Self-storage company '¨opens £1m facility

The new, purpose-built facility is an extension to the existing McCarthy’s Storage World on Ripon Road, increasing its self-storage capacity by 50 per cent. Set behind the current building, the new facility has had a waiting list for several months.

A new manager, Victoria Coggill, has been appointed, and further recruitment is planned this year.

Mike McCarthy, managing director of Leeds-based McCarthy’s Removals and Storage, said: “Many of our customers are homemovers who might be decluttering, downsizing or needing to move into storage before they get the keys to their new property. But in addition, we’re seeing a lot of interest from SMEs looking for extra storage, workshop space or somewhere to ‘pick and pack’.

“With the rise in independent online retailers, self-storage is a cost-effective way to gain space, without having to pay over the odds for offices, or give up your spare room or garage. Units can also be used for document archiving to free up office space for organisations.”

The local self-storage industry has boomed in recent years, with the opening of several new sites, including Harrogate Storage Solutions last year.

The Self Storage Association UK says there are now over 1,430 self-storage sites in the UK, providing around 42.2 million sq ft of storage space. In 2016, it estimated total industry turnover at £540m.