Published on 1st March 2025

Sam Beckett established Beckett’s Car Storage at his family’s farm in Brooks Green in 2023. A facility formerly used for rearing chicks is now home to a beautiful array of cars from almost every era. Here, Sam explains how the business has grown by being more than just a storage facility…

A NEED FOR SPEED

I’ve always been a petrol head and used to enjoy go-karting when I was younger. This passion for motoring was something I inherited from my father, Mark. He never had fancy cars, but has owned a VW Golf Mk1 since new and used to take me to Goodwood events, such as the Festival of Speed and Revival, as well as Breakfast Club meetings. So, the idea of running a car-focused business has always been my dream.  

Our family business is Kinswood Eggs, but the industry was hit hard by bird flu in 2022. We were forced to cull hundreds of thousands of chickens and in order to survive, had to diversify the business. Establishing Beckett’s Car Storage was one way of doing that. The facility we use was previously used for rearing chicks and therefore designed to be a warm, clean environment. It has thick insulation in the ceiling and walls, helping to maintain a steady temperature and minimising the need for humidifiers, making it ideal for vehicle storage.  

Our first car arrived in December 2023. Initially, it was difficult to market the business due to the farm’s remote location. We distributed flyers amongst Breakfast Club members and at local car clubs and meeting points, such as Moto Torque in Horsham. Slowly, word spread and the business grew through recommendations. We found that our rural location was beneficial for security, as there’s only one way in and out and all vehicles must pass through an electric gate with number plate recognition. The storage units are fully alarmed with extensive CCTV surveillance and we have bespoke insurance from NFU Mutual too. 

From the outset, we wanted to be more than just a storage facility. Many vehicles in storage facilities like ours are classics and they need a little TLC. Owners leaving vehicles in our care for long periods of time need to know they will be looked after, so we offer a variety of maintenance plans. Customers can choose to leave a car untouched if they wish and maintain it themselves when they can. However, we do offer service plans that cover battery maintenance, fluid level and tyre pressures checks, as well as valeting and trickle charging. Many owners request regular car rolls, where we start the engine and bring it up to temperature. Things are liable to go wrong when old cars are left untouched.    

Ours is an unusual business in that part of the unit is occupied by George Edward, specialists in the servicing and restoration of performance and classic vehicles. The proprietors, George and Ed, run a separate business on site, but its complementary in that they are on hand to help my clients too. It is great having them nearby, as they not only add another element of security, but are on hand to help with mechanical issues that I cannot resolve. It means we can offer a more complete package to clients. The only thing we can’t currently offer in-house are MOTs, but we have a good relationship with Leech Auto Services in nearby Coolham who do offer MOTs.  

There are many reasons why people may need a car storage facility. Some cars are bought as investments in the hope that their value will increase. Some are kept for sentimental reasons, such as a beloved first car that an owner can’t bring themselves to sell. Some may be classic cars that are only driven in the warmer months or for certain events, such as those at Goodwood. Some clients are based abroad but have a smaller residence in Sussex, and we have collected them from Gatwick to bring them to the storage unit. That is another service we’re able to offer, while some clients use our insurance if they know their vehicle is going to remain in storage for a while.

You never know when you might lose one car because an owner has decided to sell it, but another vehicle usually replaces it quickly. I have found that those with a passion for driving are liable to replace one classic car with another!  

We have filled one unit and have just begun introducing cars to a second facility on the farm. However, we have several options open to help us grow in future, including potentially investing in car stacking to double the capacity in each unit. We already store a wide range of vehicles, from Jaguar D-Types and Bentleys from the 50s, to 70s classics like the Triumph Stag and Citroen GS, to modern-day Ford Mustangs and Land Rovers. The wonderful thing about my job is that I get to work with great cars and in some cases drive them gently around the site to help maintain them. Every car has its own quirks, so they certainly keep me on my toes. 

WORDS: BEN MORRIS

PHOTOS: ALAN WRIGHT FOR AAH

FURTHER INFORMATION

Visit the website at www.beckettscarstorage.co.uk