Families left in limbo by storage firm collapse (From Worcester News)

Families left in limbo by storage firm collapse

9:30am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News By Sarah Taylor

FAMILIES are facing an anxious wait to discover if they can retrieve their personal belongings stored at a failed Worcester storage company.

The doors to Guardian Self Storage in Sherriff Street Industrial Estate, which have been locked to customers for about four weeks, will be opened at 10am on Friday, your Worcester News can exclusively reveal.

It is only then that customers, who have been trying to get their things back for weeks, will even know if their possessions are still at the site after it emerged some containers have been removed.

Several customers have contacted West Mercia Police. Many have all their cherished possessions locked up at the firm, which opened in 2000, including photographs as well as furniture and vital household items.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said an officer was investigating to see if a criminal act had been committed.

The firm has now gone into voluntary liquidation. When your Worcester News tried to contact the managing director, Graham Bradbury, he refused to comment.

“I have no interest in speaking to you (Worcester News). I am just laughing at everything you’re printing,” he said.

A message on the Guardian Self Storage website tells customers to contact the landlord to retrieve their belongings.

“For the avoidance of doubt the liquidators, or Mr Bradbury, are not in a position to deal with any requests to retrieve goods from the store,” it says.

Hallmark Hulme solicitors were appointed by the owners of the site on Friday. Partner Tim Sherwood said: “We have no access to records or a list of customers.

“As we understand it there are eight or nine container units which have property in them. The bailiffs removed 19 units, of which 18 were empty and one had something in it. We have been told someone has been along to claim that.

“We do think there were a lot more units there and they were removed by someone but we do not know who. We do know, or have been told that, a substantial number of units were removed before the bailiffs became involved.

“I think if their stuff is not there they need to go to the police.”

Butcher Woods was appointed liquidators on Friday, October 26.