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Lok'nStore Group Plc

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FY2013 Annual Report · Lok'nStore Group Plc
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Annual Report and Accounts 
for the year ended 31 July 2013

www.loknstore.com

Stock code: LOK

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Welcome to
Lok’nStore Group Plc

Lok’nStore Group Plc is one of the leading companies in the fast 
growing UK self-storage market. We opened our first self-storage 
centre in Horsham, Sussex in February 1995 and have grown 
consistently over the last 18 years, currently operating 23 self-
storage centres and two serviced document stores in southern 
England. Another 2 stores will open in the coming year. 

We have been listed on the Alternative Investment market (AIM) 
since June 2000.

We offer self-storage and serviced document 
storage and management services. Self-storage 
is available to both household and business 
customers at our highly branded Lok’nStore 
centres. Each centre is prominently located 
mainly in the affluent South-East of England in 
large towns and cities.

Our Saracen Document Storage service offers 
businesses anything from secure storage of 
one media tape to full management of their 
business documentation with 24 hour retrieval. 
We excel in offering the best customer service 
at competitive prices for both our Lok’nStore 
and Saracen customers.

www.loknstore.com

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Business Strengths
•	 The specific property requirements of self-storage coupled 
with challenging local planning regimes create significant 
barriers to entry, especially in Southern England where 
Lok’nStore operates

•	 Strong and increasing property asset base

•	 The self-storage business is highly cash generative with high 
profit margins on established stores and all customers paying 
on a rolling 28 day basis

•	 Lok’nStore has a track record of strong and growing cash 

generation driving a progressive dividend policy

•	 Major new store opening in Maidenhead end of this  

calendar year

•	 Significant growth in third party asset management in 

Aldershot, Ashford and Crawley

•	 Experienced Board and Executive management team with 

clear strategic direction and proven business model

Lok’nStore is a robust business with a record of 
consistent profit growth and cash generation and 
has built a firm base for the coming years.

Simon G Thomas, Chairman

In this report

Our Business
An overview of the company, including 
the Chairman’s Statement

02  Highlights
04  Chairman’s Review

Our Performance
Operational and financial performance 
in 2013 and prospects for 2014

07  Chief Executive’s Operating Review
09  Lok’nStore’s Areas of Operation
11  Property Review
13  Financial Review

Our Governance
Information regarding the Board and 
how they have run the business for the 
benefit of the shareholders

18  Board of Directors and Advisers
20  Directors’ Report
24  Corporate Social Responsibility 

Report

25  Environmental Policy
26  Environmental Performance
30  Corporate Governance
32  Directors’ Responsibilities 
in the Preparation of  
Financial Statements

Our Financials
Our Financial Statements for the year 
ending 31 July 2013

33  Independent Auditor’s Report 

to the Members of  
Lok’nStore Group Plc
34  Consolidated Statement of
Comprehensive Income
35  Consolidated Statement of

Changes in Equity
36  Company Statement of
Changes in Equity

37  Statements of Financial Position
38  Consolidated Statement 

of Cash Flows
39  Accounting Policies
45  Notes to the Financial Statements 
70  Glossary
71  Our Stores

01

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Businesswww.loknstore.com  Stock Code: LOK 
 
 
Highlights

Financial Highlights
•	 Net Asset Value per share up 8.8% to £2.48 (2012: £2.28)

•	 Annual dividend 6 pence per share up 20% (2012: 5 pence per share)

•	 Revenue £12.97 million up 1.6% (2012: £12.77 million)

•	 Group adjusted EBITDA1 £4.14 million up 4.1% (2012: £3.97 million)

•	 Operating profit and profit before interest £2.57 million up 32.4% (2012: £1.94 million)

•	 Net debt reduced 12.4% to £22.5 million (2012: £25.7 million)

•	 1.32 million shares acquired for Treasury at £1.23 per share (average price)

Operational Highlights
Self storage
•	 Revenue £11.14 million up 3.4% (2012: £10.77 million)  

•	 Year-end unit occupancy up 10.4% 

•	 Pricing broadly flat at -0.5% 

•	 Occupancy of self-storage units increased to 64.5% of current lettable area (2012: 58.3%)

•	 Store adjusted EBITDA £5.38 million up 7.6% (2012: £5.0 million) 

•	 Store adjusted EBITDA profit margins up 2.2 percentage points to 48.7% (2012: 46.5%) 

Document storage (Saracen)
•	 Adjusted EBITDA profit £0.31 million (2012: £0.47 million) 

Property Highlights
•	 New managed store in Crawley commenced trading in November 2012

•	 Sale and manage back of Ashford store 

•	 Construction well advanced at new Maidenhead store scheduled to open end of 2013

•	 Lease extension and rent reduction on another leased store

•	 Properties valued up 4.2% 

Key Metrics
•	 Loan to value ratio of 28.5%2 (2012: 32.3%) 

•	 Funds from operations (FFO)3 £3.4 million equivalent to 14.1 pence per share up 8.5% (2012: £3.2 million:  

13.0 pence per share)

1.  Adjusted EBITDA is defined as profits before all depreciation and amortisation charges, losses or profits on disposal, share-based payments, acquisition costs and 

non-recurring professional costs, finance income, finance costs and taxation

2.  Calculation based on net debt of £22.5 million (2012: £25.7 million) and total property value of £79.2 million (2012: £79.7 million) 

3. 

Funds from Operations (FFO) calculated as EBITDA minus Net Finance Cost on operating assets

02

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013Revenue

£13.0m

2012: £12.7m

12.7 13.0

10.4 10.8

Group adjusted EBITDA*

£4.1m

2012: £3.9m

4.1

3.9

3.3

2.9

2010 2011 2012 2013

*   Adjusted EBITDA is defined as profits before all 

depreciation and amortisation charges, share-based 
payments and non-recurring costs, finance income, 
finance costs and taxation

Adjusted Net Asset Value per share*

Funds from Operations

£2.48

2012: £2.28

2.24 2.29 2.28

2.48

£3.4m

2012: £3.2m

3.4

3.2

3.0

2.6

2010 2011 2012 2013

2010 2011 2012 2013

*  Based on Cushman & Wakefield LLP valuation, 

before deferred taxation

03

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Businesswww.loknstore.com  Stock Code: LOKChairman’s Review

Lok’nStore’s efficient operating business, strong cash 
flow, and secure asset base ensures it is well placed to 
grow and prosper over the coming years.

Simon G Thomas, Chairman

Strong Performance
We are pleased to report another set of strong 
results for Lok’nStore Group for the year 
ended 31 July 2013. Net asset value per share 
before deferred tax provision is up 8.8% to 
£2.48 and Funds From Operations (FFO) per 
share are up 8.5%. We have reduced net debt 
by 12.4% and this has helped us reduce our 
loan-to-value ratio (LTV) to 28.5%. With 89% 
of our net debt at a fixed rate of 3.525% we 
have a firm foundation to build our business.

Like for like self-storage unit occupancy is 
up 10.4%. Group EBITDA is up 4.1% on 
last year which increases to 6.1%, on a like 
for like basis. With tight control over capital 
expenditure and operating costs, the Group’s 
margins, operating profits and cash flow have 
all increased to record levels. 

During the year we sold our Ashford store 
on a sale-and-manage-back basis to recycle 
our capital. The new managed store in 
Crawley opened in November 2012 and 
the development of the new Maidenhead 
store is almost complete with its opening 
scheduled later in 2013. With the new 
managed Aldershot store opening in 2014 we 
have secured good momentum for our sales 
and earnings from a low-geared and secure 
balance sheet.

Dividend
It is intended that the Company’s future 
dividend payments will reflect the growth 
in the underlying cash generated by the 
business. The interim dividend will represent 
approximately one-third of the total for the 
year and final dividend two-thirds. This year 
to reflect the strength of the business we are 
recommending a full year dividend of 6 pence 
per share up from 5 pence for the full year last 
year, an increase of 20%.

Appointment of Director
On 19 December 2012 Lok’nStore announced 
the appointment of Douglas Hampson as 
a Non-Executive Director of the Company. 
Douglas joined the Board following his 
investment in the Company. He has spent over 
30 years in the self-storage industry, having 
set up the first self-storage facility in Europe 
in 1980. Douglas has founded and sold a 
number of self-storage businesses and his 
extensive knowledge of the self-storage sector 
businesses has been a valuable addition to our 
Board. 

During the year Ian Wright stood down from 
the Board following the sale of Laxey Partners’ 
entire holding in the Group.

Properties and Net Asset Value
The year-end property valuation equates to a 
total value of properties held of £79.2 million 
(2012: £79.7 million) a 4.2% increase in value 
after taking account of the disposal of our 
Ashford store. (Note that these values are not 
fully reflected in the statement of financial 
position which value the leasehold stores using 
a different method.)

Your Board continues to examine Lok’nStore’s 
property portfolio for asset management 
opportunities as demonstrated by its recent 
agreement to extend the term on another 
of the Group’s leasehold stores, the fourth 
such transaction over the last two years. 
Our property team remains alert to the 
opportunities that can appear in the current 
unsettled property market and an update of 
the current property opportunities is set out  
in the Property Review. 

Dividend
6 pence

up 20%

04

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013Lok’nStore’s efficient operating business, 
strong cash flow, and secure asset base 
ensures it is well placed to grow and prosper 
over the coming years. We have a dedicated 
and dynamic executive management team 
which remains committed to delivering 
growth and working for the interest of all 
shareholders.

Increasing the annual dividend by 20% 
and maintaining a progressive dividend 
policy demonstrates the Board’s continuing 
confidence.

Simon G Thomas 
Chairman 
11 October 2013

Our innovative approach to financing new 
stores will enable us to grow our operating 
footprint to 25 stores by next year with limited 
capital expenditure, and the sale of our 
Ashford store close to its valuation underlines 
the strength of the asset base. 

Our target is to continue to increase EBITDA 
per share over the coming years. We believe 
there is significant opportunity for further 
growth and we will focus our efforts on five 
key areas: 

1.  Filling existing stores and improving pricing

2.  Developing new stores on a self-funded 

basis 

3.  Opportunistic site acquisitions 

4. 

Increasing the number of stores we 
manage for third parties

5.  Developing our document storage offering 

through organic growth

We have significant operating experience to 
execute these opportunities effectively and we 
can fund these from our existing cash flow 
and the headroom within our current bank 
facilities. 

The new store in Crawley opened this year and 
the new store in Maidenhead will commence 
trading late in 2013. The new venture in 
Aldershot will open in 2014. These will 
increase the number of stores we manage to 
25 and will capitalise on our efficient operating 
systems and growing internet marketing 
presence. These projects also demonstrate 
Lok’nStore’s ability to attract investment 
partners and create innovative ownership 
structures to drive the growth of the operating 
business without stretching the balance sheet.

The UK self-storage market
There remains significant opportunity in the 
UK self-storage market where there are an 
estimated 830 self-storage facilities. This 
equates to approximately 30.1 million square 
feet of storage space. With a population of 
62 million people in the UK, this equates to 
0.5 square feet per person, compared to 7.5 
square feet per person in the USA (2012 US 
Self-Storage Almanac). 

The sector remains in good health. The Drivers 
Jonas Deloitte 2013 report for the Self-Storage 
Association says “the total annual turnover 
for the UK self-storage industry in 2012 was 
£380 million from approximately 400 different 
operators, and they employed in excess of 
2,000 staff (full time equivalent) in their self-
storage facilities. The self-storage sector has 
seen increased levels of corporate activity, with 
several transactions across Europe”

Outlook
Lok’nStore is a robust business with a record of 
consistent profit growth and cash generation 
and has built a firm base for the coming years. 
We continue to grow revenue against tightly 
controlled costs, and this together with the 
strong occupancy growth provides continued 
momentum for the business. With Group 
adjusted EBITDA up 4.1% and occupancy up 
over 10% on the previous year, the strength of 
the Group’s business model has been securely 
established. 

05

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Businesswww.loknstore.com  Stock Code: LOKLok’nStore is trading well with increased occupancy 
driving cash flow per share and growth in net  
asset value.

Andrew Jacobs, Chief Executive Officer

06

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Chief Executive’s Operating Review

The opening of the new Crawley, Maidenhead and 
Aldershot stores will take us to 25 trading stores.

Andrew Jacobs, Chief Executive Officer

Sales, Earnings and Occupancy Up
Revenue for the year was £12.97 million, up 
1.6% year on year (2012: £12.77 million). This 
was a 2.8% increase after adjusting for the 
sale and manage-back of our Ashford store in 
March 2013. Our self-storage occupancy rose 
particularly strongly during the year increasing 
by 10% over last year with pricing broadly 
stable (down 0.5% year on year).

With costs firmly under control this turnover 
growth translates into strong profit growth. 
Total store EBITDA in the self-storage business, 
a key performance indicator of profitability and 
cash flow, increased 7.6% to £5.38 million 
(2012: £5.0 million). Group operating profit 
for the year is up 32.4% to £2.57 million 
(2012: £1.94 million). 

Store Performance Analysis

Weeks old at 31 July 2013

Year ended 31 July 2013
Revenue* (£’000)
Store EBITDA (£’000)
EBITDA margin (%)
As at 31 July 2013
Maximum Area (’000 sq. ft.)
Freehold and long leasehold (’000 sq. ft.)
Short leasehold (’000 sq. ft.)
Number of stores
Freehold and long leasehold
Short leasehold
Total stores

Self-storage revenue for the year was  
£11.14 million, up 3.4% (2012:  
£10.77 million). This was a 4.9% increase  
after adjusting for the sale of our Ashford 
store. During the year occupancy of the 
self-storage units increased 10.4% to 64.5% 
(2012: 58.3%) of current lettable area. 

At the end of July 2013 36.6% of Lok’nStore’s 
revenue was from business customers (2012: 
38.1%) and 63.4% was from household 
customers (2012: 61.9%). By number of 
customers 20.8% of our customers were 
business customers (2012: 22.4%) and 79.2% 
household customers (2012: 77.6%). 

Performance of Self-Storage 
Centres 
We have again managed to increase the 
overall adjusted EBITDA margin across all 
stores by 2.2 percentage points from 46.5% 
to 48.7%. The adjusted EBITDA margins of the 
freehold stores were 61.2% (2012: 59.1%) 
and the leasehold stores achieved margins of 
30.8% (2012: 30.8%). 

Over 
250

10,423
5,041
48.4

974
555
419

10
9
19

100–250

Pipeline

Owned 
Stores
Total

Stores under 
Management 
contracts

Total 
Stores

619
334
54.0

69
69
–

1
–
1

–
–
–

121
121
–

2
–
2

11,042
5,375
48.7

1,164
745
419

13
9
22

4
–
4†

17
9
26

* 

In respect of the Farnborough store revenue includes a contribution receivable from Group Head Office in respect of the space and facilities the store provides for the 
Head Office function. This income to the store and the corresponding charge to Head Office is netted down in the Group revenue figures. Revenue from sites under 
development is excluded.

†   Four stores are managed by Lok’nStore under a Management Services Agreement for third party owners, three are trading and one store is under development.

07

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Performance 
Chief Executive’s Operating Review

Ancillary Sales
Ancillary sales which consist of boxes  
and packaging materials, insurance and  
other sales increased 5.2% over the year 
accounting for 10.7% of self-storage revenues 
(2012: 10.4%). 

We continue to promote our insurance to 
new customers with the result that 90% of 
our new customers purchased our insurance 
over the year and this has resulted in a 5.6% 
increase in the percentage of our customers 
who are insured through Lok’nStore to 75% 
(2012: 71%). 

Marketing
During the year our marketing focused on 
the internet and this produces an increasing 
proportion of our enquiries; printed directories 
account for a decreasing proportion. For the 
year internet enquiries were up 41% on last 
year and total enquiries were up 34%. We will 
continue to manage our marketing budget 
with a strong focus on cost control and value 
for money. 

Despite the inexorable rise of internet 
marketing, around 37% (2012: 39%) of our 
business still comes from passing traffic and 
signage, so the visibility of our stores is also 
very important to our marketing efforts. With 
their prominent positions, distinctive design 
and bright orange elevations, our stores raise 
the profile of the whole Lok’nStore brand.

Our store personnel are closely involved with 
sales and marketing initiatives and work with 
our head office team to ensure the marketing 
expenditure remains targeted and effective. 

Website 
As discussed above the internet has rapidly 
taken over as the main media channel for our 
advertising and Lok’nStore has adapted to 
accommodate this change. Our new website 
at www.loknstore.co.uk was launched in 
February 2012 and has been extremely 
successful. 

The site has clear navigation making it easy 
for customers to find their way around. 
Customers visiting the site are encouraged to 
book online to take advantage of our online 
reservation system. We have a “state of the 
art” space estimator which is a key tool for 
customers booking online, enabling them to 
make an informed choice about the size of 
unit required.

This is a very dynamic area and we are 
committed to continued development. New 
features this year include online chat facility 
and ‘click and collect’ box shopping. We 
believe the internet particularly provides 
a strong competitive advantage for the 
major operators with many stores and large 
marketing budgets compared with those of 
the smaller operators. 

Document storage business
Lok’nStore has completed the integration of 
the back office systems of Saracen, as well as 
the marketing and human resource functions 
during the year. There were further property 
cost savings achieved in August 2013 as the 
Saracen business consolidated its warehouse 
capacity from 3 to 2 stores. Following this 
consolidation we have the capacity to double 

the number of boxes stored. As part of this 
strategy additions of £0.4 million were made 
in the current year to fixtures, fittings and 
equipment. 

In line with our overall Company values 
we have adopted a more customer friendly 
strategy by simplifying our billing and pre-
agreeing annual price increases to give our 
customers more certainty. This investment 
has resulted in excellent customer feedback 
and puts us in a good position to win new 
business, but has resulted in a 7.7% dip in 
sales in the year. We believe this focus will 
create long term value for customers and 
shareholders as our customer base grows. 
Notwithstanding this in the year under review 
we have reduced the operating cost of Saracen 
by 1% to protect our margins.

Momentum to continue 
Lok’nStore is trading well with increased 
occupancy driving cash flow per share and 
growth in net asset value. The Group has 
delivered record margins, operating profits and 
cash flow and we expect this momentum to 
follow.

Andrew Jacobs 
Chief Executive Officer 
11 October 2013

The invoices from Saracen with this new style contract are 
an absolute joy! Why all storage providers don’t bill this 
way is beyond me.

Risk Manager, Legal Services Client

08

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Lok’nStore’s South East Focus

Our Lok’nStore self storage centres and our Saracen document centres are strategically 
located across the South and South East of England.

1  Aldershot (NEW, opening 2014)
2  Ashford
3  Basingstoke
4  Crawley
5  Crayford
6  Eastbourne
7  Fareham
8  Farnborough
9  Harlow
10  Horsham
11  Luton
12  Maidenhead (NEW, opening 2013)
13  Milton Keynes
14  Northampton Central

15  Northampton Riverside
16  Poole
17  Portsmouth
18  Reading
19  Southampton
20  Staines
21  Sunbury
22  Swindon East
23  Swindon West
24  Tonbridge
25  Woking
26  Saracen Milton Keynes/Olney
27  Saracen Leatherhead

14

15

13

26

11

22 23

12

18

3

1
8

19

17

16

7

20

27
25

21

4

10

9

5

24

6

2

09

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Performance10

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Property Review

Our property team will continue to pursue further value 
creating asset management opportunities to secure our 
trading operations.

Andrew Jacobs, Chief Executive Officer

Strong Cash Flows and Asset Base 
Underpin Opportunities
Lok’nStore’s secure asset base, strong 
cash flow and tactical approach to its 
property portfolio provides the Group with 
opportunities to improve the terms of its 
property usage in all stages of the economic 
cycle. Lok’nStore has both freehold and 
leasehold properties, and manages stores for 
third parties. 

In the year under review we opened one 
managed store in Crawley and sold our 
existing Ashford store on a sale and manage 
back deal. We now have 4 stores under 
management.

Our property team will continue to pursue 
further value creating asset management 
opportunities to secure our trading operations, 
to improve cash flow and to reduce or limit 
our property costs.

Sale and manage-back of  
Ashford store
On 28 March 2013 Lok’nStore completed the 
sale of its store in Ashford, Kent for £2.9 million 
in cash, achieving a sale price equivalent to 
99.3% of the carrying value at July 2012. 

