CEO of Europe and UK Self Storage Associations Featured on BBC Podcast ‘You and Yours’CEO of Europe and UK Self Storage Associations Featured on BBC Podcast ‘You and Yours’
May 14, 2024

Rennie Schafer, CEO of the Federation of European Self Storage Associations (FEDESSA) and the Self Storage Association of the United Kingdom (SSA-UK), made an appearance on BBC podcast “You and Yours” on May 1 to discuss the recent boom in industry activity in the region. The segment explains that storage is particularly popular right now due to an overcrowded housing market and escalated home and rental prices.
The episode is titled “Gambling Commission, Waitrose Reboot and Canal Mooring Fees.” The discussion about self-storage begins at the 33-minute mark, and the Schafer interview starts at 39 minutes.
In addition, self-storage is particularly valuable for small businesses that are growing, Schafer said. “One of the biggest challenges for a small business [owner] is when they grow out of their home, and they need to find a place to work out of and they need to hire staff. Self-storage offers them a flexible solution,” he said. “Rather than getting a warehouse with a fixed lease, which is a fixed size, they can go into self-storage and try a size for three months. If their business gets bigger, they can get something bigger or downsize, it gets them through that transition.”
BBC Radio 4 program “You and Yours,” first launched in October 1970, is a consumer and social-affairs program originally presented by Joan Yorke. With a current run time of 40 minutes, the show has been hailed as the “Citizens Advice Bureau of the Air” and even inspired a book, “How to Complain,” written by producer David Berry. It continues to win awards and airs on all platforms.
Established in 2004, FEDESSA represents 2,000 self-storage facilities in Europe, which is more than 70% of industry properties in the region, according to the association website.
Established in 1995, the SSA-UK is the principal trade association representing the interests of self-storage operators and suppliers in the island country. It has more than 600 members representing more than 1,300 facilities.
Source: BBC, “You and Yours,” “Gambling Commission, Waitrose Reboot and Canal Mooring Fees”
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