of friends and family compared to just 49% of women. Men were also more likely to say they would keep a gift they were given, 24%, compared to just 11% of women.

Maybe unsurprisingly however, 36% of women compared to just 9% of men wanted to keep an item of clothing forever with 13% of women listing a favourite pair of jeans as a must keep. However, when it came to technology 37% of men listed a computer as one of their top 3 valuables compared to 23% of women. Ultimately, when both groups were given the choice between giving up their laptop and mobile phone over all their furniture, both men and women overwhelmingly chose technology with 78% of women and 81% of men.

Our Marketing Manager Jill Martin said:

“This is quite an interesting insight into the world of students. The end of the summer terms is the time of year when many students are moving back home and are considering the things they want to keep but can’t easily transport, and those they want to throw away. At Access we wanted to find out more about the different priorities students have when making those decisions as students make up an important part of the Access customer base.”

Students were also asked what item of their partner’s they would put away in storage forever. The survey revealed 37% of women would hide away their partner’s electrical gadgets, with games getting a particularly high mention, and 45% of men wanted to hide their partner’s fashion accessories, with make-up and shoes both being singled out as annoyances.

See a video of what other interesting things people were interested in keeping . The clip reveals whether it was a man or a woman whose three essentials were ‘string, a blanket and cigarettes’!

Access Self Storage Islington turns 10!

Access Self Storage Islington celebrates its ten year anniversary this month. The store opened in April 2000, offering approximately 16,000 sq ft of storage space spread over 2 floors. In 2006 a three storey extension building was completed, taking capacity to 66,567 sq ft of storage units, big enough to house the main exhibition hall of Islington’s Business Design Centre!

The team have been marking the store’s 10 years in the Eagle Wharf area of Islington by offering Islington Chamber of Commerce members 10% off storage, and reminiscing with current customers, some of whom have been with Access since the Islington branch opened!

Access Self Storage Islington Manager, Martin Cottmore, also recently reached his 10 year anniversary with the company, though he hasn’t been at our Islington store all that time. Martin began his career in our Kings Cross store, then crossed the river leaving central London behind for South London, and our Woolwich store. After a couple of years commuting to Charlton, Martin then headed for North London, where he has happily remained since.

We look forward to organising a joint 21st for Martin and the Access Islington store in 2021!

And our winner is…

…after much deliberation over which of our fantastic store teams should get the Access Self Storage Blue Peter badge, a decision has been made.


Did we go for Access Harrow, where a donation of 180 gowns from local Stag Lane Primary School was covered in the local Harrow Observer newspaper? Or Access Self Storage Southampton, who had 367 gowns dropped off by a school who we desperately tried to trace so we could let Blue Peter know who they were? Was it Access Kingston where 400 gowns from Grand Avenue Primary were donated?

Whilst all of these stores accepted some impressively large donations from local schools, and all of our stores entered into the Send-a-Smile appeal with gusto, we have decided that the Blue Peter badge should live at our Wandsworth store, where all of the appeal gowns have been stored. Manager Alison Clark and her team have supported the appeal enthusiastically throughout the campaign, from being a drop off point, acting as the central storage location, hosting Blue Peter presenters and children from local schools during filming, to stepping in with cardboard boxes to pack-up gowns when Operation Smile were let down by their suppler – nothing has been too much trouble for Al and her team.

And don’t the team look chuffed with Al wearing the badge in the picture above?

Enjoy guys – you deserve it!

Blue Peter thanks Access Self Storage – with one of their highly coveted Blue Peter badges

Excitement swept through the Access Self Storage Marketing Department today, upon the arrival of every child’s (and many adult’s) coveted possession – a Blue Peter badge!

How we wracked our brains as kids trying to think of the interesting letter, story, poem or good idea for the programme that could earn us a badge (and okay yes, we may have actually submitted some unsuccessful attempts). Whilst badges aren’t awarded for taking part in Blue Peter appeals, the team were happy to reward Access Self Storage for being an Appeal Partner.

We think we might just spend the day taking turns to wear it, before deciding which of our stores should get to wear the badge with pride every day.

Blue Peter ‘Send-a-Smile’ appeal announcement

Yesterday the Blue Peter team announced the results of their 2009/10 ‘Send-a-Smile’ appeal, in support of Operation Smile. The initial target of 20,000 gowns was well and truly smashed, with over 92,000 gowns collected!

The saving this equates to for Operation Smile means an additional 1,800 children can be given life changing surgery.

Blue Peter have tagged this appeal as their most successful campaign ever! All 54 Access Self Storage stores were drop off points for the appeal, allowing every child in the UK to easily access a local donation site. Our flagship Wandsworth store has also been home to ALL the gowns which have been donated, prior to them being sent overseas for use. The first storage unit donated to Operation Smile quickly became full, so another 200 sq ft of space was made available to the organisation.

The whole Access Self Storage team has been delighted to do a little to help a wonderful charity in this amazing appeal. We hope to be able to build on the relationships developed with Operation Smile and Blue Peter and look forward to being able to support them in the future.

Access Self Storage up for another award!

Hot on the heels of winning bronze in Transform 2010’s Best National Rebrand category, Access Self Storage has now been shortlisted for Best Large Business in the South London Business Awards 2010.

The award not only recognises our branches based in the South London boroughs of Croydon, Merton, Sutton, Kingston, Richmond, Bromley Wandsworth, Lambeth and Southwark, but all 53 of our UK stores.

Access’s Director of Operations, Fred Taylor commented “Being shortlisted for the Best Large Business award is wonderful news. Access Self Storage has been operating for over twenty years, and the last year has been incredibly exciting with 6 new stores launched as well as our successful rebranding project. We strive to be the very best so being acknowledged by South London Business is a fitting tribute to the hard work of all the team”.

The South London Business Awards 2010 in association with HSBC will take place on May 19th at Selhurst Park Stadium. Whilst we’re obviously hoping for a great result on the night for now we’re pleased just to have been shortlisted alongside some fantastic companies.