Lok’nStore is continuing to manage the store 
as a branded Lok’nStore operation on behalf 
of the investor, and receives a management 
fee, as well as an additional performance 
fee should the store beat certain targets or 
is ultimately sold. The structure of the deal 
allows us to recycle our capital and grow our 
operating footprint without stretching our 
balance sheet or diluting our equity.

The sale and manage-back contract of 
the Ashford store increases the number of 
Lok’nStore managed stores to four on behalf 
of three different clients. 

Management Contracts
Aldershot: In June 2012 Lok’nStore signed 
an agreement to develop and manage a new 
self-storage centre in Aldershot, Hampshire. 
Lok’nStore will advance approximately  
£2.5 million of development funds of 
the estimated £4.5 million total cost of 
development of this new purpose-built store, 
and will manage the building and operation 
of the store. The other investors, including 
the original land owner, have invested the 
remaining £2 million. The property already 
has the benefit of a planning permission for 
a self-storage facility and we are currently 
working to improve and enhance the existing 
planning permission prior to commencement 
of construction works. An enhancement to the 
overall proposition is in progress and has been 
agreed in principle subject to finalisation of 
the S106 Agreement. Lok’nStore will generate 
a return by receiving a return on its capital 
and by charging a management fee for the 
construction, operation and branding of  
the store.

The store will be located in a prominent 
location on the main Aldershot roundabout 
above the A331 with significant levels of 
passing traffic, and is expected to commence 
trading in 2014. 

Crawley: In July 2012, the Group signed an 
agreement to manage a new self-storage 
centre in Crawley, Sussex on behalf of an 
investor. The store opened in November 2012 
and is located in a prominent location facing 
on to a busy roundabout on Gatwick Road in 
the centre of the Manor Royal business area. 
Lok’nStore is generating a return by charging a 
management fee with performance incentives. 
Completion of the transaction took place on 
10 August 2012. This new larger site follows 
the same investor’s already successful store in 
Woking, Surrey which has been managed by 
Lok’nStore since 2007. 

Development Sites 
Lok’nStore owns four development sites all 
with relevant planning permissions, two of 
which are for replacement stores at Reading 
and Southampton, and two are new locations 
in Maidenhead and Portsmouth North 
Harbour. All of these planning permissions are 
current. The Group has no immediate plans to 
progress development works at Portsmouth 
North Harbour and Southampton.

Maidenhead: This is a long leasehold site  
(the lease term runs until April 2076) of  
1.6 acres for which we originally secured 
planning permission for a store of up to  
83,000 sq. ft. of self-storage. Following 
discussions to improve the value of the property 
further we signed an agreement to share the 
site with a discount supermarket retailer and 
granted a lease to them for a consideration of 
£1.55 million.

We are now building this new self-storage 
centre which will have around 60,000  
sq. ft. of self-storage space with the discount 
supermarket retailer sharing the ground floor 
space with Lok’nStore’s operation. Lok’nStore 
will also occupy the entirety of the three floors 
above. The store will open in December 2013.

The site is close to Maidenhead town centre 
and railway station and is very prominent to the 
retail park on the main road joining the town 
centre with the M4 motorway. The store will be 
of similar style and appearance to other recently 
opened Lok’nStore sites, with Lok’nStore’s 
strong branding adding to the visual 
attractiveness of the site. This collaboration 
will increase the visual prominence, brand 
recognition, passing traffic and footfall of  
the self-storage centre which are key criteria  
for success. 

11

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our PerformanceProperty Review

Lok’nStore is committed to actively managing its portfolio 
and extracting further value from our prominently located 
development stores.

Andrew Jacobs, Chief Executive Officer

The innovative financing of the scheme agreed 
with the discount supermarket retailer, will 
require only a modest capital input from 
Lok’nStore and so allows us to continue 
to expand the Group’s operating footprint 
without stretching the balance sheet. We 
believe Maidenhead is an excellent location 
for us, an affluent town right in the middle 
of our geographic coverage with little local 
competition. The town is also set to benefit 
from its position as the western terminal of 
Crossrail. 

Reading: On 8 January 2008, Lok’nStore 
obtained planning permission for high-density 
residential development on the freehold site  
of its existing Reading store. The permission  
is for 112 flats on the 0.66 hectare site. On  
4 October 2011 this planning permission was 
renewed providing a further 3 years to execute 
on this project. 

The Group also has planning permission for a 
new 53,500 sq. ft. self-storage centre on its 
site opposite the existing store, an increase in 
space of 29%. Building has now commenced 
on this project with the new store scheduled 
to open in the middle of 2014.

When market circumstances are appropriate 
the site of the existing store will be sold with 
the benefit of its permission for residential 
development and the proceeds will largely 
fund the development of the new store. The 
existing business will be transferred to the  
new store when it is complete. The 
prominence and modern look of the new  
store with its distinctive orange livery will 
position Lok’nStore in a highly visible and 
easily accessible location adjacent to the  
A33 at the gateway to Reading.

Portfolio 
We currently own and operate 20 stores 
with capacity of around 1.04 million sq. ft. 
of storage space when fully fitted. Further 
sites at Woking and Crawley are run under 
management contacts and with the managed 
store in Aldershot and the sale of the 
Ashford store under a sale and management 
arrangement this takes the sites operated 
under management contacts up to four. With 
the owned store in Maidenhead opening in 
the coming financial year, the stores under 
Lok’nStore’s management will increase to 25.

At the year end the average length of the 
seven leases which were valued at July 2013 
increased by two months to 14 years and  
8 months (2012: 14 years and 6 months). 
Eight out of nine of our leasehold stores are 
inside the Landlord and Tenant Act providing 
us with a strong security of tenure. The 
leasehold sites produced 32% of the store 
EBITDA in the year (2012: 30%)

We prefer to own freeholds if possible, and 
where opportunities arise we will seek to 
acquire the freehold of our leasehold stores. 
However we are happy to take leases on 
appropriate terms and benefit from the 
advantages of a lower entry cost, with further 
options to create value later in the site’s 
development.

Property Assets and Net 
Asset Value
Lok’nStore’s freehold and operating leasehold 
properties have been independently valued by 
Cushman & Wakefield (C&W) at £67.7 million 
(NBV £30.6 million) as of 31 July 2013 (2012: 
£67.9 million: NBV £32.8 million). As we sold 
the Ashford store during the year this equates 
to an underlying increase of 4.2% in the value 
of the property assets. Property valuation is 
referred to further in the Financial Review and 
is detailed in note 10b of the notes to the 
financial statements. 

Adding our stores under development at cost, 
our total property valuation is £79.2 million 
(historic cost value £42.6 million) (2012:  
£79.7 million; historic cost value £44.65 
million). This translates into an adjusted net 
asset value of £2.48 per share up 8.8% on  
last year (2012: £2.28 per share). 

Lok’nStore is committed to actively managing 
its portfolio and extracting further value 
from our prominently located development 
sites. The partnership with the discount 
supermarket retailer in Maidenhead and the 
Aldershot transaction demonstrate our tactical 
and committed approach to funding and 
developing new stores. Management contracts 
such as Aldershot and Crawley allow the 
Group to continue to expand the operating 
footprint of Lok’nStore while minimising 
capital outlay. 

Andrew Jacobs 
Chief Executive Officer  
11 October 2013

12

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013Financial Review

The value of the Group’s property assets continues to 
increase underpinning a flexible business model with 
relatively low credit risk and tightly controlled  
operating costs.

Ray Davies, Finance Director

Trading
Total revenue for the year grew to  
£12.97 million (2012: £12.77 million), an 
increase of 1.6% or 2.8% excluding the 
Ashford store which was sold in March 2013. 
Pre-tax profit for the year was £1.43 million 
(2012: £0.93 million) up 54%. Document 
storage revenue was £1.84 million (2012:  
£2.0 million). Document storage adjusted 
EBITDA, before inter-company management 
charges, was lower at £0.31 million (2012: 
£0.47 million).

Taxation
There is no current corporation tax liability 
to pay due to the availability of tax losses. 
Almost all of the Group’s tax losses have now 
been utilised with tax losses available to carry 
forward for offset against future profits of 
£0.2 million. The Group will therefore pay tax 
on the majority of its earnings next year. 

Earnings per share
Basic earnings per share were 5.75 pence 
(2012: 3.01 pence per share). Diluted earnings 
per share were 5.72 pence (2012: 2.99 pence 
per share).

Purchase of shares for Treasury
During the year the Group purchased  
1.32 million shares into Treasury at an average 
price of £1.23 per share. Clearly with the 
Group’s opening Net Asset Value per share 
(NAV) at £2.28 any such purchases are 
significantly NAV enhancing on a per share 
basis and this has contributed to the increase 
in NAV per share to £2.48. We are proposing 
to renew our on-going authority to buy back 
shares at this year’s AGM. Full details are 
provided in note 25 — Own Shares.

Management of Interest Rate Risk
The Board regularly reviews the Group’s 
interest rate hedging position and monitors 
prevailing LIBOR and swap rates. 

Last year we fixed a significant proportion of 
our floating rate debt by entering into a  
£10 million interest rate swap with Lloyds TSB 
Bank plc effective from 31 May 2012 at fixed 
1 month sterling LIBOR rate of 1.2%. The 
swap fixes the interest rate on £10 million at 
an effective rate of 3.55% based on current 
235 basis points (bps) margin up to the 
expiration of the current banking facility in 
October 2016. On 30 May 2012 the Group 
also entered into a £10 million interest rate 
swap with Lloyds TSB Bank plc also effective 
from 31 May 2012 at fixed 1 month sterling 
LIBOR rate of 1.15%. Similarly this fixes a 
second tranche of £10 million at an effective 
rate of 3.5% up to the expiration of the 
current banking facility in October 2016. Given 
the very low interest rate and the relatively 
small premium over our variable rate available 
on these swaps, the Board considered that 
it was a good time to secure the current low 
interest rates. An effective fixed interest rate of 
3.525% on this portion of our debt protects 
our cash flow and demonstrates the Group’s 
ability to secure market leading rates as a 
result of our financial strength and robust 
cash flow.

Lok’nStore has £26.8 million currently drawn 
against its £40 million revolving credit facility 
of which £20 million is now at a fixed interest 
rate. This leaves a balance of £6.8 million 
floating at a current all-in average rate of 
around 2.85% and results in an overall 
weighted average rate of 3.36%. The  
£20 million fixed rate is treated as an effective 
cash flow hedge and its fair value stated as a 
liability. See note 16b.

www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Group Adjusted
EBITDA
£4.1m

up 4.1%

13

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our PerformanceFinancial Review

Highly rigorous approach to costs ensures that the 
majority of the revenue growth contributes to  
growth in profits.

Ray Davies, Finance Director

Operating Costs
For the previous five years we have reduced our group operating costs and this year through disciplined management we have managed to limit the 
increase to 0.4%. Group operating costs amounted to £8.57 million for the period, a small increase from last year. This year we reduced operating 
costs at Saracen by 1% compared to last year. This highly rigorous approach to costs ensures that the majority of the revenue growth that we have 
achieved contributes to growth in profits.

Group
Property costs
Staff costs
Overheads
Distribution costs
Total 

Lok’nStore Limited*
Property costs
Staff costs
Overheads
Distribution costs
Total 

Saracen Datastore Limited
Property costs
Staff costs
Overheads
Distribution costs
Total 

Increase/
(Decrease) in 
costs %
(4.2)
3.1
7.5
5.0
0.4

Increase/
(Decrease) in 
costs %
(5.3)
6.2
5.6
–
0.6

Increase/
(Decrease) in 
costs %
3.9
(11.0)
19.3
5.0
(1.0)

2013
£’000
3,732
3,538
1,127
173
8,570

2013
£’000
3,228
2,976
952
–
7,156

2013
£’000
504
562
175
173
1,414

2012 
£’000
3,895
3,432
1,048
165
8,540

2012 
£’000
3,409
2,801
902
–
7,112

2012 
£’000
486
631
147
165
1,429

* Includes expenses relating to Southern Engineering and Machinery Company a wholly owned subsidiary which owns the Southampton development site.

14

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Cash Flow, Interest and Financing
At 31 July 2013 the Group had cash balances 
of £4.2 million (2012: £4.0 million). Net 
debt, defined as gross debt before deferred 
financing costs less total cash and cash 
equivalents, has been reduced from £25.7 
million to £22.5 million. 

At 31 July 2013 we had £26.8 million of gross 
borrowings (2012: £29.7 million) representing 
gearing of 55.8% on net debt of £22.5 million 
(2012: 66.1%). After adjusting for the uplift 
in value of leaseholds which are stated at 
depreciated historic cost in the statement of 
financial position, gearing is 45.2% (2012: 
54.9%). After adjusting for the deferred tax 
liability carried at year-end of £9.7 million 
gearing drops to 37.8% (2012: 45.2%). 

Cash inflow from operating activities before 
investing and financing activities was  
£4.3 million (2012: £3.1 million). As well as 
using cash generated from operations to fund 
some capital expenditure, the Group has a 
five year revolving credit facility. This provides 
sufficient liquidity for the Group’s current 
needs. Undrawn committed facilities at the 
year-end amounted to £13.2 million (2012: 
£10.3 million). 

We are required to capitalise interest against 
our development pipeline in accordance with 
changes to International Financial Reporting 
Standards. The Group’s date of adoption 
was 1 August 2009 (the first annual year 
commencing after the IAS 23 effective date 
of 1 January 2009). All of the Group’s current 
qualifying assets predate the date of adoption 
and accordingly under the transitional adoption 
arrangements no borrowing costs have been 
capitalised against them in the year. 

A component of the interest cost incurred by 
the Group arises from the £11.5 million of 
development sites that the Group is currently 
carrying. The interest against this cost has 
not been capitalised but if it was the Group’s  
adjusted profit would have been approximately 
£386,538 higher for the year (2012: £275,859) 
on the assumption that the £11.5 million is fully 
funded by borrowings. 

By excluding the £386,538 of interest costs  
of carrying the development sites from the 
total net interest charge of £1,142,203 the 
interest on the operating portfolio would be 
£755,665 for the year. Funds from  
operations (FFO) represented by £4,136,512 
EBITDA minus interest on the operating 
portfolio is therefore £3,380,847 equating to 
14.1 pence per share, up 8.5% on last year 
(2012: 13 pence per share).

The Group has grown through a combination 
of new site acquisition, existing store 
improvements and relocations, and has 
concentrated on extracting value from its 
existing assets and developing through 
collaborative projects and management 
contracts. Consequently, capital expenditure 
(“capex”) during the year totalled only  
£0.6 million. This included some limited 
capex at existing stores, planning and other 
professional costs incurred in maximising the 
potential of the existing planning permissions. 
We also invested £0.4 million in further 
racking fit-out and fire vault capacity at the 
Saracen Olney 

warehouse. Additionally, the construction 
of our new Maidenhead store commenced 
and building costs at the balance sheet date 
amounted to £1.17 million. The Company has 
no further capital commitments beyond the 
completion of its Maidenhead store, its  
£2.5 million development commitment at 
Aldershot and some minor works to existing 
properties. Refer to note 30a: Capital 
Commitments.

Statement of Financial Position
Net assets at the year-end were £40.4 million 
(2012: £39.0 million). Freehold property values 
at 31 July 2013 were £54.5 million compared 
to £56.1 million at 31 July 2012 following the 
sale of our Ashford store. 

Market Valuation of Freehold and 
Operating Leasehold Land and 
Buildings 
Our eleven freehold properties are held in the 
statement of financial position at fair value, 
and have been valued externally by Cushman 
and Wakefield LLP (C&W). Refer to note 10b, 
property, plant and equipment, and also to  
the accounting policies for details of the fair 
value of trading properties. The leasehold 
stores are held as ‘operating leases’ and the 
valuations of these are not taken onto the 
statement of financial position. However seven 
of these have also been externally valued and 
these external valuations have been used to 
calculate the adjusted net asset value position 
of the Group.

15

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our PerformanceFinancial Review

On 31 July 2013 professional valuations 
were prepared by valuers C&W in respect of 
eleven freehold and seven operating leasehold 
properties. The valuation was prepared 
in accordance with the RICS Valuation - 
Professional Standards, published by The Royal 
Institute of Chartered Surveyors (“the Red 
Book”). The valuation has been provided for 
accounts purposes and, as such, is a Regulated 
Purpose Valuation as defined in the Red Book. 
The external valuation methodology provides 
for a purchaser acquiring a centre incurring 
purchase costs of 5.8% initially and sale plus 
purchaser’s costs totalling 7.8% are assumed 
on the notional sales in the tenth year in 
relation to the freehold stores. In practice 
we believe that it is unlikely that the bulk of 
Lok’nStore’s properties would be acquired 
other than in a corporate structure, in which 
case transaction costs would likely be lower 

see note 10b in the notes to the financial 
statements for a more detailed description of 
the valuation methodology).

A deferred tax liability arises on the revaluation 
of the properties and on the rolled-over gain 
arising from the disposal of the Kingston 
and Woking sites in 2007. It is not envisaged 
that any tax will become payable in the 
foreseeable future on these disposals due to 
the availability of rollover relief. In due course 
the site of the existing Reading store is likely to 
be sold with the benefit of its permission for 
residential development and the proceeds will 
be reinvested in our new store pipeline. It is 
not the intention of the Directors to make any 
other significant disposals of operational self-
storage centres, although individual disposals 
may be considered where it is clear that added 
value can be created by recycling the capital 
into other opportunities.

The Board will continue to commission 
independent valuations on its trading 
stores annually to coincide with its year-end 
reporting.

Under IFRS the valuations of our freehold 
property assets are included in the Statement 
of Financial Position at their fair value, but the 
IFRS rules do not permit the inclusion of any 
valuation in respect of our leasehold stores to 
the extent that they are classified as operating 
leases. The value of our operating leases in the 
valuation totals £13.2 million (2012: £11.8 
million). Instead we have reported by way of 
a note the underlying value of these leasehold 
stores in future revaluations and adjusted our 
Net Asset Value (NAV) calculation accordingly 
to include their value. This will ensure 
comparable NAV calculations.

Analysis of Total Property Value

Freehold valued by C&W
Leasehold valued by C&W
Subtotal
Sites in development at cost
Total

No. of stores/
sites
11†
7
18
4
22

31 July 2013 
Valuation
£’000
54,460
13,200
67,660
11,517
79,177

No. of stores/
sites
12‡
7
19
4
23*

31 July 2012 
Valuation 
£’000
56,050
11,830
67,880
11,850
79,730

* 

Two Leasehold stores were not valued (2012: two) as their remaining unexpired terms were insufficient to yield a value under the Cushman & Wakefield valuation 
methodology. 

†   Ashford store sold during the year for £2.9 million.

‡ 

Includes the current Reading store at its trading store valuation. The Reading site with planning permission for a new store is stated at cost and is included in sites in 

development at cost.

16

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Adjusted Net Asset Value per Share 
Adjusted net assets per share is the net assets of the Group business adjusted for the valuation of leasehold stores and deferred tax divided by the 
number of shares at the year-end. The shares currently held in the Group’s employee benefits trust (own shares held) and in treasury are excluded 
from the number of shares.

At July 2013 the adjusted net asset value per share increased to £2.48 from £2.28 last year, up 8.8%. This increase is a result of higher property 
values, cash generated from operations and the share buy-back reducing the number of shares.

CGI Maidenhead Store

Analysis of net asset value (NAV)

Total non-current assets
Adjustment to include leasehold stores at valuation
Add: C&W leasehold valuation*
Deduct: leasehold properties and their fixtures and fittings at NBV

Add: current assets
Less: current liabilities
Less: non-current liabilities (excluding deferred tax provision)
Less: derivative financial instruments

Adjusted net assets before deferred tax provision
Deferred tax
Deferred tax arising on revaluation of leasehold properties†
Adjusted net assets

2013
£’000

2012
£’000

74,774
13,200
(3,696)
84,278
6,799
(4,803)
(26,422)
(271)
(24,697)
59,581
(9,705)
(2,186)
47,690

76,903
11,830
(3,910)
84,823
5,956
(4,106)
(29,223)
(496)
(27,869)
56,954
(10,073)
(1,822)
45,059

*  

The seven leaseholds valued by Cushman & Wakefield are all within the terms of the Landlord and Tenant Act (1954) giving a degree of security of tenure. The 
average length of the leases on the leasehold stores valued was 14 years and 8 months at the date of the 2013 valuation (2012 valuation: 14 years and 6 months).

