Self Storage Association UK - SSA UK

19/06/2026

Hear from three industry voices at the SSA UK AGM & Members’ Networking Event next week.
Join us at Blueprint London on Thursday 25 June for an evening of industry insight, networking and discussion.

🎤 Simon Forrester, CEO of SSA UK, will provide an update on the association and the opportunities and challenges shaping our industry.

🎤 Rob Dovey, Managing Director of DSOC, will share a security update drawn from supporting more than 800 self storage sites across the UK and Europe.

🎤 John Herriman, Chartered Trading Standards Institute, will discuss trading standards, compliance and what it means for self storage operators.

Alongside the AGM, you'll have the opportunity to connect with fellow operators, suppliers and industry professionals from across the UK.

A huge thank you to our event sponsors for supporting the self storage community:

🏆 Platinum Sponsor: DSOC
🥇 Gold Sponsor: Stora
🥈 Silver Sponsors: Basil Fry & Company and Rooks Rider Solicitors

Places are filling fast – book now to secure your seat.

📅 Thursday 25 June 2026
📍 Blueprint London
⏰ 6:00pm – 10:30pm

Book here: https://www.ssauk.com/events/members-networking-events/agm-members-networking-dinner-london.html

19/06/2026

47 percent of UK self storage customers walk in during one of the five most stressful moments of their lives.

That statistic hit the room hard at the SSA UK Winter Workshop. Nearly half of all customers arrive carrying emotional weight before they’ve even stepped through your door.
And yet… most operators still design their customer journey as if people are calm, rational, and ready to compare features.
They’re not.
They’re overwhelmed. They’re anxious. They’re trying to solve a problem quickly so they can get back to the rest of their life.

This is why the best operators obsess over clarity. Simple pricing. Simple signage. Simple language. Simple next steps.
Because when someone is stressed, cognitive load skyrockets. Every extra question, every unclear instruction, every moment of friction pushes them closer to walking away.

If 47 percent of your customers are arriving in crisis mode, your job isn’t to sell them storage. Your job is to help them breathe again.

Read the full article in UNLOCKED - out next week!

18/06/2026

Thank you so much to everyone at SureStore in Stoke and Stafford for the wonderful welcome and tour today!

Your hospitality was fantastic, and the information you shared was invaluable. It was great to learn more about the self storage industry and see your excellent facilities firsthand.

Special thanks to Paul for being such a great sport when I forgot to hit record on his interview – we got there in the end! 😄

And a huge shout-out to Stu and Julia for their kindness, insight and warm welcome throughout the visit.

We truly appreciate the time, knowledge and enthusiasm you shared with us.

From Galina and Tom at SSA UK.

18/06/2026

Simon is attending CSTA 2026 next week – make sure to say hello if you're attending too!

The Container Self-Storage & Traders Association's annual conference takes place next week at the Hilton Metropole, Birmingham NEC, bringing together container self storage operators, traders, suppliers and industry innovators from across the UK.

SSA UK CEO, Simon Forrester, will be attending the event and looks forward to catching up with members, operators and suppliers from across the container self storage sector.

This year's programme includes sessions covering:
✅ Container shipping supply, demand and availability
✅ The future of container self storage
✅ Building and managing multi-site operations
✅ Technology, systems and AI in container trading
✅ Site security and break-in prevention
✅ Sustainable reuse of refrigerated containers
✅ The Self Storage Voluntary Code of Practice ‘Tick Box’ scheme
✅ Practical marketing techniques to increase occupancy rates

Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet a range of exhibitors, including Kinnovis, OpenTech Alliance, Stora and Hontas Manager.

If you're attending the networking reception or conference sessions, be sure to say hello.

📍 Hilton Metropole, Birmingham NEC
📅 Networking Reception: 22 June 2026
📅 Conference Sessions: 23 June 2026

Find out more here: https://www.containa.org/csta-2026-birmingham-meet-the-exhibitors/

Tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/csta-2026-conference-and-networking-meeting-tickets-1982299043802?aff=oddtdtcreator

17/06/2026

It was great to be in Stafford today for the official opening of the new Space Station Self Storage facility. It was wonderful to celebrate with the team, see the impressive new site and catch up with industry colleagues.

