Urban Locker is a self storage company with a site near Old Street station, at Paterson Court on Peerless Street. It rents indoor units from 10 square feet upwards to businesses and residents, from one month at a time, with CCTV and PIN or app access.
Its founder, Alex Wingate, spoke to Made in Shoreditch in October 2014 about why he set it up in the middle of the city rather than on the outskirts.
The essentials
- Address: Paterson Court, Peerless Street, London EC1V 9EX
- Nearest station: Old Street
- Units: indoor, from 10 sq ft, minimum one month
- Contact: 020 3637 0850
- Website: urbanlocker.co.uk
- Interview date: October 2014
The interview
Tell us about Urban Locker? What do you do?
Urban Locker is a self storage company just around the corner from Old Street underground station. We provide local businesses and residents with a secure storage location that’s conveniently located and easy to access.
I’ve used storage several times in the past for my previous business and have always been frustrated to find that most of the self storage centres are located on the outskirts of London. This isn’t at all convenient for customers looking for storage who are based in Central London so I decided to set up Urban Locker to cater to this demand for conveniently located storage right in the heart of the city. Hence our strap line: “your stuff, close by”.
What is unique about your storage company?
Self storage facilities are all very much alike, offering storage units of different sizes. Urban Locker, however, is located in a super-convenient location. We want customers to be able to pop in on the way to or from work.
What do people use storage facilities for?
It’s more a case of what don’t people use self storage for! Some people store belongings that get in the way at home; small businesses run companies from storage units; offices keep their paperwork in a storage unit. We’re finding that there are endless uses for self storage, especially in central London.
What’s the weirdest thing that anybody has stored in a storage facility?
We don’t have anything weird stored in our storage unit…yet! Not so long ago there was a story in the news about somebody storing lifesize Star Wars statues. We’re very much looking forward to our first weird storage request!
Why did you decide to set up in Shoreditch? What attracted you to the area?
Shoreditch is a hot bed of innovation and creativity. It also provides a fantastic audience who readily engage with local businesses.
What are your favourite places in Shoreditch?
For a good cup of coffee I like to head to Salvation Jane. There are so many big brands around that it’s nice to find something a little different. I’m also a fan of NightJar, a cool bar nearby.
What future plans do you have for Urban Locker Self Storage?
I really want Urban Locker to become synonymous with self storage in central London. We aim to open additional facilities nearby and also deeper into central London. Watch this space…
Social links:
https://www.facebook.com/UrbanLockerUK