†   A deferred tax adjustment in respect of the uplift in the value of the leasehold properties has been included. Although this is a memorandum adjustment as 

leasehold properties are included in the Group’s financial statements at cost and not at valuation, this deferred tax adjustment is included in the adjusted net asset 
value calculation in order to maintain a consistency of tax treatment between freehold and leasehold properties.

Shares in issue

Opening shares
Shares issued for the exercise of options
Closing shares in issue
Shares held in treasury
Shares held in EBT
Closing shares for NAV purposes
Adjusted net asset value per share after deferred tax provision
Adjusted net asset value per share before deferred tax provision

Number

26,759
382
27,141
(2,467)
(623)
24,051
£1.98
£2.48

Number

26,759
–
26,759
(1,142)
(623)
24,994
£1.80
£2.28

Summary
Lok’nStore is a robust business which generates increasing cash flow from its strong asset base. With a low LTV of 28.5% and our interest rate risks 
substantially hedged through to 2016 we have a firm base for growth. The value of the Group’s property assets continue to increase underpinning 
a flexible business model with relatively low credit risk and tightly controlled operating costs. 

Ray Davies 
Finance Director 
11 October 2013

17

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our PerformanceBoard of Directors and Advisers

7. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

Directors and Advisers

Directors
SG Thomas
A Jacobs
RA Davies
CM Jacobs
ETD Luker
RJ Holmes
CP Peal
I Wright

D Hampson

Chairman
Chief Executive Officer
Finance Director
Director
Senior Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director 
(retired 19 October 2012)
Non-Executive Director 
(appointed 19 December 2012)

Secretary and Registered Office
Secretarial Solutions Limited 
c/o Maclay Murray Spens LLP 
One London Wall 
London EC2Y 5AB

Nominated Adviser and Broker
Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited  
One New Change 
London EC4M 9AF

Auditor
Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP 
Chartered Accountants 
25 Farringdon Street  
London EC4A 4AB 

18

Solicitors
Maclay Murray Spens LLP 
One London Wall 
London EC2Y 5AB

Registrars
Capita Registrars 
Capita Group plc 
The Registry 
34 Beckenham Road 
Beckenham 
Kent BR3 4TU

Principal Bankers
Lloyds TSB plc 
Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets 
3rd Floor, 2 City Place  
Beehive Ring Road  
Gatwick  
West Sussex RH6 0PA

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Executive Directors
1.  Andrew Jacobs (54) 

Chief Executive Officer
Andrew established Lok’nStore in February 
1995 after eight years’ experience as a 
stockbroker at Nomura International in 
London. He has an MPhil in Economics from 
Cambridge University and a BSc in Economics 
from the London School of Economics. 
Andrew is President and Deputy Chairman of 
Trucost plc, an environmental data company.

Andrew is responsible for strategy, corporate 
finance and property.

2.  Simon Thomas (53) 

Chairman
Simon has been a Director of Lok’nStore since 
1997 after a successful career in the publishing 
and finance sectors. He co-founded the 
emerging markets investment trust business 
at LCF Edmond de Rothschild. He has also 
worked at Swiss Bank Corporation, Nomura 
International and Reed International. Simon 
is a Non-Executive Director of Trucost plc, an 
environmental data company.

Simon is responsible for the composition and 
performance of the Board. 

3.  Ray Davies (56) 

Finance Director
Ray, a chartered accountant, joined Lok’nStore 
in 2004 and has held a number of senior 
finance positions in the construction, and 
health and fitness sectors. In 1992, he was 
appointed Group Finance Director and 
Company Secretary of Dragons Health Clubs 
plc during a period of rapid and sustained 
growth. Following its acquisition by Crown 
Sports plc in 2000, he was appointed Finance 
Director of Crown Sports Clubs Division 
and Company Secretary of Crown Sports 
plc, a company listed on the London Stock 
Exchange. From 1984 to 1992 Ray was Group 
Finance Director and Company Secretary of 
Mark Scott Construction Group. 

Ray is responsible for finance, administration 
and risk management.

4.  Colin Jacobs (49) 

7.  Charles Peal (58)

Non-Executive Director. Joined Lok’nStore 

in 2007.
Charles started his career in 1977 at 3i Group, 
the leading UK quoted Venture Capital 
Company. He was the Chief Executive of Legal 
and General Ventures from 1988 to 2000 and 
was a Director of various quoted private equity 
investment trusts and management buyouts. 
He is currently a Director of Warnborough 
Asset Management, an independent fund 
management business and Chairman of BLME 
Sharia’a Umbrella Fund SICAV-SIF.

Charles chairs the Audit Committee.

8. Doug Hampson (67)
Non-Executive Director. Appointed  
19 December 2012. 
Douglas joined the Board following his 
investment in the Company. He has spent over 
30 years in the self-storage industry, having 
set up the first self-storage facility in Europe 
in 1980. Over the last 30 years Douglas has 
founded and sold a number of self-storage 
businesses including Abbey Self-Storage, 
British Self-Storage and Keepsafe and currently 
owns Lockaway Self-Storage in London and 
Adams Self-Storage in the north of England, 
and is a director of Public Storage Services Ltd.

Director
Colin has been a Director since founding 
Lok’nStore in 1995. Prior to joining Lok’nStore 
Colin worked for the Courts Group of 
Companies in sales and marketing functions. 

Colin is responsible for identifying and 
negotiating new sites for Lok’nStore, and for 
business development.

Non-Executive Directors
5.  Edward Luker (64)

Senior Non-Executive Director. Joined 

Lok’nStore in 2007.
Edward is a well-known figure in the UK 
property industry, having worked for CB 
Richard Ellis for 33 years, where he has been 
a Director and Partner for 20 years. In 1997/8 
Edward was Chairman of the Investment 
Property Forum, the industry body, and has 
acted for a number of pensions in the creation 
of property investment funds. Edward is a 
Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered 
Surveyors and is currently Consultant and 
Chairman of the Investment Advisory 
Committee of CBRE Real Estate Finance 
Limited. 

Edward sits on the Audit Committee and 
chairs the Remuneration Committee.

6.  Richard Holmes (53)

Non-Executive Director. Joined Lok’nStore 

in 2000.
Richard is currently Marketing Director 
of Specsavers. Previously, Richard held a 
number of senior positions within the Boots 
organisation, including Director of Offer 
Development at Boots e-commerce business, 
Marketing Director of Boots the Chemist and 
Director of Health & Beauty. Richard was also 
Head of Strategy Development for Unilever’s 
worldwide dental business and holds an MSc 
in Economics from Warwick University and a 
BSc in Economics from the London School of 
Economics. 

Richard sits on the Remuneration Committee. 

19

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our GovernanceDirectors’ Report

The Directors submit their report and the 
audited financial statements of the Company 
and of the Group for the year ended 31 July 
2013.

Principal Activity
The principal activity of the Group during the 
year was that of providing self-storage and 
related services.

Review of the Business and 
Future Developments
A detailed account of the Group’s progress 
during the year and its future prospects are 
set out in the Chairman’s Review, Operating 
Review, Property Review and Financial Review. 

The key performance indicators are included 
within the Highlights on page 2 and the 
Financial Review.

Financial Instruments
The financial risk management objectives and 
policies of the Group, along with details of 
exposure to liquidity and cash flow risk are 
set out below and in note 15 to the financial 
statements.

Principal Business and Operating 
Risks
Finance
Lok’nStore finances its current needs through 
a combination of strong operational cash flows 
and debt.

Cash deposits are placed with Lloyds TSB plc 
on a no-notice treasury deposit account which 
tracks base rate and currently yields 0.5% 
p.a. on all deposited balances. The Group’s 
cash position is reviewed daily and cash is 
transferred daily between these accounts and 
the Group’s operational current accounts as 
required. 

The main risks arising from the Group’s 
financial instruments are interest rate risk and 
liquidity risk. The policies for managing these 
risks are regularly reviewed and agreed by 
the Board. Historically, no trading in financial 
instruments had been undertaken but during 
2012 the Group entered into two separate 
swap arrangements. Full details are set out  
in the Financial Review. Further information  
on our treasury arrangements is set out in  
note 15.

20

Risk Management
Risk management has been a fundamental 
part of the development of Lok’nStore. 
We maintain a risk register which identifies 
and categorises our risks and provides an 
assessment of risk based on a combination of 
‘likelihood’ and ‘consequences and impact’ 
on the business. This is reviewed regularly by 
management and the Board and underpins our 
structured approach to identifying, assessing 
and controlling risks that emerge during the 
course of operating the business. Its purpose 
is to support better decision-making through 
understanding the risks inherent in both 
the day-to-day operations and the strategic 
direction of the Group and their likely impact. 
This is a continuing and evolving process as 
we review and monitor the underlying risk 
elements relevant to the business.

Market Risk
Self-storage is a developing market with 
further opportunities for significant growth. 
Awareness of self-storage and how it can 
be used by customers is well understood in 
the United States, but historically has been 
relatively low throughout the UK. Survey and 
anecdotal evidence suggest this awareness 
is rising quickly in the UK now. The rate of 
growth in branded self-storage operations 
in good trading locations continues to be 
limited by the challenge of acquiring sites at 
appropriate prices and obtaining planning 
permission.

Lok’nStore invests in prime locations where its 
criteria for site selection are met and which will 
enable it to develop high quality stores which 
are prominent with high visibility and strong 
branding. We believe this will place us in a 
strong trading position and may discourage 
competitors from entering that local market. 
However it is possible that Lok’nStore may 
be unable to execute this strategy which will 
inhibit its growth. Further it is possible that 
an increasing number of competitors in the 
industry may negatively impact Lok’nStore’s 
existing operations.

We have a large customer base spread across 
23 stores including those customers who 
have used Lok’nStore regularly over the years. 
Many of these periodically return as their 
circumstances and their storage needs change. 
Our self-storage customers are a broad mix 
of both domestic and business, generating 
around 63%:37% respectively of our revenue 
(2012: 62%:38%). 

Property Risk
The acquisition of new sites for development 
into self-storage centres is a key strategic 
objective of the business. We will continue to 
face significant competition for site locations 
from other uses such as hotels, car showrooms 
and offices as well as from the other self-
storage operators.

The process of gaining planning permissions 
remains challenging. Lok’nStore may take on 
the risk of obtaining planning permission when 
acquiring sites in the face of competitive bids. 
In these cases we are obliged to undertake the 
planning, environmental and other property 
due diligence under tight timescales which 
creates greater risk in the process. 

Nevertheless Lok’nStore’s management has 
gained significant experience in operating 
in this property environment, acquiring sites 
on main roads in prominent locations and 
obtaining appropriate planning permissions.

We manage the construction of our properties 
carefully. The building of each store is handled 
through a design and build contract with 
established contractors. We employ an 
external team of professionals to monitor the 
progress of each development. The fitting of 
mezzanine floors and steel units is generally 
project managed in-house using an established 
external professional team of sub-contractors 
who understand Lok’nStore’s particular 
specifications.

Credit Risk
Lok’nStore’s self-storage credit model is strong 
with customers paying four weekly in advance 
in addition to an initial four weeks rental 
deposit. We retain a legal lien over customers’ 
goods which can be sold to cover their unpaid 
bills. Credit control remains tight with £60,709 
(2012: 58,410) of bad debts recognised 
during the year representing around 0.47% 
of revenue (2012: 0.46%). There was 
£9,097 of additional costs associated with 
recovery (2012: £6,170). Given the tight 
credit conditions in the wider economy our 
own credit control indicators are resilient, 
showing no appreciable signs of weakening 
during the year with the number of late letters 
issued declining year-on-year and bad debts 
remaining at low levels.

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013Tax Risk
We regularly monitor proposed and actual 
changes in legislation in the tax regime 
affecting principally corporation tax, capital 
gains tax, VAT and Stamp Duty Land Tax 
(‘SDLT‘). We work with our professional 
advisors and through trade bodies to 
understand and mitigate or benefit from their 
effects.

Corporate Social Responsibility and 

Employee Risk
The Corporate Social Responsibility and 
Employee Risk within the business are 
discussed within the Corporate Responsibility 
Report.

Reputational Risk
Lok’nStore’s business reputation is very 
important to the Group. Our management 
and staff work hard to protect and develop 
it. We always try to communicate clearly with 
our customers, suppliers, local authorities and 
communities, employees and shareholders 
and to listen and take account of their views. 
The Lok’nStore websites (www.loknstore.
co.uk www.loknstore.com and www.
saracendatastore.co.uk) are important avenues 
of communication and a source of information 
for employees, customers and investors. 
Employee communication is augmented by 
quarterly staff newsletters.

Dividend 
In respect of the current year, the Directors 
propose that a final dividend of 4.33 pence 
per share will be paid to the shareholders on 
16 December 2013 to shareholders on the 
register on 15 November 2013. The total 
estimated dividend to be paid is £1,043,305 
based on the number of shares currently 
in issue as adjusted for shares held in the 
Employee Benefits Trust and for shares held on 
treasury. This dividend is subject to approval by 
shareholders at the Annual General Meeting 
and has not been included as a liability in 
these financial statements.

Events after the Reporting Date
Events after the reporting date are fully 
described in note 28. 

Directors
The following Directors held office during the 
year and subsequently:

SG Thomas
A Jacobs
RA Davies
CM Jacobs
I Wright (retired 19 
October 2012)

ETD Luker
RJ Holmes
CP Peal
D Hampson 
(Appointed 19 
December 2012)

Directors’ Interests in Shares
Directors’ interests in the shares of the Company, including family interests, were as follows:

SG Thomas
A Jacobs
RA Davies
CM Jacobs
RJ Holmes
ETD Luker
CP Peal
D Hampson
Total
Total shares in issue (excluding treasury shares)
Percentage held by Directors

www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Details of the interests of the Directors in the 
shares of the Company are set out below and 
details of their remuneration are disclosed in 
note 6 of the financial statements.

Biographical details of the Directors are set out 
on page 19.

Reappointment of Directors
In accordance with the Company’s Articles 
of Association, Ray Davies and Charles Peal 
retire by rotation and each being eligible offer 
themselves for re-election at the next Annual 
General Meeting (AGM). Richard Holmes who 
has over ten year’s tenure as a non-executive is 
now required under the Companies Act 2006 
to offer himself for re-election at every AGM 
and accordingly offers himself for election at 
the next AGM. 

Doug Hampson, a board appointee during  
the year, offers himself for election at the  
next AGM.

Ordinary Shares of 1 pence each

31 July 2013 

31 July 2012

2,106,385
5,314,000
42,753
5,000
268,500
13,800
255,000
4,033,909
12,039,347
24,674,324
48.8%

2,106,385
5,314,000
41,099
–
159,000
13,800
185,000
–
7,819,284
25,616,865
30.5%

21

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our GovernanceDirectors’ Report

Andrew Jacobs is a beneficiary of “The Jacobs 
Family Directors Pension Scheme” that holds 
310,350 (2012: 310,350) Ordinary Shares and 
Simon Thomas is a beneficiary of a pension 
fund “The Thomas Family Directors Pension 
Scheme” that holds 261,190 (2012: 231,190) 
Ordinary Shares. The figures set out in the 
table above do not include the Ordinary Shares 
held in these pension funds. 

Directors’ Share Purchases

The Aylestone Pension Fund has a holding 
of 20,000 (2012: 20,000) Ordinary Shares 
representing less than 0.1% of the issued 
share capital. Colin Jacobs, a Director of 
Lok’nStore is interested in this transaction 
as one of the beneficiaries of the Aylestone 
Pension Fund. 

Douglas Hampson holds 4,033,909 Ordinary 
Shares, representing 15.75% of the issued 
share capital of the Company through 
Montecito Storage Investors LLC. 

Date
30 October 2012
13 November 2012
30 November 2012
10 January 2013
24 April 2013
24 April 2013
25 April 2013
25 April 2013
29 April 2013
29 April 2013
24 July 2013
Total

No. of shares 
purchased
12,000
27,500
4,033,909
1,148
7,500
7,500
5,000
5,000
57,500
57,500
5,000
4,219,557

Purchase price
119.5p
108.5p

*
117.0p
124.5p
124.5p
124.5p
124.5p
125.0p
125.0p
102.0p

D Hampson

4,033,909

RJ Holmes
12,000
27,500

7,500

5,000

57,500

CP Peal

RA Davies

C Jacobs

1,148

7,500

5,000

57,500

4,033,909

109,500

70,000

1,148

5,000
5,000

* Purchased by Mr Hampson before he was appointed a director.

Details of Directors’ share options are disclosed in notes 19 to 22. 

Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance
The Company has liability insurance covering the Directors and Officers of the Company and its subsidiaries.

Substantial Shareholdings 
The Directors have been notified or are aware that the following are interested in 3% or more of the issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company 
as at 2 October 2013:

Andrew Jacobs
Doug Hampson
Simon Thomas
Cavendish Asset Management
Miton Capital Partners
Charles Stanley Stockbrokers
Goldman Sachs
Laxey Partners
Artemis Investment 
Management

Current rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
–
–

% at
2 Oct 2013
21.50
16.32
8.52
8.50
5.51
5.14 
–
–

Number of 
shares
5,314,000
4,033,909
2,106,385
2,102,200
1,361,530
1,270,111
–
–

Total shares in 
issue (excluding 
treasury shares)

Total shares in 
issue (excluding 
treasury shares)

% at
12 Sept 2012
20.74
–
8.22
–
–
3.54
3.50
29.04

Total shares in 
issue (excluding 
treasury shares)
5,314,000
–
2,106,385
–
–
905,992
896,071
7,437,959

–

–

–

4.43

1,135,000

24,718,026†

25,616,865

† Represents total shares in issue (excluding treasury shares) at 2 October 2013.

22

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Annual General Meeting
The Company’s Annual General Meeting will 
be held on 29 November 2013 at 11.00 am at 
the offices of Maclay Murray Spens LLP, One 
London Wall, London EC2Y 5AB. 

Auditor
A resolution to reappoint Baker Tilly UK Audit 
LLP, Chartered Accountants, as auditor will be 
put to the members at the Annual General 
Meeting.

A formal notice together with explanatory 
circular and Form of Proxy will be sent to 
shareholders.

On behalf of the Board

Simon G Thomas 
Chairman 
11 October 2013

Market Valuation of Freehold 
Land and Buildings
The changes in property, plant and equipment 
during the year and details of property 
valuations at 31 July 2013 are shown in note 
10b to the Financial Statements. Further 
commentary on the property portfolio is 
contained in the Property Review and in the 
Financial Review. 

Share Buy-back Authority
Authority will be sought at the Company’s 
AGM on 29 November 2013 from 
shareholders to approve a share buyback 
authority. The buy-back authority will only be 
exercised in circumstances where the Directors 
regard such purchases to be in the best 
interests of shareholders as a whole.

Statement of Disclosure of 
Information to the Auditor
The Directors who were in office at the date 
of approval of these financial statements have 
confirmed that, as far as they are aware, there 
is no relevant audit information of which the 
auditor is unaware. Each of the Directors has 
confirmed that they have taken all the steps 
that they ought to have taken as Directors 
in order to make themselves aware of any 
relevant audit information and to establish that 
it has been communicated to the auditor.

23

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our GovernanceCorporate Social Responsibility Report

Corporate and Social 
Responsibilities
Lok’nStore conducts its business in a manner 
that reflects honesty, integrity and ethical 
conduct. We believe that the long-term 
success of the business is best served by 
respecting the interests of all our stakeholders. 
Management of social, environmental 
and ethical issues is of high importance to 
Lok’nStore. These issues are dealt with on a 
day-to-day basis by the Group’s managers with 
principal accountability lying with the Board 
of Directors. We look for opportunities to 
address our responsibility to the environment, 
and we pay close attention to our energy use, 
carbon dioxide emissions, water use and waste 
production. A full assessment is set out below 
in our Environmental Policy.

Customers
We believe in clarity and transparency. 
Brochures and literature are written in plain 
English, explaining clearly our terms of 
business without hiding anything in the ‘small 
print’. We are open and honest about our 
products and services and do not employ 
pressure selling techniques or attempt to take 
advantage of any vulnerable groups. If we 
make a mistake we acknowledge it, deal with 
the problem quickly, and learn from our error. 
We listen to our customers as we know that 
they can help us improve our service to them. 
In return a substantial amount of our business 
comes from previous customers, existing 
customers taking more space and customer 
referrals.

