Christopher Barrow
Making world-class security affordable and convenient
‘Looking back, and through no lack of strategic planning, we don’t have the best track record with timing,’ reflects Christopher Barrow, Chief Executive of Metropolitan Safe Deposits, with a rueful smile. ‘We acquired the company in 2007 – it was founded over 40 years ago – six months before the credit market freeze led to the collapse of Lehman Brothers and sparked a global economic meltdown.
‘Then, in June 2019, we opened our first new-build vault in Chiswick. Little did we anticipate that Brexit, the Covid pandemic and a cost of living crisis were on the horizon. However, given those “choppy” conditions, we’ve been very pleased with the business’ growth, with a higher than expected take-up of large boxes and excellent customer retention figures.’
That resilience has been built on a core philosophy of making it simple, affordable and convenient for customers from all walks of life to use a safe deposit box, and in the process de-mystifying the public image of security vaults.
‘We’re well aware that our service is often seen as being only for the super-wealthy,’ says Christopher. ‘That’s simply not true, and it’s why we offer 12 sizes of box: the smallest (£104 p.a) is perfect for jewellery and keepsakes and the larger boxes (from £880 p.a) are suitable for family heirlooms and art and antiques collections (all prices include £10,000 insurance).’
Christopher readily agrees that, as a leading independent operator, Metropolitan Safe Deposits has benefitted from major High Street banks closing their secure storage facilities for cost-cutting reasons. ‘In contrast, we have invested in state-of-the-art industry infrastructure, with multi-layered alarm and surveillance systems and computer-verified ID and biometric fingerprint procedures.
‘Building trust is essential, and that’s why we’re delighted that so many new clients approach us based on referrals from personal experience. To my knowledge, our model of vault has never been breached: we provide the reassurance that precious possessions are in safe keeping.’
Metropolitan Safe Deposits
329 Chiswick High Road
Chiswick W4 4HS
020 3928 2828
chiswick@metrosafe.co.uk
https://www.metrosafe.co.uk