Congratulations to the entire Space Station team on bringing this project to life and creating another excellent self storage facility for local customers and businesses.

17/06/2026

A huge thank you to our sponsors for supporting the SSA UK AGM & Members' Networking Event 2026 next week. 👏

🥇 Platinum Sponsor – DSOC
🥈 Gold Sponsor – Stora
🥉 Silver Sponsors – Basil Fry & Company and Rooks Rider

The support of our sponsors plays an important role in helping SSA UK deliver valuable events for members throughout the year. Their continued investment in the Association enables us to bring the industry together, create opportunities for learning and networking, and support the growth and development of the self storage industry.

We are incredibly grateful for their commitment to both the Association and its members.

If you'd like to join us for the AGM and Members' Networking Event in London, now is the time to book to avoid missing out.

📍 Blueprint Event Space, London
🕕 6:00pm – 10:30pm BST
📅 Thursday, 25 June 2026

The evening will include drinks, a three-course dinner, AGM updates from the Chairman, CEO and Treasurer, and plenty of opportunities to connect with colleagues from across the sector.

Book your place today:
https://www.ssauk.com/events/members-networking-events/agm-members-networking-dinner-london.html

17/06/2026

🎉Congratulations to Safestore, as its expansion strategy delivers results 📈, reporting a strong first half of 2026, with revenue up 6.9% to £120.6m and a return to underlying earnings growth.

Safestore has invested £33.6m in development during the first half and now has a pipeline of 17 additional stores. Once stabilised, these new and developing sites are expected to contribute an additional £30m–£35m of EBITDA.

Commenting on the results, CEO Frederic Vecchioli said the company's expansion investments are now "clearly translating into both revenue and earnings growth".

Sources: https://www.lse.co.uk/news/safestore-returns-to-underlying-earnings-growth-libw1d6r5c9vzbw.html

https://corporate.safestore.com/investors/reports-and-presentations

👏 Congratulations to the team at Safestore on another positive set of results and continued investment in the growth of the self storage industry.

16/06/2026

This evening, SSA UK CEO Simon Forrester will join industry leaders at the Savills Self Storage Dinner in London to discuss the future of operational excellence in UK self storage.

Hosted by Savills, Clover Four and Sunne Energy, the discussion will explore how innovation, technology and emerging trends are reshaping our industry, from customer acquisition and pricing strategies to operational efficiency and energy management.

With artificial intelligence and new technologies continuing to transform the way businesses operate, the conversation will focus on how self storage operators can create long-term value and maintain a competitive advantage in an evolving market.

We're pleased to see SSA UK represented in these important discussions and look forward to sharing key insights with our members.

16/06/2026

Health and safety isn't just a compliance exercise – it's fundamental to protecting your people, your customers and your business.

From everyday site checks and maintenance tasks to customer interactions, property damage and the occasional unexpected incident, self storage managers need to be ready to spot risks before they become problems.

This training session will take a practical look at the types of safety challenges that can arise in a self storage environment, and the simple, proactive steps operators can take to keep staff, customers, contractors and facilities safe.

We will also look at the less exciting but vitally important area of health and safety records, paperwork and operational structures that should be in place to support best practice and keep everything running smoothly.

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to manage risk on site, support staff confidence and make health and safety part of everyday facility operations, without making it feel more complicated than it needs to be.

📅 Date: 2 July 2026
⏰ Time: 09:30 – 12:30
📍 Online

Book your place today: https://www.ssauk.com/events/training-for-members/health-safety-for-storage-facilities.html

15/06/2026

⏰ 10 days to go! Have you booked yet?

Join us on Thursday 25 June for the SSA UK AGM & Members' Networking Event in London – our biggest networking event of the year. Meet fellow operators and suppliers, build new connections, exchange ideas and hear the latest updates from across the self storage industry.

The AGM isn't just a formal meeting – it's your opportunity to have your say, hear what's happening within the association and help shape its future.

📍 London
📅 Thursday 25 June 2026

Don't miss one of the key networking events in the SSA UK calendar.

Book your place today:

The AGM isn’t just a formal meeting. It’s your opportunity to hear what’s happening, share your views, meet other members, and play an active role in the association’s future.