Suppliers
We are committed to conducting our business 
with suppliers in a fair and honest manner, 
with openness and integrity, operating in 
accordance with the terms and conditions 
agreed upon. We expect our suppliers to 
operate to these same principles.

Employees
At 31 July 2013 we had 131 employees  
(2012: 133). 

We treat our employees with dignity and 
respect and are committed to providing 
a positive attitude in the business and an 
enjoyable working environment. We have 
a professional open culture where staff 
can exchange ideas and offer suggestions 
for work and business improvement. This 
encourages our staff to build on their skills, 
through appropriate training and regular 
performance review. Regular training courses 
at our Farnborough Head Office support 
these objectives. We have a large conference 
room which can accommodate all our training 
requirements for the foreseeable future. This 
reduces outgoings and increases and improves 
contact between Head Office and the stores 
by bringing staff into Head Office for their 
training. This in turn contributes to attracting 
and retaining the right people which is key to 
the success of Lok’nStore. 

All employees are eligible to participate in our 
share ownership plans. Lok’nStore operates 
a Share Incentive Plan with 89 members, a 
total of 68% of employees participating in 
the Scheme (2012: 71%). This high level of 
participation is testament to the loyalty and 
commitment of our staff. Our personnel are 
committed and motivated and help maintain 
the exemplary levels of friendly service that 
Lok’nStore provides to its customers.  
I would like to thank all of our staff for their 
commitment to our business and for their hard 
work and efforts over the year to which the 
Group owes its continuing success.

Our Corporate Social Responsibility Report 
sets out our environmental policy and how 
we manage our impact on the environment, 
our policies and principles in relation to our 
responsibilities to stakeholders including 
suppliers, customers and employees.

Policy on Payment of Suppliers
The Group does not follow any formal code or 
standard on payment practice. The Company’s 
policy, which is also applied by the Group, 
is to ensure that, in the absence of dispute, 
all suppliers are dealt with in accordance 
with standard payment practice, whereby all 
outstanding trade accounts are settled within 
the terms agreed with the supplier at the 
time of the supply or otherwise 30 days from 
invoice date. At the year-end the credit taken 
from suppliers by the Group was 70 days 
(2012: 69 days).

Health and Safety
The Board recognises the prime importance 
of maintaining high standards of Health & 
Safety and healthy working conditions for 
staff, customers, visitors, contractors and other 
people who may be affected by our business 
activities.

Lok’nStore has a Health and Safety Committee 
which meets to discuss issues relevant to 
Health and Safety within the Group under the 
overall supervision of Ray Davies, who carries 
Board responsibility for risk management. The 
meetings are chaired by the Finance Director. 

The Health and Safety policy is reviewed by 
the Committee on an annual basis. It is also 
amended to include changes to Health and 
Safety Law as they occur. The Health and 
Safety policy clearly sets out the duties and 
responsibilities of the Chief Executive Officer, 
Managers and all staff within the Group.

Employee Benefit Trust 
The Employee Benefit Trust owns 623,212 
shares (2012: 623,212), the costs of which 
are shown as a deduction from shareholders’ 
funds. The Company is holding in treasury a 
total of 2,466,869 of its own Ordinary Shares 
of 1 pence each with an aggregate nominal 
value of £2,467 for an aggregate cost of 
£3,741,036. At 31 July 2013 these treasury 
shares represent 9.09% of the Company’s 
issued share capital (2012: 4.27%). The 
total number of Ordinary Shares in issue is 
27,141,193 (2012: 26,758,865). 

24

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Environmental Policy

Our Environmental Policy is to effectively manage our waste, control our 
polluting emissions and to encourage our suppliers to minimise their impact 
on the environment. Trucost, the environmental reporting company has 
reviewed Lok’nStore Group plc’s reporting of environmental matters in its 
Annual Report for the year ended 31 July 2013.

From October 2013, all UK quoted companies are required to report on their greenhouse gas emissions as part of the 
annual directors’ report under the Companies Act 2006. Lok’nStore welcomes this new regulation and will continue to 
report in line with established guidelines.

The Group’s environmental report is fully in accordance with Government Guidelines, Environmental Key Performance 
Indicators: Reporting Guidelines for UK Business (2006).

Environmental Management and Performance
Lok’nStore Group has been measuring its environmental impacts for the last nine years. Monitoring focuses on 
environmental key performance indicators (KPIs), namely greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), water use and waste. 

Highlights year ending 31 July 2013:

•	 Overall total GHG emissions reduced 

by 71% from 1223 tonnes in 2005 to 
353 tonnes in 2013. When normalised 
to turnover, there has been 83% 
reduction, from 157t/£m to 27t/£m.

•	

Indirect (electricity) GHG emissions 
intensity has decreased by 97% since 
2005. That reduction is a consequence 
of the decision reported last year 
by Lok’nStore to purchase 100% 
renewable source electricity.

•	 Following the effective elimination 

of indirect emissions from electricity 
within Lok’nStore, the Group’s direct 
emissions, which result from natural 
gas and vehicle fuel consumption, 

now account for 83% of overall GHG 
emissions. As this is now the largest 
source of GHG emissions, Lok’nStore 
will concentrate on reducing this impact 
in future periods. This year direct 
GHG emissions rose to 292 tonnes 
(2012: 267 tonnes) a rise of 9% when 
normalised to turnover.

•	 Total waste sent to landfill reduced for 
the ninth successive year to 188 tonnes 
(2012: 229 tonnes), an 18% reduction 
on a normalised basis.

•	 Total water use was reduced to 2213 m3 
(2012: 2506 m3), a 12% reduction on a 
normalised basis.

25

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our GovernanceEnvironmental Performance

Absolute indirect GHG emissions decreased 
from 328 to 36 CO2e tonnes. When 
normalised to turnover, the impact reduced 
from 26 to 3 CO2e tonnes per £m turnover.

As reported last year, Lok’nStore Poole has 
been fitted with an array of solar panels. 
During the reporting period, the system 
generated 48MWh of electricity (2012: 
37MWh). Of this the bulk was used on 
site, providing 33% of the store’s annual 
electricity needs, with a balance of 7MWh 
exported back to the grid (2012: 5MWh). 
Where it is appropriate, future new stores 
will also be equipped with solar panel 
installations, and will be reported when they 
come into generation.

Figure 2 shows absolute and normalised 
GHG emissions from electricity consumption 
over the last nine years. 

Direct GHG emissions
In 2011, Lok’nStore acquired the Saracen 
records management subsidiary. Saracen’s 
business is serviced storage including a 
document delivery and collection service. 
The company is responsible for the 
transportation impacts of that service. 
Overall emissions from vans and cars 
operated by the company have increased 
from 202 to 216 tonnes CO2e due to 
increased mileage driven in the period. 
Recognising the cost and environmental 
impact of that service, the Group from July 
2013 has introduced a new, more efficient 
leased van fleet. This new fleet is fitted 
with Euro V compliant diesel engines which 
greatly improve fuel efficiency, offering cost 
efficiencies as well as reducing the Group’s 
environmental impact. 

Overall GHG emissions
The total of GHG emissions (direct and 
indirect) has been reduced to 353 tonnes 
(2012: 646 tonnes). Since the start of 
reporting in 2005, when emissions were 
1223 tonnes in the year, the current 
level represents a 71% reduction. When 
normalised to turnover, there has been an 
83% reduction over that time. 

Figure 1 shows the level of overall GHG 
emissions since the start of reporting. 
The figures include direct emissions from 
vehicles and gas boilers, indirect emissions 
from electricity and indirect emissions from 
customer use of hire vehicles.

In previous years, indirect GHG emissions 
from electricity consumption have been 
higher than direct emissions. However, 
due to using 100% renewable energy 
at its Lok’nStore facilities, direct GHG 
emissions in 2013 are higher than indirect 
GHG emissions. Lok’nStore will continue 
identifying opportunities to reduce its GHG 
emissions with a particular focus on natural 
gas consumption and fuel use. 

Indirect GHG emissions 
(electricity)
For the fifth year running all of Lok’nStore’s 
electricity was supplied by Green Energy 
plc. It has been confirmed by Green Energy 
that 100% of the electricity supplied to 
Lok’nStore by Green Energy has been 
from renewable sources. While last year 
emissions were calculated using the fuel 
mix of the supplier overall for continuity of 
reporting purposes, this year, an emission 
factor of zero was applied to Lok’nStore’s 
electricity consumption to account for 
its usage of renewables. This change 
effectively eliminates Lok’nStore’s indirect 
emissions from electricity consumption and 
explains the large decrease in indirect GHG 
emissions, which now only reflect Saracen’s 
electricity consumption. 

Figure 1: Overall GHG emissions

1,600

1,400

1,200

1,000

s
e
n
n
o
t

e
2
O
C

800

600

400

200

0

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

r
e
v
o
n
r
u
T
m
1
£

r
e
p
t
e
2
O
C

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

Absolute GHG emissions
GHG Emissions Intensity, CO2e tonnes per million Turnover

Figure 2: GHG emissions from 
electricity consumption

1,200

1,000

s
e
n
n
o
t

e
2
O
C

800

600

400

200

0

r
e
v
o
n
r
u
T
m
1
£
r
e
p
t
e
2
O
C

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

Absolute GHG emissions
GHG Emissions Intensity, CO2e tonnes per million Turnover

Figure 3: GHG emissions from 
natural gas and vehicles

r
e
v
o
n
r
u
T
m
1
£

r
e
p
t
e
2
O
C

25

20

15

10

5

0

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

Absolute GHG emissions
GHG Emissions Intensity, CO2e tonnes per million Turnover

s
e
n
n
o
t

e
2
O
C

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

26

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

With the acquisition of Saracen, the Group 
has also begun to monitor its contracted 
waste produced (i.e. consumer waste  
sent to Saracen for disposal). In 2013, 
Saracen recycled 246 tonnes of shredded 
paper on behalf of its customers, compared 
to 122 tonnes in 2012. It also disposed of 
small quantities of microfiche, and media 
and exhibition items, but these amounts  
are negligible.

Water consumption
In 2013 we consumed 2,213 m3 of water, 
which is 293 m3 less than in the previous 
year and amounts to a 12% decrease. 
We achieved this reduction through 
performance monitoring and rectification 
works where required. The Group will 
continue to look for opportunities to reduce 
water losses and wastage.

Figure 5 shows absolute and normalised 
water use over the last nine years. 

Figure 4: Landfill waste

s
e
n
n
o
t

1,000

800

600

400

200

0

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

Absolute waste sent for disposal
Waste Intensity, tonnes per million Turnover

Figure 5: Water use

6,000

4,500

3,000

e
r
t
e
m
c
b
u
c

i

1,500

0

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

Absolute water use
Water Intensity, cubic metre per million Turnover

r
e
v
o
n
r
u
T
m
1
£

r
e
p
s
e
n
n
o
t

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

r
e
v
o
n
r
u
T
m
1
£

r
e
p
3

m

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

Lok’nStore will monitor and analyse the 
increased efficiency of the new van fleet 
arrangements and will report the results in 
next year’s annual report. 

Emissions from gas boilers rose in absolute 
terms from 65 to 76 CO2e tonnes, and 
normalised to turnover from 5 to 6 CO2e 
tonnes per £1 million turnover. The 
natural gas consumption includes the 
gas consumed by office space tenants. 
Lok’nStore is currently exploring options to 
improve the tenants’ consumption and to 
monitor their consumption separately. 

Overall, the Group’s direct carbon footprint 
has risen from 267 to 292 CO2e tonnes. 
Normalised to turnover, direct GHG 
emissions rose from 21 to 22 CO2e tonnes 
per £1 million, which is a 7% increase. 

Figure 3 shows absolute and normalised 
GHG emissions from natural gas 
consumption and vehicle fuel consumption 
over the last nine years. 

Waste generation and recycling
In line with the Group’s waste management 
strategy, we continue to monitor waste 
generation and recycling levels. 

For the ninth successive year Lok’nStore 
reduced the quantity of waste produced. 
Waste sent to landfill fell to 188 tonnes 
in 2013, from 229 tonnes in the previous 
period, an 18% reduction. Total waste sent 
to landfill and recycled fell from 452 tonnes 
to 416 tonnes, a reduction in the total 
waste generated of 10%. The proportion 
of waste recycled has increased from 49% 
to 52%.

We also monitor hazardous (sanitary) waste, 
but the amount is negligible.

Figure 4 shows absolute and normalised 
landfill waste produced over the last nine 
years. 

27

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Governance 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Environmental Performance

Direct Impacts (Operational)

Greenhouse 
Gases
Gas

Definition
Emissions from utility boilers.

Vehicle Fuel

Total 
Greenhouse 
Gases

Diesel, petrol and LPG used 
in company vans and by 
employees on company 
business.
Includes Carbon Dioxide (CO2), 
Methane (CH4) and Nitrous 
Oxide (N2O).

Data Source and Calculation 
Methods
Yearly consumption in kWh 
collected from fuel bills, 
converted according to Defra 
Guidelines
Fuel invoices, recorded mileage 
or satellite tracking, and 
expenses claims, converted 
according to Defra Guidelines.
Calculated according to Defra 
Guidelines

Waste
Landfill

Definition
General office waste, which 
includes a mixture of paper, 
card, wood, plastics and metals.

Recycled

General office waste recycled, 
primarily cardboard, and 
fluorescent lights.

Data Source and Calculation 
Methods
Volume of waste generated per 
annum, calculated by recording 
the number of bins & skips 
removed, converted to tonnes 
according to Defra Guidelines.
Volume of waste recycled 
per annum, calculated by 
recording the number of bins 
& skips removed for recycling, 
converted to tonnes according 
to Defra Guidelines.

Indirect Impacts (Supply Chain)

Greenhouse 
Gases
Energy Use

Definition
Directly purchased electricity, 
which generates Greenhouse 
Gases including CO2 emissions.

Data Source and Calculation 
Methods
Yearly consumption of directly 
purchased electricity in kWh 
collected, converted according 
to Defra Guidelines.

Quantity

Absolute Tonnes 
CO2e

Normalised* Tonnes CO2e 
Per £1m Turnover

2012
65

2013
76

2012
5

2013
6

% 
change in 
normalised 
quantity
17%

202

216

16

17

5%

267

292

21

22

7%

Quantity

Absolute Tonnes

Normalised* Tonnes  
Per £1m Turnover

2012
230

2013
188

2012
18

2013
14

% 
change in 
normalised 
quantity
–20%

223

228

17

18

<1%

Quantity

Absolute Tonnes CO2e

Normalised* Tonnes CO2e 
Per £1m Turnover

2012
328

2013
36

2012
26

2013
3

% 
change in 
normalised 
quantity
–89%

28

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Absolute m3

Normalised* m3 Per £1m Turnover

Quantity

Water

Definition

Supplied water Consumption of piped water. 

No water directly abstracted 
by the Group.

Indirect Impacts — Downstream

Data Source and Calculation 
Methods

Yearly consumption of 
purchased water.

2012

2506

2013

2,213

2012

196

2013

170

Absolute Tonnes CO2e

Quantity

Normalised* Tonnes CO2e 
Per £1m Turnover

Greenhouse 
Gases

Vehicle Fuel

Definition

Data Source and Calculation 
Methods

Petrol and diesel used by 
customers in van hire fleet.

Recorded mileage, converted 
according to Defra Guidelines.

2012

51

2013

25

2012

4

2013

2

% 
change in 
normalised 
quantity

–13%

% 
change in 
normalised 
quantity

–51%

Figures are rounded up.

* Normalised based on annual turnover for the respective years.

Source: UK Government Environmental Key Performance Indicators: Reporting Guidelines for UK Business (2006).

Baseline Re-calculation Policy
For this year’s calculations of Lok’nStore’s GHG emissions, Defra’s 2013 conversion factors were applied. In line with Lok’nStore’s recalculation 
policy, the impact of an update in conversion factors was considered. Lok’nStore recalculated the overall direct and indirect GHG emissions of 
the baseline year 2005 using 2013 factors, and emissions for 2005 would rise by 3%. As the emissions changed by less than 5%, the threshold 
determined as appropriate by Lok’nStore, historic data has been left unchanged in the reporting at this time.

29

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our GovernanceCorporate Governance

Introduction 
The UK Corporate Governance Code is 
intended to promote the principles of 
openness, integrity and accountability. The 
Group and Board fully support these principles. 
In view of the size and nature of the Group, 
the Directors have taken into consideration the 
recommendations of the Guidance for Smaller 
Quoted Companies produced by the Quoted 
Companies Alliance and applied the principles 
that they consider relevant to the Group.

Narrative Statement
Directors
There is a Board of Directors, which is set 
up to control the Group and consists of four 
Executive and three Non-Executive Directors. 
The Board considers all of the Non-Executive 
Directors to be independent of the Group save 
for Richard Holmes who by virtue of  
over nine years tenure as a non-executive  
is not considered to be independent.  
SG Thomas is Chairman of the Board and 
the Board has a formal schedule of matters 
reserved for its consideration and decision. 
This schedule includes approval of financial 
strategy, major investments, review of 
performance, monitoring risk, ensuring 
adequate capital resources are available and 
reporting to shareholders. The Chairman is not 
independent as he is a substantial shareholder 
of the Company and was formerly the Chief 
Executive. 

The full Board meets at least every three 
months to discuss a range of significant 
matters including strategic decisions, major 
acquisitions and Group performance. A 
procedure to enable Directors to take 
independent professional advice if required 
has been agreed by the Board and formally 
confirmed by all Directors. 

Each Board meeting receives the latest 
financial information available which consists 
of detailed management accounts with the 
relevant comparisons to budget. A current 
trading appraisal is given by the Executive 
Directors.

Each member of the Board is subject to 
the re-election provisions of the Articles of 
Association, which requires them to offer 
themselves for re-election at least once every 
three years. In the event of a proposal to 
appoint a new Director, this is discussed at a 
full Board meeting with each member being 
given the opportunity to meet the individual 
concerned prior to any formal decision 
being taken. Richard Holmes who has over 
nine year’s tenure as a non-executive is now 
required under the Companies Act 2006 to 
offer himself for re-election at every Annual 
General Meeting and accordingly offers 
himself for election at the next AGM. 

Directors’ Remuneration 
The Remuneration Committee consists of 
Edward Luker (Chairman of the Committee) 
and Richard Holmes. The Committee meets 
and considers, within existing terms of 
reference, the remuneration policy and 
makes recommendations to the Board for 
each Executive Director. The Committee’s 
remuneration policy aims to design a package 
that will align the interests of Executive 
Directors and those of shareholders. The 
Executive Directors’ remuneration consists 
of a package of basic salary, bonuses and 
share options, which are linked to corporate 
achievements and these levels are determined 
by the Remuneration Committee. The details 
of each Director’s remuneration are set out in 
note 6 in the financial statements.

The Committee meets once a year and 
considers proposals from the Chairman and 
Chief Executive Officer.

Shareholders’ Relations
The Directors meet and discuss the 
performance of the Group with shareholders 
during the year. Queries raised by a 
shareholder, either verbally or in writing, are 
promptly answered by whoever is best placed 
on the Board to do so. At the AGM the Board 
give a presentation of events and progress 
during the year and Directors are individually 
introduced to shareholders at the Meeting. 
Attendee shareholders are encouraged to mix 
and engage with the Directors after the formal 
business of the AGM has concluded.

Accountability and Audit
The Board believes that the Annual Report 
and Accounts play an important part in 
presenting all shareholders with an assessment 
of the Group’s position and prospects. The 
Chairman’s Review contains a detailed 
consideration of the Group’s position and 
prospects.

Internal Control
The Board is responsible for ensuring that 
the Group has in place a system of internal 
control. In this context, internal control is 
defined as those policies and processes 
established to ensure that business objectives 
are achieved cost effectively, assets and 
shareholder value are safeguarded, and laws, 
regulations and policies are complied with. 
Controls can provide reasonable but not 
absolute assurance that risks are identified 
and adequately managed to achieve business 
objectives and to minimise material errors, 
losses and fraud or breaches of laws and 
regulations.

