Go Store Self Storage of York, England, received more than £11,000 from AD:VENTURE, a business-support program for start-ups in North and West Yorkshire, to add technology that’ll help the business operate safely during the coronavirus pandemic. The money funded website development that allows customers to rent units online and facility operators to manage the site remotely. It also covered the costs of new furniture for the reception area for the 900-unit facility, according to the source.
The storage site on Monks Cross Drive was opened late last year by owners Jamie and Norman Galbraith and Rory Windham, who are related. “It was a bit of a stroke of luck that we had all this in place for lockdown. It means the business was immediately more resilient and able to offer something many larger and more established storage sites couldn’t do,” Windham said. “We are competing against the big boys with deep pockets, and the grants meant we can actually compete on that level. The new technology has helped us remain ahead of the market, and business is continuing to grow as we ease out of lockdown and the restrictions.”
Windham and Norman Galbraith previously owned a self-storage facility in North East England before they sold it to a national operator. The pair wanted to relocate to York because they saw a need for self-storage in the region, however, finding the right location took several years. The owners finally came upon a site on a busy road near Monks Cross Retail Park, the source reported.
“We wanted a visible site as we knew from previous experience that works so much better than being tucked away round the back of an industrial park,” Windham said.
AD:VENTURE is funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The organization also provides workshops, incubator office space, director networks and specialist-sector advice. To qualify for support, businesses must be less than three years old or pre-start. Funding and delivery partners are from across Leeds, England, and include Make It York and West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, the source reported.
In addition to business and personal storage, Go Storage offers tenant insurance, and moving and packing supplies.
Source:
York Press, Family-Run Go Store in York Invests in IT to Keep Ahead