According to government figures, there are around 5.5 million small businesses in the UK, accounting for around 99 per cent of the UK’s business population and more than 60 per cent of the country’s employment. All huge figures which are genuinely impressive and have a major impact on our economy – figures which are only going to grow in the years ahead, partly because of the pandemic as people alter their work/life balance and partly because of the huge growth in ecommerce.
The growing number of small businesses, the majority of which are selling online, have popped up all over the country (because of today’s secure and reliable payments systems which can be run from your phone and the growth of easy to use online market places) these have seen a parallel increase in the demand for safe, secure and flexible self storage across the country, both short and long-term.
A great example of this is online seller Isobel Ridley, left, who runs Lavender Hill Clothing via her own website and distributes her products from her self storage room at Big Yellow Self Storage. She says: “For me, Big Yellow’s London location is a huge plus for distribution. I really like being at Big Yellow because it is a nice environment to be in. The staff are great and offer a lot of support, such as accepting my stock deliveries when I am not around. I don’t think many other storage companies offer that same level of service.”
“There are also so many other great businesses based there and, although we’re not necessarily in the same market, it is great to be able to bounce ideas or just get advice from each other. Running a small business and doing most things yourself can be a bit lonely but Big Yellow has created a nice hub and I really like being part of it. I’ve been using Big Yellow for eight years now to help grow my business. It is very professionally run and secure with alarmed rooms, locks, 24 hour CCTV cameras, and PIN access codes. The Big Yellow storage facility has also helped me maintain a sense of personal space at home.”
Isobel is not alone in her enthusiasm for Big Yellow. Established in 1998, it is the major player in the self storage field, more so in recent years as the trend of starting a small business has grown with around 15 per cent of small business owners already using a storage facility. Their storage units are the perfect place to run an online business from. Business owners can work directly from their storage unit with their stock, laptop, printer, and phone, managing online orders, packaging, labelling and distributing, alongside dealing with returns and exchanges. Many online businesses also use units for the photographing of stock for their websites.
Big Yellow can provide businesses with a range of services and benefits including accepting stock and courier deliveries on behalf of small business owners and handling large deliveries on pallets with forklifts. Running an online business from home can be risky and space consuming. Big Yellow offers pay-as-you-go flexibility with no complicated or long-term rental agreements.
Flexibility and security are key at Big Yellow, with storage units available to rent from just one week, with no business rates to pay. Rooms come in a large variety of sizes; from 9 sq ft up to 500 sq ft. Each unit is individually alarmed and has its own unique PIN access code. Staff are on site seven days a week and the stores are also monitored 24/7 by CCTV.
John Hunter, Chief Operating Officer, Big Yellow Group PLC says: “At Big Yellow, we want to be a helping hand to small business owners all over the UK, whether they are just starting out or well established and growing out of their current location. 
Big Yellow is unmatched in terms of space and flexibility; with no long leases, small business-owners are able to upscale or downscale, while having deliveries accepted by store teams when they are not around. Storage space at Big Yellow is adaptable, meaning customers can start small and increase or decrease unit size as needed based on seasonal demand. Storing with Big Yellow is easy, low risk and stress-free, so definitely worth considering for any current or future business ventures.”