The Group operates a strict system of internal 
financial control, which is designed to ensure 
that the possibility of misstatement or loss is 
kept to a minimum. There is a comprehensive 
system in place for financial reporting and the 
Board receives a number of reports to enable 
it to carry out these functions in the most 
efficient manner. These procedures include the 
preparation of management accounts, forecast 
variance analysis and other ad hoc reports. 
There are clearly defined authority limits 
throughout the Group.

The Group continues to develop the 
internal audit function utilising operational 
management to make unannounced store 
visits as part of a process supported by audit 
control checklists and other procedures. 
This undertaking has contributed to sales 
by promoting efficient store management, 
but also addresses risk and credit control, 
cash and store banking, and space and 
customer management. The internal audit 
checks are designed to ensure any fraud or 
mismanagement is quickly identified. 

The Group has a whistle blowing procedure 
within its staff handbook, which is issued to all 
staff. All employees may raise concerns about 
malpractice or improper or potentially illegal 
behaviour in confidence without concern of 
victimisation or disciplinary action.

30

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013Going Concern
The Directors can report that, based on the 
Group’s budgets and financial projections,  
they have satisfied themselves that the 
business is a going concern. The Board has a 
reasonable expectation that the Company and 
the Group have adequate resources and  
facilities to continue in operational existence 
for the foreseeable future based on Group 
cash balances of £4.2 million (2012: £4.0 
million) undrawn committed facilities at  
31 July 2013 of £13.2 million (2012: £10.3 
million) and cash generated from operations in 
the year to 31 July 2013 of £4.3 million (2012: 
£3.1 million). The Group continues to operate 
its five year £40 million revolving credit facility 
with Lloyds TSB plc in full compliance of its 
covenants and undertakings underlining the 
strength of the cash flow and the assets of the 
business. The facility has been in place since 
20 October 2011 and runs until 19 October 
2016. The Group is not obliged to make any 
repayments prior to expiration. The financial 
statements are therefore prepared on a going 
concern basis.

Audit Committee 
The Company has an established Audit 
Committee, to whom the external auditor, 
Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP, reports. The 
Committee consists of Charles Peal (Chairman 
of the Committee) and Edward Luker. It is 
responsible for the relationship with the 
Group’s external auditor and the review of 
the Group’s financial reporting and internal 
controls. 

The Committee meets a minimum of twice 
a year, prior to the announcement of 
interim and annual results to consider the 
Auditors’ Findings Report and consider any 
corresponding recommendations, and would 
convene at other times should it be necessary.

The Audit Committee also undertakes a formal 
assessment of the auditor’s independence each 
year, which includes:

•	 a review of non-audit services provided to 

the Group and related fees;

•	 discussion with the auditor of a written 
report detailing all relationships with the 
Company and any other parties that could 
affect independence or the perception of 
independence;

•	 a review of the auditor’s own procedures 
for ensuring the independence of the 
audit firm and partners and staff involved 
in the audit, including the regular rotation 
of the audit partner every five years; and

•	 obtaining written confirmation from 
the auditor that, in their professional 
judgement, they are independent.

An analysis of the fees payable to the external 
audit firm in respect of both audit and non-
audit services during the year is set out in note 
5 to the financial statements.

The Committee is satisfied that the external 
auditor remains independent in the discharge 
of their audit responsibilities.

The Board supports the highest standards in 
corporate governance, appropriate to its size, 
and continues to consider the UK Corporate 
Governance Code as well as the Group’s 
procedures to maintain proper control and 
accountability. In common with many small 
companies, a nomination committee has not 
been established and appointments to the 
Board are decided on by the Board as a whole. 

On behalf of the Board.

Simon G Thomas 
Chairman 
11 October 2013

www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

31

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our GovernanceDirectors’ Responsibilities in the Preparation of 
Financial Statements

The Directors are responsible for preparing the 
Directors’ Report and the financial statements 
in accordance with applicable law and 
regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare 
Group and Company Financial Statements 
for each financial year. The Directors are 
required by the AIM Rules of the London 
Stock Exchange to prepare Group financial 
statements in accordance with International 
Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as 
adopted by the European Union (“EU”) 
and have elected under company law to 
prepare the Company financial statements in 
accordance with IFRS as adopted by the EU.

The financial statements are required by law 
and IFRS as adopted by the EU to present fairly 
the financial position of the Group and the 
Company and the financial performance of 
the Group. The Companies Act 2006 provides 
in relation to such financial statements that 
references in the relevant part of that Act to 
financial statements giving a true and fair 
view are references to their achieving a fair 
presentation.

Under company law the Directors must not 
approve the financial statements unless they 
are satisfied that they give a true and fair 
view of the state of affairs of the Group and 
the Company and of the profit or loss of the 
Group for that period. 

In preparing the Group and Company financial 
statements the directors are required to:

a.   select suitable accounting policies and 

then apply them consistently;

b.   make judgements and accounting 

estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

c.   state whether they have been prepared in 
accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the 
EU; and

d.   prepare the financial statements on 
the going concern basis unless it is 
inappropriate to presume that the 
Group and the Company will continue in 
business.

The Directors are responsible for keeping 
adequate accounting records that are sufficient 
to show and explain the Group’s and the 
Company’s transactions and disclose with 
reasonable accuracy at any time the financial 
position of the Group and the Company 
and enable them to ensure that the financial 
statements comply with the Companies 
Act 2006. They are also responsible for 
safeguarding the assets of the Group and the 
Company and hence for taking reasonable 
steps for the prevention and detection of fraud 
and other irregularities.

The Directors are responsible for the 
maintenance and integrity of the corporate 
and financial information on the Lok’nStore 
Group plc websites.

Legislation in the United Kingdom governing 
the preparation and dissemination of financial 
statements may differ from legislation in other 
jurisdictions.

32

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of 
Lok’nStore Group plc

Opinion on financial statements
In our opinion 

•	

•	

•	

•	

the financial statements give a true and 
fair view of the state of the group’s and 
the parent’s affairs as at 31 July 2013 and 
of the group’s profit for the year then 
ended;

the group financial statements have been 
properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs 
as adopted by the European Union;

the parent financial statements have been 
properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs 
as adopted by the European Union and as 
applied in accordance with the Companies 
Act 2006; and

the financial statements have been 
prepared in accordance with the 
requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Opinion on other matters 
prescribed by the Companies Act 
2006
In our opinion the information given in the 
Directors’ Report for the financial year for 
which the financial statements are prepared is 
consistent with the financial statements.

Matters on which we are required 
to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the 
following matters where the Companies Act 
2006 requires us to report to you if, in our 
opinion:

1.  adequate accounting records have not 

been kept by the parent company, or 
returns adequate for our audit have not 
been received from branches not visited 
by us; or

2.  the parent company financial statements 
are not in agreement with the accounting 
records and returns; or

3.  certain disclosures of directors’ 

remuneration specified by law are not 
made; or

4.  we have not received all the information 

and explanations we require for our audit. 

David Clark  
(Senior Statutory Auditor) 
For and on behalf of  
BAKER TILLY UK AUDIT LLP, Statutory Auditor  
Chartered Accountants 
25 Farringdon Street 
EC4A 4AB 
11 October 2013

We have audited the group and parent 
company financial statements (“the financial 
statements”) on pages 34 to 69. The financial 
reporting framework that has been applied 
in their preparation is applicable law and 
International Financial Reporting Standards 
(IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union 
and, as regards the parent company financial 
statements, as applied in accordance with the 
provisions of the Companies Act 2006. 

This report is made solely to the company’s 
members, as a body, in accordance with 
Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 
2006. Our audit work has been undertaken 
so that we might state to the company’s 
members those matters we are required 
to state to them in an auditor’s report and 
for no other purpose. To the fullest extent 
permitted by law, we do not accept or assume 
responsibility to anyone other than the 
company and the company’s members as a 
body, for our audit work, for this report, or for 
the opinions we have formed.

Respective responsibilities of 
directors and auditor
As more fully explained in the Directors’ 
Responsibilities Statement on page 32, the 
directors are responsible for the preparation of 
the financial statements and for being satisfied 
that they give a true and fair view. Our 
responsibility is to audit and express an opinion 
on the financial statements in accordance with 
applicable law and International Standards on 
Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those standards 
require us to comply with the Auditing 
Practices Board’s (APB’s) Ethical Standards for 
Auditors.

Scope of the audit of the financial 
statements
A description of the scope of an audit 
of financial statements is provided on 
the APB’s website at http://www.frc.org.
uk/Our-Work/Codes-Standards/Audit-
and-assurance/Standards-and-guidance/
Standards-and-guidance-for-auditors/Scope-
of-audit/UK-Private-Sector-Entity-(issued-1-
December-2010).aspx.

33

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsConsolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income 

For the year ended 31 July 2013

Revenue
Total property, staff, distribution and general costs
Adjusted EBITDA*
Amortisation of intangible assets
Depreciation based on historic cost
Additional depreciation based on revalued assets
Loss on sale of motor vehicle
Equity settled share based payments
Professional and related costs – management contract set-up
Loss on sale of property

Operating profit*
Finance income
Finance cost
Profit before taxation
Income tax credit/(expense)
Profit for the year 
Profit attributable to:
Owners of the parent
Non-controlling interest

Other Comprehensive Income 
Increase in property valuation
Deferred tax relating to change in property valuation
Increase/(decrease) in fair value of cash flow hedges
Deferred tax relating to cash flow hedges 
Other comprehensive income
Total comprehensive income for the year
Attributable to:
Owners of the parent
Non-controlling interest

Earnings per share
Basic
Diluted

Notes

1a
2a

2c
2c

3
4
5
7

24

9
9

2013
£’000

12,974
(8,838)
4,136
(165)
(954)
(250)
(18)
(94)
–
(86)
(1,567)
2,569
33
(1,175)
1,427
2
1,429

1,421
8
1,429

2,025
426
225
(60)
2,616
4,045

4,037
8
4,045

5.75p
5.72p

2012
£’000

12,765
(8,791)
3,974
(165)
(1,304)
(273)
(4)
(92)
(196)
–
(2,034)
1,940
15
(1,029)
926
(155)
771

753
18
771

48
523
(496)
114
189
960

942
18
960

3.01p
2.99p

* Adjusted EBITDA and operating profit are defined in the accounting policies section of the notes to the financial statements.

34

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity 

For the year ended 31 July 2013

Share
capital
£’000
268
–

Share
premium
£’000
698
–

Other
reserves
£’000
12,858
–

Revaluation
reserve
£’000
20,161
–

Retained
earnings
£’000
4,587
753

Attributable
to owners of
the parent
£’000
38,572
753

Non
controlling
interest
£’000
254
18

1 August 2011
Profit for the year
Other comprehensive income:
Increase in property valuation
Deferred tax relating to increase in  
property valuation
Decrease in fair value of cash flow hedges
Deferred tax relating to cash flow hedges 
Total comprehensive income for the year
Transactions with owners:
Dividend paid
Total transactions with owners 
Transfer additional dep’n on revaluation  
net of deferred tax
Equity settled share based payments
31 July 2012
Profit for the year
Other comprehensive income:
Increase in property valuation
Deferred tax relating to increase in  
property valuation
Increase in fair value of cash flow hedges
Deferred tax relating to cash flow hedges 
Total comprehensive income for the year 
Transactions with owners:
Purchase of own shares into treasury
Asset disposal net of deferred tax
Dividend paid
Total transactions with owners
Transfer additional dep’n on revaluation  
net of deferred tax
Equity settled share based payments
Exercise of share options
31 July 2013

–

–
–
–
–

–
–

–
–
268
–

–

–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–

–

–
–
–
–

–
–

–

–
(496
114
(382)

(917)
(917)

48

523
–
–
571

–
–

–

–
–
–
753

–
–

48

523
(496)
114
942

(917)
(917)

–
–
698
–

–
92
11,651
–

(205)
–
20,527
–

205
–
5,545
1,421

–
92
38,689
1,421

–

–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–

–

2,025

–

2,025

–
225
(60)
165

–
–
(1,399)
(1,399)

–
94
–
10,511

426
–
–
2,451

–
(1,120)
–
(1,120)

(193)
–
–
21,665

–
–
–
1,421 

(1,648)
1,120
–
(528)

193 
–
–
6,631

426
225
(60)
4,037

(1,648)
–
(1,399)
(3,047)

–
94
319
40,092

–

–
–
–
18

–
–

–
–
272
8

–

–
–
–
8

–
–
–
–

–
–
–
280

–
–
4
272

–
–
315
1,013

Total
equity
£’000
38,826
771

48

523
(496)
114
960

(917)
(917)

–
92
38,961
1,429

2,025

426
225
(60)
4,045

(1,648)
–
(1,399)
(3,047)

–
94
319
40,372

35

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsCompany Statement of Changes in Equity

For the year ended 31 July 2013

1 August 2011
Loss for the year
Dividend paid
Equity settled share based payments
31 July 2012

Loss for the year
Dividend paid
Equity settled share based payments
Exercise of share options
31 July 2013

Share 
capital
£’000

Share
premium
£’000

Retained
deficit 
£’000

268
– 
–
–
268

–
–
–
4
272

698
–
–
–
698

–
–
–
315
1,013

(338)
(194)
–
–
(532)

(203)
–
–
–
(735)

Other
reserves
£’000

6,563
–
(917)
92
5,738

–
(1,399)
94
–
4,433

Total
£’000

7,191
(194)
(917)
92
6,172

(203)
(1,399)
94
319
4,983

36

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013Group
2013
£’000

4,088
67,886
2,800
–
–
74,774 

138
2,417
4,244

6,799
81,573

(4,798)
(5)
(4,803)

(26,422)
(271)
(9,705)

Statements of Financial Position

31 July 2013

Company Registration No: 04007169

Assets
Non-current assets
Intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Property lease premiums
Investments
Amounts due from subsidiary undertakings

Current assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents

Total assets

Liabilities
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables
Borrowings

Non-current liabilities 
Borrowings
Derivative financial instruments
Deferred tax

Total liabilities
Net assets

Equity
Equity attributable to owners of the parent
Called up share capital
Share premium
Other reserves
Retained earnings/(deficit)
Revaluation reserve
Total equity attributable to owners of the parent
Non-controlling interests
Total equity

Notes

10a
10b
10c
11
29

12
13
15

14
16a

16a
16b
17

18

23
24

www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Group
2012
£’000

Company
2013
£’000

Company
2012
£’000

4,253
69,470
3,180
–
–
76,903

140
1,855
3,961

5,956
82,859

(4,084)
(22)
(4,106)

(29,223)
(496)
(10,073)

–
–
–
1,776
3,207
4,983

–
–
– 

–
–
– 
1,682
4,490
6,172

– 
– 
– 

–
4,983

– 
6,172 

–
–
–

–
–
–

–

– 
– 
– 

–
–
–

– 

(36,398)

(39,792)

(41,201)
40,372 

(43,898)
38,961 

–
4,983

– 
6,172

272
1,013
10,511
6,631
21,665
40,092
280
40,372

268
698
11,651 
5,545
20,527
38,689
272
38,961

272
1,013
4,433
(735)
– 
4,983
–
4,983

268
698 
5,738 
(532) 
– 
6,172
– 
6,172

Approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 11 October 2013 and signed on its behalf by:

Andrew Jacobs
Chief Executive Officer

Ray Davies
Finance Director

37

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Financials 
 
 
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows 

For the year ended 31 July 2013

Operating activities
Cash generated from operations

Net cash from operating activities

Investing activities
Purchase of property, plant and equipment 
Purchase additions to property lease premiums
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment
Interest received
Net cash used in investing activities

Financing activities
Purchase of shares for treasury
Proceeds from new borrowings
Repayment of borrowings
Arrangement fees – refinancing of group revolving credit facility
Finance costs paid
Equity dividends paid
Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares (net)
Net cash used in financing activities

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the year

No statement of cash flows is presented for the Company as it had no cash flows in either year.

Notes

2013
£’000

2012
 £,000

26a

4,286

3,143

4,286

3,143

(603)
(1,171)
4,459
33
2,718

(1,648)
–
(2,922)
–
(1,071)
(1,399)
319
 (6,721)

283
3,961
4,244

(1,839)
(235)
10
15
(2,049)

–
29,681
(28,195)
(555)
(926)
(917)
–
(912)

182
3,779
3,961

38

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Accounting Policies

General Information
Lok’nStore Group plc is an AIM listed company incorporated and domiciled in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is One 
London Wall, London EC2Y 5AB, UK. Copies of this Annual Report and Accounts may be obtained from the Company’s head office at 112 Hawley 
Lane, Farnborough, Hants, GU14 8JE, or the investor section of the Company’s website at http://www.loknstore.co.uk. 

Basis of accounting
The annual financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and International 
Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) Interpretations as adopted by the European Union and comply with those parts of the 
Companies Act 2006 that are applicable to companies reporting under IFRS. The Group has applied all accounting standards and interpretations 
issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and International Financial Reporting Interpretation Committee relevant to its operations 
and effective for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 August 2012.

The financial statements have been prepared on the historic cost basis except that certain trading properties and derivative financial instruments are 
stated at fair value. 

Adoption of new and revised standards
Standards in issue but not yet effective
At the date of approval of these financial statements, the following standards and interpretations which were in issue but not yet effective:

IAS 19
IAS 27†
IAS 28†

IFRS 1*
IFRS 7*

IFRS 9*
IFRS 10†
IFRS 11† 
IFRS 12† 
IFRS 13* 
IAS 32

Employee benefits – Amendments; Effective for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013.
Separate Financial Statements (amended 2011). Effective for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013.
Investments in associates and Joint ventures (amended 2011). Effective for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 
2013.
First-time adoption of IFRS – Amendments; Effective for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013.
Financial Instruments: Disclosures – Amendment; Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities; Effective for accounting periods 
commencing on or after 1 July 2011. Effective for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013.
Financial Instruments. Effective for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2015.
Consolidated Financial Statements. Effective accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013. 
Joint Arrangements.  Effective accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013.  
Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities. Effective accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013.  
Fair Value Measurement. Effective accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013.
Financial Instruments – Presentation – Amendment; Offsetting Financial assets and Financial Liabilities. Effective for accounting 
periods commencing on or after 1 January 2014. 

*  Not yet endorsed by the EU.
†  Effective in the EU for financial years starting on or after 1 Jan 2014. 

The Directors do not anticipate that the adoption of these Standards will have a significant impact on the financial statements of the Group.

There were no other Standards or Interpretations, which were in issue but not yet effective at the date of authorisation of these financial 
statements, that the Directors anticipate will have a material impact on the financial statements of the Group.

Basis of consolidation
Intra-group transactions, balances, and unrealised gains and losses on transactions between Group companies are eliminated on consolidation, 
except to the extent that intra-group losses indicate an impairment. 

Goodwill
Goodwill arising on consolidation represents the excess of the consideration transferred, the amount of any non-controlling interest and the 
fair value of any previous interest in the acquired entity over the fair value of the identifiable assets and liabilities of a subsidiary at the date of 
acquisition. Goodwill is recognised as a non-current asset.

Any deficiency of the consideration transferred, the amount of any non-controlling interest and the fair value of any previous interest in the 
acquired entity below the fair value of identifiable assets and liabilities of a subsidiary (i.e. discount on acquisition) is recognised directly in profit  
or loss.

Goodwill is reviewed for impairment at least annually. For the purposes of impairment testing, assets are grouped at the lowest levels for which 
there are separately identifiable cash flows, known as cash generating units, and goodwill is allocated to these units. If the recoverable amount 
of the cash generating unit is less than the carrying amount of the unit, the impairment loss is allocated first to reduce the carrying amount of 
any goodwill allocated to the unit and then to the other assets of the unit pro-rata on the basis of the carrying amount of each asset in the unit. 
Impairment losses in relation to goodwill are recognised immediately in profit or loss and are not reversed in subsequent periods.

Recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs to sell and value in use. In assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows are 
discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessment of the time value of money and the risks 
specific to the asset for which the estimate of future cash flows have not been adjusted.

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When determining whether goodwill is impaired the carrying value of the cash generating unit is adjusted to include the goodwill attributable to 
the non-controlling interest when the non-controlling interest has been measured as a proportionate share of the net identifiable assets of the 
subsidiary.

Non-controlling interests 
Non-controlling interests are measured at the proportionate share of the non-controlling interest’s identifiable net assets in the relevant subsidiary.

