A HUSBAND and wife team is setting up a storage business with a difference in Swindon.

While the country is preparing for another lockdown, business owners are bracing themselves for a tough time but Alex and Emma Glass are bucking the trend by starting a new franchise of easyStorage in the borough.

Co-owner Alex Glass said: “Setting up a new business during one of the toughest, and most uncertain climates on record, is not for the faint hearted.

"But a small number of industries are seeing positive growth as a result of the pandemic - self-storage being one - so we felt now was a good time to invest in this business and bring the concept to Swindon.”

The firm is part of the 'easy' brand and is different to traditional self-storage in that easyPod cases are brought directly to the customer for items to be loaded and returned to the storage site.

There is no need to hire and load vans, manoeuvre heavy boxes or furniture through buildings, or work out how to fit too much into one 100ft box.

Fellow easyStorage Thames Valley co-owner Emma Glass added: “After having a frustrating experience with traditional self-storage, I knew there had to be a better way of doing things.

“I loved the franchise's concept as I could see how beneficial it would be to so many people in varying situations, especially during Covid times.

"Self-storage is often an event driven necessity and can be a stressful time for those involved. We want to make storage easy; we collect from your home or business, store securely and then return when you are ready.

"We’ll take the same care that you would, if it’s important to you it’s important to us.”

The chancellor’s policy of suspending stamp duty on the first £500,000 of all property sales in England and Northern Ireland has helped increase house sales during this year.

House moves are one of the events driving the need for self-storage at the moment, along with downsizing and office relocations.

The Glasses hope to become a regular sight on Swindon's roads in their bright orange van as demand for the service is increasing fast.