secure storage in the uk

[The Boogie Man]

Hi Troops,

 

As some of you may know from my profile, I reside in the Iom. ( little rock between England and Ireland ).

As such the cost of getting to the uk or Europe has a £400 tag on it before any gear is set up and a note played.

So I'm just wondering if any of the blue room crew know of anywhere that does secure storage for vans and gear, that I could contact find out costs etc? Or even just does van storage, but understands the nature of the contents and value.

Just a thought, worth an ask.

baz

[Jivemaster]

I would not leave kit anywhere and hope for it being all functioning and all there in more than a week or two. The risk of arriving ready to drive to the gig and finding the store flooded fired or broken would concern me greatly.

 

I's consider having an arrangement with a hire company and sending them a date list and a kit list. Most folk will spend a day in the stores prepping the kit for a show, but for you that store is a flight or ferry away.

 

I'm sure that the storage options will have some benefits Sureguard, Big Yellow and others. Some will have drive in access to some units. Check also with your insurers.

[jack s/lfx]

Big Store in Morecambe, started of as a local company - had a good experience with them a couple of years ago, now seem to have quite a few places in the North West. Its on the White Lund near Asda. This isn't so far away from Heysham Port, who I believe have boats sailing to Iom. You could come over as a foot passenger and get a taxi or cycle which I'm sure would be cheaper on the ferry than taking a van.

 

The website says they have lock-ups and workshops with power and they sound pretty flexible with regard to tailoring to your needs.

 

Might be worth looking into.

 

Jack

[Jivemaster]

This industry often challenges people's idea of timing as we often want to put things back into store at early morning. I looked at storage but the 24/7 access bit challenged local places.

 

You may fancy a web based alarm system so that you can "pop down to the warehouse" on the PC from the office

[The Boogie Man]

Cheers for the replys troops,

 

The idea of hiring the gear for shows is still a poss, although I'm not sure I'd be too enthusiastic about hiring in a show having just spent two years building one.

The store companys with the secure, air con units seem a good idea, but it would then mean renting or buying a van over there. Along with secure storage for that as well.

The best senario would be having a motorhome/gear truck that could live somewhere dry and secure on the mainland, loaded and ready to just fly or boat to. I'll check out some of the above for now.

cheers

baz

[Jivemaster]

The idea of hiring a PA and travelling your own guitar, backing, and Fx seems a mix of possibilities and only needs you to ferry your car not a truck.

 

With the un checked storage for a ready loaded road van and crew bus idea, how would you survive arriving on the morning of a gig to find it missing! that would be a massive reputation hit and a dubious insurance risk too.

[The Boogie Man]

Hi, jivemaster,

It's a valid point, but that could happen anytime. Look out the hotel window during the tour, empty car park. Doh!

Any storage of gear and/or van would have to be well vetted.

 

I've checked out a few senarios, Yellow box were £700 a year for 25sq ft of secure storage.

 

I had a look at a couple of secure indoor storage areas for motorhomes and one was, fully secure, the owners lived on site, and is up north near the ferrys. It was £400 a year. Compared to £400 per trip on the ferry it's a no brainer.

That would mean the idea of the guitars and backline going over in a car and the show being already on the mainland could be a solution.

All will be well reserched.

Cheers

baz

[Modge]

The stagebus had a not-dissimilar issue with regards storage, though with less chance of keeping it in the warehouse than you might, being as that double decker buses are rather large. The solution for that in the end was a farm. The solution to confidence problem Jivemaster mentions is (and I'm not sure how practicable this is for you) to rock up to the farm a few days before the bus is needed (if it's not working else where obviously) and start it up \ check everything is as it should be, whilst there's still time to rectify it if it isn't.

 

If you want to know how much this costs \ contact details PM me and I'll find out for you. Obviously the farm in question is little use to you anyway being as that it's in Birmingham, which is about as far from the sea as you can get! (though it doesn't take too long to get anywhere from here).