Profit or loss and each component of other comprehensive income are allocated between the owners of the parent and non-controlling interests 
even if this results in the non-controlling interest having a deficit balance.

Transactions with non-controlling interests that do not result in loss of control are accounted for as equity transactions.  Any differences between 
the adjustment to the non-controlling interest and the fair value of consideration paid or received are recognised in equity.

Going concern
The Directors can report that, based on the Group’s budgets and financial projections, they have satisfied themselves that the business is a 
going concern. The Board has a reasonable expectation that the Company and the Group have adequate resources and facilities to continue in 
operational existence for the foreseeable future based on Group cash balances and cash equivalents of £4.2 million (2012: £4.0 million), undrawn 
committed bank facilities at 31 July 2013 of £13.2 million (2012: £10.3 million), and cash generated from operations in the year to 31 July 2013 of 
£4.3 million (2012: £3.1 million). The Group continues to operate its five year £40 million revolving credit facility with Lloyds TSB plc. The facility has 
been in place since 20 October 2011 and runs until 19 October 2016. The Group is fully compliant with all bank covenants and undertakings and is 
not obliged to make any repayments prior to expiration. The financial statements are therefore prepared on a going concern basis.

Revenue recognition
Revenue comprises the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for goods and services provided in the ordinary course of the Group’s 
activities, net of discount, VAT and after eliminating sales within the Group.

The Group recognises revenue when the amount of the revenue can be reliably measured and when goods are sold and title has passed. Revenue 
from services provided is recognised evenly over the period in which the services are provided.

a)  Self-storage revenue

Self-storage services are provided on a time basis. The price at which customers store their goods is dependent on size of unit and store 
location. Customers are invoiced on a four-weekly cycle in advance and revenue is recognised based on time stored to date within the 
cycle. When customers vacate they are rebated the unexpired portion of their four weekly advance payment (subject to a seven day notice 
requirement).

b)  Retail sales

The Group operates a ‘pack shop’ within each of its storage centres for selling storage related goods such as boxes, tape and bubble-wrap. 
Sales include sales to the public at large as well as self-storage customers. Sales of goods are recognised at point of sale when the product is 
sold to a customer.

c) 

Insurance
Customers may choose to insure their goods in storage. The weekly rate of insurance charged to customers is calculated based on the tariff per 
week for each £1,000 worth of goods stored by the customer. This charge is retained by Lok’nStore and covers the cost of the block policy and 
other costs. Customers are invoiced on a four-weekly basis for the insurance cover they use and revenue is recognised based on time stored to 
date within the cycle.

d)  Van hire

The utilisation of vans and their hire to customers is solely to promote and encourage prospective customers to use our self-storage centres and 
to facilitate their moves as efficiently as possible. Vans are hired out typically for a day and only to Lok’nStore customers and are not hired out 
to the general public at large. Revenue is recognised at the point of hire when the deposit is taken.

e)  Management fee income

Management fees earned for managing stores not owned by the Group are recognised over the period for which the services are provided. 

f)  Serviced archive and records management

Customers are invoiced typically monthly in advance for the archive storage of their boxes, tapes and files and revenue is recognised based on 
time stored to date within the monthly cycle. In respect of the provision of additional services, such as document box or tape collection and 
retrieval from archive, customers are invoiced typically monthly in arrears and revenue is recognised in line with the provision of these services.

Segmental information
In accordance with the requirements of IFRS8 Operating Segments, the Group has reviewed its identifiable business segments and the information 
used and provided internally to the Board, which is considered to be the Chief Operating Decision Maker, in order to make decisions about resource 
allocation and performance management. Historically, there has been one business segment as the Group’s net assets, revenue and profit before 
tax were attributable to one principal activity operating under one unified business, being the provision of self-storage accommodation and related 
services. These all arise in the United Kingdom. 

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  Stock Code: LOK

Adjusted EBITDA
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), is defined as profits from operations before all depreciation and amortisation 
charges, share-based payments and other non-recurring costs, finance income, finance costs and taxation.

Store adjusted EBITDA
Store adjusted EBITDA is defined as adjusted EBITDA (see above) but before central and head office costs.

Operating profit
Operating profit is defined as profit after all costs except finance income, finance costs and taxation.

Taxation
Income tax expense represents the sum of the current tax payable and deferred tax.

Current tax payable or recoverable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from profit as reported in the statement of 
comprehensive income because some items of income or expense are taxable or deductible in different years or may not be taxable or deductible. 
The Group’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date.

Deferred tax is the tax expected to be payable or recoverable in the future arising from the temporary differences between the carrying amounts of 
assets and liabilities in the financial statements and the corresponding tax bases used in the computation of taxable profit. It is accounted for using 
the ‘balance sheet liability method’. Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all taxable temporary differences and deferred tax assets are 
recognised to the extent that it is probable that taxable profits will be available against which deductible temporary differences can be utilised.

The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each reporting date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient 
taxable profits will be available to allow all or part of the asset to be recovered.

Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the period when the liability is settled or the asset realised, based on tax 
rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date.

Tax is charged or credited to profit or loss, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to other comprehensive income, in which 
case the tax is also recognised directly in other comprehensive income.

Retirement benefits
The amount charged to profit or loss in respect of pension costs is the contributions payable to money purchase schemes in the year. Differences 
between contributions payable in the year and contributions actually paid are shown as either accruals or prepayments in the statement of financial 
position. There are no defined benefits schemes.

Equity share-based payments
The cost of providing share-based payments to employees is charged to profit or loss over the vesting period of the related share options. The 
cost is based on the fair value of the options determined using the Black–Scholes pricing model, which is appropriate given the vesting and other 
conditions attaching to the options. The value of the charge may be adjusted to reflect expected and actual levels of vesting. 

Property lease premiums
Costs relating to the acquisition of long leases are classified as a non-current asset in the statement of financial position. Costs may include lease 
premiums paid on entering such a lease and other related costs.

Property, plant and equipment
Freehold properties and long leasehold properties (classified as finance leases) are measured at fair value. A comprehensive external valuation is 
performed at each reporting date.

Short leasehold improvements, fixtures, fittings and equipment, and motor vehicles are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation. 

Assets in the course of construction and land held for development of new stores (‘development property assets’) are carried at cost, less any 
recognised impairment loss. Depreciation of these assets commences when the assets are ready for their intended use.

Depreciation is provided on all property, plant and equipment other than freehold land and development property assets at rates calculated to write 
each asset down to its estimated residual value evenly over its expected useful life as follows:

Freehold property
Long leasehold property
Short leasehold improvements
Fixtures, fittings and equipment
Computer equipment
Motor vehicles

over 50 years straight line
over unexpired lease period or renewal term
over unexpired lease period or renewal term
5% to 15% reducing balance
over two years straight line
25% reducing balance

The assets’ residual values, useful lives and methods of depreciation are reviewed and adjusted if appropriate on an annual basis. An item of 
property, plant and equipment is derecognised upon disposal or when no future economic benefits are expected from its use or disposal. 

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The additional depreciation arising from the revaluation of freehold and long leasehold properties is separately presented on the face of the 
statement of comprehensive income and transferred from the revaluation reserve to retained earnings each year.

Intangible assets (other than goodwill)
Customer relationships acquired in a business combination are measured initially at fair value and are subsequently amortised on a straight-line 
basis over their estimated useful lives (20 years). 

Impairment of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets (other than goodwill)
At each reporting date the Group reviews the carrying amounts of its property, plant and equipment and intangible assets to determine whether 
there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists the recoverable amount of the asset is 
estimated in order to determine the extent, if any, of the impairment loss. Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an 
individual asset the Group estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs. If the recoverable amount 
of an asset or cash-generating unit is estimated to be less than its carrying amount, the carrying amount of the asset or cash-generating unit is 
reduced to its recoverable amount. An impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss. Where an impairment loss subsequently reverses, 
the carrying amount of the assets or cash-generating unit is increased to the revised estimate of its recoverable amount, not to exceed the carrying 
amount that would have been determined had no impairment loss been recognised for the asset or cash-generating unit in prior years. A reversal 
of an impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss.

Leased assets and obligations
Where assets are financed by leasing agreements that give rights approximating to ownership (‘finance leases’), the assets are treated as if they 
had been purchased outright. The amount capitalised is the present value of the minimum lease payments payable during the lease term. The 
corresponding leasing commitments are shown as obligations to the lessor. Lease payments are treated as consisting of capital and interest 
elements, and the interest is charged to profit or loss in proportion to the remaining balance outstanding.

All other leases are ‘operating leases’ and the annual rentals are charged to profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Payments 
made on entering into or acquiring a leasehold that is accounted for as an operating lease are amortised over the lease term once the property is 
brought into use.

Investments
Shares in subsidiary undertakings are considered long-term investments and are classified as non-current assets in the Parent Company’s statement 
of financial position. All investments are stated at cost. Provision is made for any impairment in the value of non-current asset investments.

Inventories 
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Cost is determined on a first in, first out basis. Net realisable value is based upon 
estimated selling prices less any costs of disposal. Provision is made for obsolete and slow moving items.

Financial instruments
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the Group becomes a party to the contractual provision of the instrument.

Bank borrowings and finance costs
Interest-bearing bank loans are recorded at the proceeds received net of direct issue costs. Issue costs are amortised against the carrying value 
amount of the loan over the period of the loan with the cost recognised in profit and loss as part of finance costs.

Borrowing costs are recognised in profit or loss in the year in which they are incurred, unless the costs are incurred as part of the development of 
a qualifying asset, when they will be capitalised. A qualifying asset is an asset that necessarily takes a substantial period of time to get ready for its 
intended use. Commencement of capitalisation is the date when the Group incurs expenditure for the qualifying asset, incurs borrowing costs and 
undertakes activities that are necessary to prepare the assets for their intended use. In the case of suspension of activities during extended periods, 
the Group suspends capitalisation. The Group ceases capitalisation of borrowing costs when substantially all of the activities necessary to prepare 
the asset for use are complete.

All of the Group’s current qualifying assets predate the date of adoption and accordingly, under the transitional adoption arrangements, no 
borrowing costs have been capitalised in the current year or in prior years.

Derivative financial instruments and hedge accounting
The Group’s activities expose it to interest rate risk.  The Group uses interest rate swap contracts to hedge these exposures. The Group does not use 
derivative financial instruments for speculative or for any other purposes.

The use of financial derivatives is governed by the Group’s policies as approved by the board of directors. The Group documents its risk 
management objectives and strategy for undertaking hedging transactions within the Group’s Risk Register. The Group also documents its 
assessment both at hedge inception and on an on-going basis to assess whether the derivatives that are used are effective in offsetting changes in 
fair value or cash flows of the hedged items.

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  Stock Code: LOK

Derivative financial instruments are measured at fair value and the fair values of the hedged derivative instruments are disclosed in note 16b. 
Movements on the hedging reserve in other comprehensive income are shown in note 23a. The full fair value of a hedging derivative is classified 
as a non-current asset or liability when the remaining hedged item has more than 12 months to run, and as a current asset or liability when the 
remaining maturity of the hedged item is less than 12 months.

Instruments quoted in an active market are measured at their current bid price. For instruments that are not quoted in an active market, the 
fair value is estimated using a valuation technique. Techniques that are used by the Group include comparisons to recent market transactions or 
reference to other instruments which are substantially the same, discounted cash flow analysis and option pricing models. Inputs to such techniques 
rely on market inputs where such information is readily available. Where such information is not available entity-specific inputs are used.

Cash flow hedges
Hedges of exposures to variable cash flows attributable to a particular risk associated with a recognised asset or liability or a highly probable 
forecast transaction that could affect profit or loss are accounted for as cash flow hedges when the hedging criteria has been achieved. The Group 
designates certain derivative instruments as hedges of the variable rate borrowings. The effective portion of changes in the fair value is recognised 
in other comprehensive income whilst the gain or loss on the ineffective portion is recognised immediately in profit or loss.

Amounts accumulated in other comprehensive income are recycled to profit or loss in the periods when the hedged item affects profit or loss.  
However when a forecast transaction that is hedged results in the recognition of a non-financial asset, the gains and losses previously deferred into 
other comprehensive income are transferred from other comprehensive income and included in the initial measurement of the cost of the asset.

Loans and receivables
Trade receivables, loans, and other receivables that have fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market are classified as 
loans and receivables. Loans and receivables are initially recognised at fair value less transaction costs and subsequently measured at amortised cost 
using the effective interest method, less any impairment. Interest income is recognised by applying the effective interest rate, except for short-term 
receivables when the recognition of interest would be immaterial.

Liabilities and equity
Financial liabilities and equity instruments issued by the Group are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered 
into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the Group after deducting all of its liabilities and includes 
no obligation to deliver cash or other financial assets. Equity instruments issued by the Group are recorded at the proceeds received, net of direct 
issue costs. Interest bearing loans and overdrafts are initially measured at fair value net of direct transaction costs and are subsequently measured 
at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method. Any difference between the proceeds net of transaction costs and the settlement or 
redemption of borrowings is recognised over the term of the borrowing. 

Trade payables are initially recognised at fair value and are subsequently stated at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method.

Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprises cash and short-term deposits and other short term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a 
known amount of cash. The carrying amounts of these assets approximate to their fair value and the risk of changes in value is not significant.

Impairment of financial assets
Financial assets are assessed for indications of impairment at each reporting date. Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence 
that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows from the 
asset have been reduced.

The carrying amount of the financial asset is reduced by the impairment loss directly for all financial assets with the exception of trade receivables, 
where the carrying amount is reduced through the use of an allowance account. When a trade receivable is considered uncollectible, it is written off 
against the allowance account. Subsequent recoveries of amounts previously written off are credited against the allowance account. Changes in the 
carrying amount of the allowance account are recognised in profit or loss.

Net debt
Net debt comprises the borrowings of the Group less cash and liquid resources.

Provisions
Provisions are recognised when the Group has a present obligation as a result of a past event which it is probable will result in an outflow of 
economic benefits that can be reliably estimated.

Employee Benefit Trust
The Group operates an employment benefit trust and has de facto control of the shares held by the trust and bears their benefits and risks. The 
Group records certain assets and liabilities of the trust as its own. Finance costs and administrative expenses are charged as they accrue.

Own shares
The cost of own shares held by the employee benefit trust (‘ESOP shares’) and treasury shares is shown as a deduction from retained earnings. 
Earnings per share are calculated on the net shares in issue.

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Critical accounting estimates and judgements
The preparation of consolidated financial statements under EU-IFRS requires management to make estimates and assumptions that may affect the 
application of accounting policies and the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, income and expenses. Actual outcomes may differ from these 
estimates and assumptions. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of 
assets and liabilities within the next financial year are discussed below.

a)  Estimate of fair value of trading properties

The Group values its self-storage stores using a discounted cash flow methodology which is based on current and projected net operating 
income. Principal assumptions underlying management’s estimation of the fair value are those relating to stabilised occupancy levels; expected 
future growth in storage rents and operating costs, maintenance requirements, capitalisation rates and discount rates. A more detailed 
explanation of the background and methodology adopted in the valuation of the Group’s trading properties is set out in note 10b. The carrying 
value of land and buildings held at valuation at the reporting date was £50.8 million (2012: £51.9 million) as shown in note 10b.

In their report to us, our valuers Cushman & Wakefield LLP (C&W) have drawn attention to valuation uncertainty resulting from a lack of 
transactions in the self storage investment market. Please see note 10b for more details.

The Board concur with this view.

b)  Assets in the course of construction and land held for pipeline store development (‘Development property assets’)

The Group’s development property assets are held in the statement of financial position at historic cost and are not valued externally. In acquiring 
sites for redevelopment into self-storage facilities, the Group estimates and makes judgements on the potential net lettable storage space that 
it can achieve in its planning negotiations, together with the time it will take to achieve maturity occupancy level. In addition, assumptions are 
made on the storage rent that can be achieved at the store by comparison with other stores within the portfolio and within the local area. These 
judgements, taken together with estimates of operating costs and the projected construction cost, allow the Group to calculate the potential net 
operating income at maturity, projected returns on capital invested and hence to support the purchase price of the site at acquisition. Following the 
acquisition, regular reviews are carried out taking into account the status of the planning negotiations, and revised construction costs or capacity of 
the new facility, for example, to make an assessment of the recoverable amount of the development property. The Group reviews all development 
property assets for impairment at each reporting date in the light of the results of these reviews. Once a store is opened, it is valued as a trading 
store. 

The Group holds planning permissions on its entire pipeline of sites as a result of the work undertaken to complete the pre-planning and 
planning phases required. During this year it has been engaged with the four sites to examine whether the potential of the existing permissions 
could be further maximised. The movement in costs is as a result of this work.

The carrying value of development property assets at the reporting date was £11.5 million (2012: £11.9 million) of which £2.8 million (2012: 
£3.18 million) relating to the long lease at Maidenhead is classified as a property lease premium and is shown separately in the statement of 
financial position. 

c)  Estimate of fair value of intangible assets acquired in business combination

The relative size of the Group’s intangible assets, excluding goodwill, makes the judgements surrounding the estimated useful lives important to 
the Group’s financial position and performance. At 31 July 2013 intangible assets, excluding goodwill, amounted to £2.98 million (2012: £3.14 
million).

The valuation method used and key assumptions are described in note 10a.

The useful life used to amortise intangible assets relates to the expected future performance of the assets acquired and management’s 
judgement of the period over which economic benefit will be derived from the asset. The estimated useful life of customer relationships 
principally reflects management’s view of the average economic life of the customer base and is assessed by reference to customer churn rates. 
Typically, the customer base for a serviced archive business is relatively inert. Corporate customers do not tend to switch service providers and 
indeed they incur box withdrawal charges should they do so. An increase in churn rates may lead to a reduction in the estimated useful life and 
an increase in the amortisation charge.

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  Stock Code: LOK

Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

1a   Revenue 
Analysis of the Group’s revenue is shown below: 

Stores trading
Self-storage revenue
Other storage related revenue
Ancillary store rental revenue
Management fees
Sub-total
Stores under development
Non-storage income
Sub-total
Serviced archive and records management revenue
Total revenue per statement of comprehensive income

2013
£’000
9,776
1,168
4
94
11,042

94
11,137
1,837
12,974

2012
£’000
9,550
1,111
5
20
10,686

88
10,774
1,991
12,765

1b    Segmental information
IFRS 8 Operating Segments requires operating segments to be identified on the basis of internal reports about components of the Group that are 
regularly reviewed by the Board to allocate resources to the segments and to assess their performance. 

All of the Group’s activities occur in the United Kingdom.

Financial information is reported to the Board with revenue and profit analysed between self-storage activity and serviced archive and records 
management activity. 

Segment revenue comprises of sales to external customers and excludes gains arising on the disposal of assets and finance income. Segment profit 
reported to the Board represents the profit earned by each segment before acquisition costs and other non-recurring set-up costs, finance income, 
finance costs and tax. For the purposes of assessing segment performance and for determining the allocation of resources between segments, the 
Board uses a measure of adjusted EBITDA (as defined in the accounting policies) and reviews the non-current assets attributable to each segment 
as well as the financial resources available. All assets are allocated to reportable segments. Assets that are used jointly by segments are allocated to 
the individual segments on a basis of revenues earned. All liabilities are allocated to individual segments other than borrowings and tax. Information 
is reported to the Board of Directors on a product basis as management believe that the activity of self-storage and the activity of serviced archive 
and records management expose the Group to differing levels of risk and rewards due to the length, nature, seasonality and customer base of their 
respective operating cycles.

The segment information for the year ended 31 July 2013 is as follows:

2013

Revenue from external customers

Adjusted EBITDA
Management charges
Segment adjusted EBITDA
Depreciation
Amortisation of intangible assets
Loss on disposal — motor vehicles
Equity settled share based payments
Loss on sale of property
Segment profit
Central costs not allocated to segments:
Finance income
Finance costs
Profit before taxation
Income tax credit 
Consolidated profit for the financial year

 Serviced 
archive
& records 
management
2013
£’000

Self-storage 
2013
£’000

Total
2013
£’000

11,137

1,837

12,974

3,822
100
3,922
(1,093)
–
(9)
(94)
(86)
2,640

314
(100)
214
(111)
(165)
(9)
 –
–
(71)

4,136
–
4,136
(1,204)
(165)
(18)
(94)
(86)
2,569

33

(1,175) 
1,427
2
1,429

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Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

1b  Segmental information continued

2012

Revenue from external customers

Adjusted EBITDA
Management charges
Segment adjusted EBITDA
Depreciation
Amortisation of intangible assets
Loss on disposal — motor vehicles
Equity share based payments
Segment profit
Central costs not allocated to segments:
Professional fees — management contract set-up
Finance income
Finance costs
Profit before taxation
Income tax expense
Consolidated profit for the financial year

Self-storage
 2012
£’000

10,774

3,500
185
3,685
(1,498)
–
(4)
(92)
2,091

 Serviced 
archive
& records 
management
2012
£’000

Total
2012
£’000

1,991

12,765

474
(185)
289
(79)
(165)
–
–
45

3,974
–
3,974
(1,577)
(165)
(4)
 (92)
2,136

(196)
15
(1,029)
926
(155)
771

Corporate transactions and the treasury function are managed centrally and therefore are not allocated to segments. Sales between segments 
are carried out at arm’s length. The serviced archive segment with over 315 customers has a greater customer concentration with its ten largest 
corporate customers accounting for 32.5% (2012: 39%) of revenue its top 50 accounting for 62.4% (2012: 68.8%) and its top 100 accounting 
for 77.6% (2012: 84.0%) of revenue. The self-storage segment with over 6,750 customers has no individual self-storage customer accounting for 
more than 1% of total revenue and no group of entities under common control (e.g. Government) accounts for more than 10% of total revenues.

2013

Segment and total assets

Segment liabilities
Borrowings 
Derivative financial instruments 
Total liabilities
Capital expenditure* 

 Serviced 
archive 
& records 
management
2013
£’000

Self-storage
2013
£’000

Total
2013
£’000

75,930

5,643

81,573

(13,578)

(925)

1,412

362

(14,503)
(26,427)
(271)
(41,201)
1,774

* Capital expenditure includes fixed asset additions. Refer note 10b and additions to property lease premiums note 10c.

46

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 20131b  Segmental information continued

2012

Segment and total assets

Segment liabilities
Borrowings
Derivative financial instruments 
Total liabilities
Capital expenditure

www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

 Serviced 
archive 
& records 
management
2012
£’000

Total
2012
£’000

5,794

82,859

Self-storage
2012
£’000

77,065

(13,089)

(1,068)

1,700

374

(14,157)
(29,245)
(496)
(43,898)
2,074

The amounts presented to the Board with respect to total assets and total liabilities are measured in a manner consistent with the financial 
statements and are allocated based on the operations of the segment. Borrowings are managed centrally on a Group basis and are therefore not 
allocated to segments. 

2a  Property, staff, distribution and general costs

Property and premises costs
Staff costs
General overheads
Distribution costs
Retail products cost of sales (see note 2b) 

2013
£’000
3,733
3,538
1,128
173
266
8,838

2012
£’000
3,895
3,432
1,048
165
251
8,791

2b  Cost of sales of retail products
Cost of sales represents the direct costs associated with the sale of retail products (boxes, packaging, etc.), the ancillary sales of insurance cover for 
customer goods and the provision of van hire services, all of which fall within the Group’s ordinary activities.

Retail
Insurance
Van hire
Other

Serviced archive consumables and direct costs

2c  Other costs

Legal fees and associated costs — management contract set-up costs 
Loss on sale of Ashford store (see note 10b)

3 

Finance income

Bank interest

All interest receivable arises on cash and cash equivalents (see note 15).

2013
£’000
104
27
22
5
158
108
266

2013
£’000
–
86 
86

2013
£’000

33

2012
£’000 
103
21
35
3
162
89
251

2012
£,000 
196
– 
196

2012
£’000 

15

47

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Financials 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

4   Finance costs

Bank interest
Non-utilisation fees and amortisation of bank loan arrangement fees
Other interest

5   Profit before taxation

Profit before taxation is stated after charging:
Depreciation and amounts written off property, plant and equipment:
— owned assets
— assets held under finance leases and hire purchase
Amortisation of intangible assets
Operating lease rentals — land and buildings

Amounts payable to Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP and their associates for audit and non-audit services:

Audit services
— UK statutory audit of the Company and consolidated accounts
Other services
— the auditing of accounts of associates of the Company pursuant to legislation
Other services supplied pursuant to such legislation
— interim review 
Tax services
— compliance services
— advisory services 
Other services

Comprising:
Audit services
Non-audit services:

2013
£’000
962
207
6
1,175

2013
£’000

1,198
6
166
1,619

46

12

9

36
24
2
129

58
71
129

2012
£’000
814
201
14
1,029

2012
£’000

1,556
21
166
1,729

41

16

7

27
56
11
158

57
101
158

48

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

6   Employees 

The average monthly number of persons (including Directors) employed by the Group during the year was:
Store management
Administration

Costs for the above persons:
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs

Share based remuneration (options)

2013
No.

104
27
131

2013
£’000

2,804
267
50
3,121
94
3,215

2012
No.

102 
31
133

2012
£’000

2,717
256
34
3,007
92
3,099

Share based remuneration is separately disclosed in the statement of comprehensive income. Wages and salaries of £110,262 (2012: £106,213) 
have been capitalised as additions to property, plant and equipment as they are directly attributable to the acquisition of these assets. All other 
employee costs are included in staff costs in the statement of comprehensive income.

In relation to pension contributions, there was £3,839 (2012: £2,948) outstanding at the year-end. 

Directors’ remuneration

2013
Executive:
A Jacobs
SG Thomas
RA Davies
CM Jacobs
Non-Executive:
RJ Holmes
ETD Luker
CP Peal
D Hampson

2012
Executive:
A Jacobs 
SG Thomas 
RA Davies
CM Jacobs
Non-Executive:
RJ Holmes
ETD Luker
CP Peal
I Wright

Emoluments
£

Bonuses
£

Benefits
£

Subtotal
£

196,564
49,141
100,000
56,700

20,000
25,000
20,000
12,205
479,610

Emoluments
£

200,000
50,000
99,653
55,590

20,000
25,000
20,000
–
470,243

20,010
4,378
6,000
3,000

–
–
–
–
33,388

Bonuses
£

10,000
2,500
8,000
2,500

–
–
–
–
23,000

3,154
3,036
2,380
2,563

–
–
–
–
11,133

Benefits
£

3,150
3,267
1,916
2,586

–
–
–
–
10,919

219,728
56,555
108,380
62,263

20,000
25,000
20,000
12,205
524,131

Subtotal
£

213,150
55,767
109,569
60,676

20,000
25,000
20,000
–
504,162

Gains on
share options
£

33,937
33,937
54,685
6,643

–
–
–
–
129,202

Gains on
share options
£

–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–

Total
£

253,665
90,492
163,065
68,906

20,000
25,000
20,000
12,205
653,333

Total
£

213,150
55,767
109,569
60,676

20,000
25,000
20,000
–
504,162

During the year services, including re-imbursement of expenses, totalling £321,773 (2012: £309,578) were provided by Value Added Services LLP 
(VAS), a limited liability partnership in which Andrew Jacobs and Simon Thomas have a beneficial interest. The amount paid to Value Added Services 
Limited which is directly attributable to Andrew Jacobs and Simon Thomas is shown in the Directors’ emoluments table above but not included in 
the total employee costs above. There were performance bonuses earned and payable to VAS for the year of £15,000 (2012: £12,500). See note 29 
on ‘Related party transactions’ for further information.

49

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Financials 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

6   Employees continued
Pension contributions of £30,047 (2012: £15,062) were paid by the Group on behalf of RA Davies and are not included in the Directors’ 
emoluments table above. The highest paid Director did not accrue any pension rights during the year. The benefits in kind all relate to medical 
insurance premiums paid on behalf of the Directors.

The number of Directors to whom retirement benefits are accruing under money purchase pension schemes in respect of qualifying service is one 
(2012: one).

7   Taxation

Current tax:
UK corporation tax at 24% (2012: 25%)
Deferred tax:
Origination and reversal of temporary differences
Impact of change in tax rate on closing balance
Adjustments in respect of prior periods
Total deferred tax (credit)/charge 
Income tax (credit)/expense for the year

The charge for the year can be reconciled to the profit for the year as follows:

Profit before tax
Tax on ordinary activities at the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 24% (2012: 25%)
Expenses not deductible for tax purposes
Depreciation of non-qualifying assets
Share based payment charges in excess of corresponding tax deduction
Impact of change in tax rate
Adjustments in respect of prior periods — deferred tax
Other
Income tax (credit)/expense for the year
Effective tax rate

2013
£’000

–

402
(525)
121
(2)
(2)

2013
£’000
1,426
342
4
35
22
(525)
121
(1)
(2)
–%

2012 
£’000

–

376
(351)
130
155
155

2012 
£’000
926
232
18
103
22
(351)
130
1
155

17%

The UK’s main rate of corporation tax is expected to reduce to 21% from 1 April 2014. The applicable rate for this period is 24%.

In addition to the amount charged to profit or loss for the year, deferred tax relating to the revaluation of the Group’s properties of £426,019 
(2012: £522,585) and the movement in the fair value of cash flow hedges of £59,827 (2012: £114,057) has been recognised as a debit directly in 
other comprehensive income. Refer note 17 on deferred tax.

8   Dividends

Amounts recognised as distributions to equity holders in the year:
Final dividend for the year ended 31 July 2011 (2.67 pence per share)
Interim dividend for the six months to 31 January 2012 (1.00 pence per share)
Final dividend for the year ended 31 July 2012 (4.0 pence per share)
Interim dividend for the six months to 31 January 2013 (1.67 pence per share)

2013
£’000

–
–
1,000
399
1,399

2012
£’000

667
250
–
–
917

In respect of the current year the Directors propose that a final dividend of 4.33 pence per share will be paid to the shareholders. The total 
estimated dividend to be paid is £1,043,305 based on the number of shares currently in issue as adjusted for shares held in the Employee Benefits 
Trust and for shares held on treasury. This is subject to approval by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting and has not been included as 
a liability in these financial statements. The ex-dividend date will be 13 November 2013; the record date 15 November 2013; with an intended 
payment date of 16 December 2013.

50

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

9   Earnings per share
The calculations of earnings per share are based on the following profits and numbers of shares. 

Profit for the financial year attributable to owners of the parent

Weighted average number of shares
For basic earnings per share
Dilutive effect of share options*
For diluted earnings per share

2013
£’000

1,421

2012
 £’000

753

2013
No. of shares

2012
No. of shares

24,700,318
147,825
24,848,143

24,993,653
186,893
25,180,546

* 

Further options that could potentially dilute EPS in the future are excluded from the above because they are not dilutive in the period presented. Full details of share 
options are included in notes 19 to 22.

623,212 (2012: 623,212) shares held in the Employee Benefit Trust and 2,466,869 (2012: 1,142,000) Treasury shares are excluded from the above, 
see note 25.

Earnings per share
Basic
Diluted

10a Intangible assets 

Group
Cost and net book value at 1 August 2011
Amortisation charge 
Net book value at 31 July 2012
Amortisation charge 
Net book value at 31 July 2013

2013

2012

5.75p
5.72p

3.01p 
2.99p 

Contractual
customer
relationships 
£’000 
3,309

(166) 

3,143
(165)
2,978

Goodwill
£’000 
1,110
–
1,110
–
1,110

Total
£’000
4,419
(166)
4,253
(165)
4,088

All goodwill is allocated to the serviced archive cash-generating unit (CGU) identified as a separate business segment. 

The values for impairment purposes are based on estimated future cash flows and the following key assumptions:

 — a discount rate of 11%

 — estimated useful lives of customer relationships. 

 — long term sustainable growth rates of 2.75%

 — a forward corporation tax rate of 23%

 — sensitivity: the Group has conducted a sensitivity analysis on the impairment test of each CGU’s carrying value. A cut in projected sales by 

around 7.25% would result in the carrying value of goodwill being reduced to its recoverable amount. 

51

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Financials 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

10b Property, plant and equipment 

Group
Cost or valuation
1 August 2011
Additions
Reclassification
Disposals
Revaluations
31 July 2012
Depreciation
1 August 2011
Depreciation
Transfers
Reclassification
Disposals
Revaluations
31 July 2012
Net book value at 31 July 2012
Cost or valuation
1 August 2012
Additions
Disposals
Revaluations
31 July 2013
Depreciation
1 August 2012
Depreciation
Disposals
Revaluations
31 July 2013
Net book value at 31 July 2013

Development
property assets
at cost
£’000

Land and 
buildings 
at valuation
£‘000

Short leasehold 
improvements
at cost
£’000 

Fixtures, 
fittings and 
equipment
at cost
£’000 

Motor
vehicles
at cost 
£‘000

8,587
83
–
–
–
8,670

–
–
–
–
–

–
8,670

8,670
46
–
–
8,716

–
–
–

–
8,716

51,030 
1,294
184
–
(640)
51,868

–
505
182
–
–
(687)
 –
51,868 

51,868
67
(2,700)
1,539
50,774

 –
486
– 
(486)
 –
50,774

2,597
31
(114)
–
–
2,514

1,467
126
(182)
9
–
–
1,420
1,094

2,514
30
–
–
2,544

1,420
89
–
–
1,509
1,035

16,028
420
(69)
–
–
16,379 

7,757
912
–
(9)
–
–
8,659
7,719

16,379 
450
(681)
–
16,148

8,659
611
(415)
–
8,855
7,293

245
10
–
(38)
–
217

89
34
–
–
(24)
–
99
118

217
10
(82)
–
145

99
18
(40)
–
77
68

Total
£’000

78,487
1,838
–
(38)
(640)
79,648

9,313
1,577
–
–
(24)
(687)
10,178
69,470

79,648
603
(3,463)
1,539
78,327

10,178
1,204
(455)
(486)
10,441
67,886

If all property, plant and equipment were stated at historic cost the carrying value would be £42.6 million (2012: £44.65 million).

Capital expenditure (“capex”) during the year totalled £0.60 million (2012: £1.8 million). This included small limited expenditures at existing stores 
and further racking at the Saracen Olney store. It also included planning and other professional costs incurred in maximising the potential of our 
existing planning permissions.

Property, plant and equipment (non-current assets) with a carrying value of £67.9 million (2012: £69.5 million) are pledged as security for bank 
loans, refer note 16a. The Maidenhead property with a carrying value of £2.8 million (2012: £3.2 million), refer note 10c, is also pledged as security 
for the bank loans.

The net book value of assets held under finance leases at 31 July 2013 was £14,059 (2012: £116,080) and the depreciation charge includes £5,712 
(2012: £20,593) in relation to these assets.

Market Valuation of Freehold and Operating Leasehold Land and Buildings
On 31 July 2013, a professional valuation was prepared by valuers Cushman & Wakefield LLP (C&W) in respect of twelve freehold and seven 
leasehold properties. The valuation was prepared in accordance with the RICS Valuation - Professional Standards, published by the Royal Institute of 
Chartered Surveyors (“the Red Book”). The valuations were prepared on the basis of Fair Value or Fair Value as a fully equipped operational entity 
having regard to trading potential, as appropriate. The valuation was provided for accounts purposes and as such, is a Regulated Purpose Valuation 
as defined in the Red Book. In compliance with the disclosure requirements of the Red Book C&W have confirmed that:

•	 The members of the RICS who have been the signatories to the valuation provided to the Company for the same purposes as this valuation 

have been the signatories since January 2004. 

•	 C&W have prepared nine previous valuations for the same purpose as this valuation on behalf of the Company.

•	 C&W do not provide other significant professional or agency services to the Company.

52

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

10b Property, plant and equipment continued
•	

In relation to the preceding financial year of C&W the proportion of the total fees payable by the Company to the total fee income of the firm 
is less than 5%.

The valuation report indicates a total valuation for all properties valued of £67.7 million (2012: £67.9 million) of which £54.5 million (2012: £56.1 
million) relates to freehold properties, and £13.2 million (2012: £11.8 million) relates to properties held under operating leases.

Freehold land and buildings are carried at valuation in the statement of financial position. Short leasehold improvements at properties held under 
operating leases are carried at cost rather than valuation in accordance with IFRS.

For the trading properties the valuation methodology explained in more detail below is based on Fair Value as fully equipped operational entities, 
having regard to trading potential. The total valuation of trading properties has therefore been allocated by the Directors between freehold 
properties and the fixtures, fittings and equipment in the valued properties which are held at cost. Of the £54.5 million valuation of the freehold 
properties £3.7 million (2012: £4.3 million) relates to the net book value of fixtures, fittings and equipment, and the remaining £50.8 million (2012: 
£51.9 million) relates to freehold properties.

The 2013 valuation includes and reflects movements in value which have resulted from the operational performance of the stores and movements 
in the investment environment. In relation to the existing store at Reading, although it currently has residential development potential following the 
grant of planning permission for 112 apartments it remains an operating self-storage facility and has been valued as such. Additionally the freehold 
development land site in Reading situated opposite the existing store, which has the benefit of an appropriate planning consent for a self-storage 
facility, has been stated at cost and any additional uplift based on the assumption that a substantial number of the existing store’s customers will 
transfer to the new store when built has been ignored in the financial statements. The valuations do not account for any further investment in 
existing stores since July 2013. 

Valuation Methodology
C&W have adopted different approaches for the valuation of the leasehold and freehold assets as follows:

Freehold property
The valuation is based on a discounted cash flow of the net operating income projected over a 10-year period and a notional sale of the asset at 
the end of the 10th year. 

Assumptions
a.   Net operating income is based on projected revenue received less projected operating costs together with a central administration charge 

representing 6% of the estimated annual revenue subject to a cap and a collar. The initial net operating income is calculated by estimating the 
net operating income in the first 12 months following the valuation date.

b.   The net operating income in future years is calculated assuming straight-line absorption from day one actual occupancy to an estimated 
stabilised/mature occupancy level. In the valuation the assumed stabilised occupancy level for the 18 trading stores (both freeholds and 
leaseholds) averages 67.72% (2012: 68.26%). The projected revenues and costs have been adjusted for estimated cost inflation and revenue 
growth.

c.   The capitalisation rates applied to existing and future net cash flows have been estimated by reference to underlying yields for industrial and 
retail warehouse property, yields for other trading property types such as hotels and student housing, bank base rates, 10-year money rates, 
inflation and the available evidence of transactions in the sector. On average for the 18 stores the yield (net of purchaser’s costs) arising from 
the first year of the projected cash flow is 7.17% (2012: 6.31%). This rises to 11.10% (2012: 11.38%) based on the projected cash flow for 
the first year following estimated stabilisation in respect of each property.

d.   The future net cash flow projections (including revenue growth and cost inflation) have been discounted at a rate that reflects the risk 

associated with each asset. The weighted average annual discount rate adopted (for both freeholds and leaseholds) is 12.02% (2012: 12.05%).

e.   Purchaser’s costs of 5.8% have been assumed initially and sale plus purchaser’s costs totalling 7.8% are assumed on the notional sales in the 

10th year in relation to the freehold stores.

Leasehold property
The same methodology has been used as for freehold property, except that no sale of the assets in the 10th year is assumed, but the discounted 
cash flow is extended to the expiry of the lease. The average unexpired term of the Group’s operating leaseholds is approximately 14 years and 
8 months as at 31 July 2013 (14 years and 6 months: 31 July 2012). Valuations for stores held under operating leases are not reflected in the 
statement of financial position and the assets in relation to these stores are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation.

In 2011, one of the Group store’s leases was renegotiated and includes a ten year option to renew the lease from March 2026 to March 2036. 
The option to extend is only operable in the event that all four of the leases applicable to this store are extended and this option is personal to 
Lok’nStore or another “major self-storage operator”, to be approved by the landlord (approval not to be unreasonably withheld). The C&W 
valuation on this store is based on this special assumption that the option to extend the lease for 10 years is exercised. This is consistent with the 
approach taken in 2011 and 2012.

53

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsNotes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

10b Property, plant and equipment continued
Immature stores
C&W have assessed the value of each property individually. The degree of uncertainty relating to immature stores is greater than in relation to the 
balance of the properties due to there being even less market evidence that might be available for more mature properties and portfolios. 

C&W state that in practice, if an actual sale of the properties were to be contemplated then any immature low cash flow stores would normally be 
presented to the market for sale grouped with other more mature assets owned by the same entity, in order to alleviate the issue of negative or low 
short term cash flow. This approach would enhance the marketability of the group of assets and assist in achieving the best price available in the 
market by diluting the cash flow risk.

C&W have not adjusted their opinion of Fair Value to reflect such a grouping of the immature assets with other properties in the portfolio and all 
stores have been valued individually. However, they highlight the matter to alert the Group to the manner in which the properties might be grouped 
in order to maximise their attractiveness to the market place.

C&W have not assumed that the entire portfolio of properties owned by the entity would be sold as a single lot and the value for the whole 
portfolio in the context of a sale as a single lot may differ significantly (either higher or lower) from the aggregate of the individual values for each 
property in the portfolio. 

10c  Property lease premiums
£2.8 million of costs relating to the long lease at Maidenhead is classified as a non-current asset in the statement of financial position (2012:  
£3.2 million). This represents a lease premium paid on entering the lease and other related costs. The lease runs until 31 March 2076. A peppercorn 
rent is payable until 2027 and a market ground rent thereafter. During the year under a site sharing agreement with a discount supermarket, the 
discount supermarket retailer, the group disposed of a part interest in its site for £1,550,000 in cash. 

Group
Balance 1 August
Additions during the year
Disposal during the year
Balance 31 July

11   Investments
Company Investments in subsidiary undertakings
31 July 2011
Capital contributions arising from share-based payments
31 July 2012
Capital contributions arising from share-based payments
31 July 2013

2013
£’000
3,179
1,171
(1,550)
2,800

2012
£’000
2,944
236
–
 3,180 

£’000
1,590
92
1,682
94
1,776

The Company holds more than 20% of the share capital of the following companies, all of which are incorporated in England and Wales: 

% of shares and voting rights held

Lok’nStore Limited
Lok’nStore Trustee Limited*
Southern Engineering and Machinery Company Limited
Semco Machine Tools Limited†
Semco Engineering Limited†

Class of 
shareholding 
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary
Ordinary

Directly
100
–
100
–
–

Indirectly
–
100
–
100
100

Saracen Datastore Limited*

Ordinary

– 

90.6 

*  These companies are subsidiaries of Lok’nStore Limited.
†  These companies are subsidiaries of Southern Engineering and Machinery Company Limited and did not trade during the year. 

Nature of entity 
Self-storage
Trustee
Land
Dormant
Dormant
Records Management & 
Serviced Archive Services 

The fair value of these investments has not been disclosed because it cannot be measured reliably as there is no active market for these equity 
instruments. The Company currently has no plans to dispose of these investments.

54

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013 
www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

12   Inventories

Consumables and goods for resale

The amount of inventories recognised as an expense during the year was £179,833 (2012: £135,673).

13   Trade and other receivables

Trade receivables
Other receivables
Prepayments and accrued income

Group
2013
£’000
138

Group
2013
£’000
1,249 
733
435
2,417

Group
2012
£’000
140

Group
2012
£’000
1,225
163
467
1,855

The Directors consider that the carrying amount of trade and other receivables approximates their fair value.

Trade receivables
In respect of its self-storage business the Group does not typically offer credit terms to its customers and hence the Group is not exposed to 
significant credit risk. All customers are required to pay in advance of the storage period. Late charges are applied to a customer’s account if they 
are more than 10 days overdue in their payment. The Group provides for receivables based upon sales levels and estimated recoverability. There is a 
right of lien over the customers’ goods, so if they have not paid within a certain time frame, the Company has the right to sell the items they store 
to cover the debt owed by the customer. Trade receivables that are overdue are provided for based on estimated irrecoverable amounts, determined 
by reference to past default experience. 

For individual self-storage customers the Group does not perform credit checks. However this is mitigated by the fact that all customers are required 
to pay in advance, and also to pay a deposit of four weeks’ storage income. Before accepting a new business customer who wishes to use a 
number of the Group’s stores, the Group uses an external credit rating to assess the potential customer’s credit quality and defines credit limits by 
customer. There are no customers who represent more than 5% of the total balance of trade receivables. 

In respect of its serviced archive and records management business, customers are invoiced typically monthly in advance for the archive storage of 
their boxes, tapes and files. The provision of additional services, such as document box or tape collection and retrieval from archive, typically are 
invoiced monthly in arrears. The serviced archive segment with over 330 customers has a greater customer concentration than the self-storage 
segment, with its ten largest corporate customers accounting for 40% of revenue.

Included in the Group’s trade receivables balance are receivables with a carrying amount of £375,458 (2012: £382,270) which are past due at 
the reporting date for which the Group has not provided as there has not been a significant change in credit quality and the amounts are still 
considered recoverable. The Group holds a right of lien over its self-storage customers’ goods if these debts are not paid. The average age of these 
receivables is 41 days past due (2012: 41 days past due).

Ageing of past due but not impaired receivables 

0–30 days
30–60 days
60+ days
Total

Movement in the allowance for bad debts

Balance at the beginning of the year
Impairment losses recognised
Amounts written off as uncollectible
Balance at the end of the year

Group
2013
£’000
136
204
35
375

Group
2013
£’000
138
61
(50)
149

Group
2012
£’000
137
204
41
382

Group
2012
£’000
101
58
(22)
137

The concentration of credit risk is limited due to the customer base being large and unrelated. Accordingly, the Directors believe that there is no 
further provision required.

55

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsNotes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

13   Trade and other receivables continued
Ageing of impaired trade receivables

0–30 days
30–60 days
60+ days
Total

14   Trade and other payables

Trade payables
Taxation and social security costs
Other payables
Accruals and deferred income

Group
2013 
£’000
–
–
149
149

Group
2013
£’000
1,256
434
912
2,196
4,798

Group
2012
£’000
–
–
137
137

Group
2012
£’000
767
294
911
2,112
4,084

The Directors consider that the carrying amount of trade and other payables and accruals and deferred income approximates fair value.

15   Financial instruments
The Group manages its capital to ensure that entities in the Group will be able to continue as going concerns while maximising the return to 
stakeholders through the optimisation of the debt and equity balance. The capital structure of the Group consists of debts, which includes the 
borrowings disclosed in note 16a, cash and cash equivalents and equity attributable to the owners of the parent, comprising issued capital, reserves 
and retained earnings as disclosed in the Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity. The Group’s banking facilities require that management give 
regular consideration to interest rate hedging strategy. The Group has complied with this during the year.

The Group’s Board reviews the capital structure on an on-going basis. As part of this review, the Board considers the cost of capital and the risks 
associated with each class of capital. The Group seeks to have a conservative gearing ratio (the proportion of net debt to equity). The Board 
considers at each review the appropriateness of the current ratio in light of the above. The Board is currently satisfied with the Group’s  
gearing ratio. 

The gearing ratio at the year-end is as follows:

Capital Management 
Debt
Cash and cash equivalents
Net debt
Statement of financial position equity
Net debt to equity ratio

Group
2013
£’000
(26,786)
4,244
(22,542)
40,372
55.8%

Group
2012
£’000
(29,708)
3,961
(25,747)
38,961
66.1%

The decrease in the Group’s gearing ratio arises through the combined effect of a decrease in debt arising from the application of the sale  
proceeds of the Ashford store to the bank loan, an increase in the C&W valuation of its freehold properties and a decrease in the liability arising  
on the market to market ‘fair value’ of the two interest rate swaps executed last year. Cash generated from operations also contributed to the 
overall effect. 

Exposure to credit and interest rate risk arises in the normal course of the Group’s business. 

A Derivative financial instruments and hedge accounting
The Group’s activities expose it primarily to the financial risks of interest rates. Last year the Group executed two separate interest rate swaps with 
Lloyds TSB plc. These have been maintained and are reported fully in the Financial Review.

56

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  Stock Code: LOK

15   Financial instruments continued
B Debt management
Debt is defined as non-current and current borrowings, as detailed in note 16a. Equity includes all capital and reserves of the Group. The Group is 
not subject to externally imposed capital requirements.

The Group borrows through a senior five year term revolving credit facility, arranged through Lloyds TSB Group plc secured on its existing store 
portfolio and other Group assets with a net book value of £81.6 million (2012: £82.9 million). Borrowings are arranged to ensure the Group 
fulfils its strategy of growth and development of its store portfolio and to maintain short-term liquidity. As at the reporting date the Group has a 
committed revolving credit facility of £40 million (2012: £40 million). This facility expires on 19 October 2016. Undrawn committed facilities at the 
year-end amounted to £13.2 million (2012: £10.3 million). 

C Interest rate risk management
The Group’s policy on interest rate management is agreed at Board level and is reviewed on an on-going basis. All borrowings are denominated in 
Sterling and are detailed in note 16a. The Group has a number of revolving loans within its overall revolving credit facility and as such is exposed 
to interest rate risks at the time of renewal arising from any upward movement in the LIBOR rate. The Group continues its two cash flow hedging 
interest rate swap arrangements in order to reduce the risk of such upward movements in LIBOR rate. These instruments and the movement in their 
fair values are detailed in note 16b.

The following interest rates applied during the financial year:

1.  London Inter-Bank Offer Rate (LIBOR) plus 2.35%–2.65% Lloyds TSB plc margin based on a loan to value covenant test for the revolving 

advances amounting to £26.8 million.

2.  40% of the applicable margin in 1 above for non-utilisation (i.e. that part of the facility which remains undrawn from time to time). As at  

31 July 2012 the prevailing non-utilisation charge is calculated at a rate of 0.94%.

3.  Rates prevailing on the Group’s Interest rate swaps. See note 16b. 

Cash balances held in current accounts attract no interest but surplus cash is transferred daily to a treasury deposit account which earns interest at 
the prevailing money market rates.* All amounts are denominated in Sterling. The balances at 31 July 2013 are as follows:

Variable rate treasury deposits*
SIP trustee deposits
(Overdraft)/cash in operating current accounts
Other cash and cash equivalents
Total cash and cash equivalents

Group
2013
£’000
4,171
51
(74)
96
4,244

Group
2012
£’000
3,612
39
256
54
3,961

*   Money market rates for the Group’s variable rate treasury deposit track Lloyds TSB plc base rate. The rate attributable to the variable rate deposits at 31 July 2013 

was 0.5%.

The Group reviews the current and forecast projections of cash flow, borrowing and interest cover as part of its monthly management accounts 
review. In addition, an analysis of the impact of significant transactions is carried out regularly, as well as a sensitivity analysis of the impact of 
movements in interest rates on gearing and interest cover. 

D Interest rate sensitivity analysis
In managing interest rate risk the Group aims to reduce the impact of short-term fluctuations on the Group’s earnings, without jeopardising its 
flexibility. Over the longer term, permanent changes in interest rates may have an impact on consolidated earnings.

At 31 July 2013, it is estimated that an increase of one percentage point in interest rates would have reduced the Group’s annual profit before tax 
by £67,816 (2012: £96,815) and conversely a decrease of one percentage point in interest rates would have increased the Group’s annual profit 
before tax by £67,816 (2012: £96,815). There would have been no effect on amounts recognised directly in other comprehensive income. The 
sensitivity has been calculated by increasing by 1% the average variable interest rate 2.86% applying to the variable rate borrowings of £6.8 million 
in the year (2012: £9.8 million/2.33%). 

E Cash management and liquidity
Ultimate responsibility for liquidity risk management rests with the Board of Directors, which has built an appropriate liquidity risk management 
framework for the management of the Group’s short, medium and long-term funding and liquidity management requirements. The Group 
manages liquidity risk by maintaining adequate reserves, banking facilities and reserve borrowing facilities by continuously monitoring forecast 
and actual cash flows and matching the maturity profiles of financial assets and liabilities. Included in note B above is a description of additional 
undrawn facilities that the Group has at its disposal to further reduce liquidity risk.

Short-term money market deposits are used to manage liquidity whilst maximising the rate of return on cash resources, giving due consideration  
to risk.

57

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsNotes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

15   Financial instruments continued
F Foreign currency management
The Group operates solely in the United Kingdom and as such all of the Group’s financial assets and liabilities are denominated in Sterling and there 
is no exposure to exchange risk. 

G Credit risk
The credit risk management policies of the Group with respect to trade receivables are discussed in note 13. The Group’s self-storage business has 
no significant concentration of credit risk, with exposure spread across 6,700 customers in our stores and no individual customer accounts for more 
than 1% of revenue. The serviced archive business with over 330 customers has a greater concentration of credit risk with its ten largest corporate 
customers accounting for 39% of revenue and its top 50 delivering 68.8% of revenue and its top 100 delivering 84.0% of revenue. 

The credit risk on liquid funds is limited because the counterparty is a bank with high credit ratings assigned by international credit-rating agencies, 
in line with the Group’s policy which is to borrow from major institutional banks when arranging finance.

The Group’s maximum exposure to credit risk at 31 July 2013 was £1,430,879 (2012: £1,265,638) on receivables and £4,243,522 (2012: 
£3,960,772) on cash and cash equivalents.

H Maturity analysis of financial liabilities
The undiscounted contractual cash flow maturities are as follows:

2013 – Group

From two to five years
From one to two years
Due after more than one year
Due within one year
Total contractual undiscounted cash flows

2012 – Group

From two to five years
From one to two years
Due after more than one year
Due within one year
Total contractual undiscounted cash flows

I Fair values of financial instruments

Categories of financial assets and financial liabilities
Financial assets
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents
Financial liabilities
Trade and other payables
Bank loans
Finance lease payables

Trade
and other
payables
£’000
–
–
–
3,038
3,038

Trade
and other
payables
£’000
–
–
–
2,327
2,327

Borrowings
£’000
26,781
–
–
5
26,786

Borrowings
£’000
29,681
5
29,686
22
29,708

Interest on
borrowings
£’000
1,997
898
2,895
900
3,795

Interest on
borrowings
£’000
1,535
692
2,227
696
2,923

2013
£’000

2012
£’000

1,431 
4,244

(3,038)
(26,422) 
(5)

1,266 
3,961

(2,327
(29,219)
(26)

The fair values of the Group’s cash and short-term deposits and those of other financial assets equate to their carrying amounts. The Group’s 
receivables and cash and cash equivalents are all classified as loans and receivables and carried at amortised cost. The amounts are presented net of 
provisions for doubtful receivables and allowances for impairment are made where appropriate. Trade and other payables and bank borrowings are 
all classified as financial liabilities measured at amortised cost.

58

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  Stock Code: LOK

15   Financial instruments continued
J Company’s financial instruments
The Company’s only financial assets are amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings amounting to £3.2 million (2012: £4.5 million) which are 
classified as loans and receivables. These amounts are denominated in Sterling, are non-interest bearing, are unsecured and fall due for repayment 
within one year. No amounts are past due or impaired. The Company has no financial liabilities.

16a  Borrowings

Non-current
Bank loans repayable in more than two years but not more than five years
Gross
Deferred financing costs
Net bank borrowings
Finance lease liabilities
Non-current borrowings
Current
Finance lease liabilities
Current borrowings
Total borrowings

Group
2013
£’000

26,781
(359)
26,422
–
26,422

5
5
26,427

Group
2012
£’000

29,682
(463)
29,219
4
29,223

22
22
29,245

The £40 million revolving credit facility with Lloyds TSB plc is secured by legal charges and debentures over the freehold and leasehold properties 
and other assets of the business with a net book value of £83.1 million together with cross-company guarantees from Group companies. The 
revolving credit facility is for a five-year term and expires on 19 October 2016. The Group is not obliged to make any repayments prior to expiration. 
The loans bear interest at the London Inter-Bank Offer Rate (LIBOR) plus 2.35%–2.65% Lloyds TSB plc margin based on a loan to value covenant 
test while the interest cover and loan to value covenants are broadly in line with the previous facility. 

Finance lease liabilities
Lease liabilities are effectively secured as the rights to the leased asset revert to the lessor in the event of default and are as follows:

Group 
2013
£’000

Group
2012
£’000

Gross finance liabilities — minimum lease payments
Within one year
Later than one year and no later than five years
Later than five years

Future finance charges on finance leases

The present value of finance lease liabilities is as follows:

Gross finance liabilities — minimum lease payments
Within one year
Later than one year and no later than five years

6
–
–
6
(1)
5

Group 
2013
£’000

5
–
5

27
6
–
33
(7)
26

Group
2012
£’000

21
5
26

59

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsNotes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

16b Derivative financial instruments
The Group continues to operate two separate £10 million interest rate swaps as a cash flow hedge with Lloyds TSB Bank plc both effective from  
31 May 2012, the first at a fixed 1 month sterling LIBOR rate of 1.2% and the second at a fixed one-month sterling LIBOR rate of 1.15%. Both 
swaps run up to the expiration of the current banking facility in October 2016. The balance of the drawn facility of £6.8 million (2012: £9.7 million) 
remains at a floating rate. 

3032816LS Interest rate swap
3047549LS Interest rate swap

Currency
GBP
GBP

Principal 
£’000
10,000
10,000
20,000

Maturity 
date
20/10/2016
20/10/2016

 Fair value 
 2013 
£’000
(143)
(128)
(271)

 Fair value 
2012 
£’000
(258)
(238)
(496)

The movement in fair value of the interest rate swaps of £225,000 (2012: £496,000) has been recognised in other comprehensive income in  
the year. 

Group
2012
£’000
10,555
154
(636)
10,073

Total
£’000
10,555

17   Deferred tax

Deferred tax liability
Liability at start of year
(Credit)/charge to income for the year
Tax credited directly to other comprehensive income
Liability at end of year

Group
2013
£’000
10,073
(2)
(366)
9,705

The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the Group and the movements during the year:

At 1 August 2011 
Charge/(credit) to income for 
the year
Charge/(credit) to other 
comprehensive income
At 31 July 2012
Charge/(credit) to income for 
the year
Charge/(credit) to other 
comprehensive income
At 31 July 2013

Accelerated
Capital
Allowances
£’000
1,307

127

–
1,434

 (359)

–
1,075

Tax
losses
£’000
(599) 

367

–
(232)

226

–
(6)

Intangible
assets
£’000
827

Other
temporary
differences
£’000
24

Revaluation of
properties
£’000
6,721

Rolled
over gain
on disposal
£’000
2,275

(104)

–
723

(127)

–
596

(2)

(114)
(92)

(3)

60
(35)

(51)

(182)

155

(523)
6,147

–
2,093

(637)
10,073

521

(260)

(2)

(426)
6,242

–
1,833

(366)
9,705

There is no current corporation tax liability to pay due to the availability of tax losses. Almost all of the Group’s tax losses have now been utilised 
with tax losses available to carry forward for offset against future profits amount to £0.2 million (2012: £1.15 million). The Group will therefore pay 
tax on the majority of its earnings next year. 

A deferred tax asset of £6,000 (2012: £232,000) has been recognised in respect of such losses. This asset offsets against the deferred tax liability 
position in respect of accelerated capital allowances and other temporary differences. The losses can be carried forward indefinitely.

A potential deferred tax asset of £75,000 (2012: £55,000) arises in respect of the share options in existence at 31 July 2013 but has not been 
recognised in the accounts. No deferred tax asset arises in relation to the remainder of the share options as at 31 July 2013 as the share price at the 
year-end is below the exercise price of the options.

The UK’s main rate of corporation tax is expected to reduce to 21% from 1 April 2014 with a further reduction to 20% from 1 April 2015. Due to 
the difficulty of predicting the amount of capital expenditure over this period, it is not possible to accurately quantify the effect of the rate change 
on the deferred tax position over this period. 

60

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

18   Share capital

Authorised:
35,000,000 ordinary shares of 1 pence each (2012: 35,000,000)

Allotted, issued and fully paid ordinary shares
Balance 1 August
Options exercised (382,328 shares)
Balance 31 July

Number of shares at 31 July 

The Company has one class of ordinary shares which carry no right to fixed income.

2013
£’000

350

£’000

268
4
272

2012
£’000

350

 £’000

268
–
268

Called up,
allotted and
fully paid
Number

Called up,
allotted and
fully paid
Number 

27,141,193

26,758,865

19   Equity settled share-based payment plans 
The Group operates two equity-settled share-based payment plans, an approved and an unapproved share option scheme, the rules of which are 
similar in all material respects. The Enterprise Management Initiative Scheme (‘EMI’) is closed to new grants of options as the Company no longer 
meets the HMRC small company criteria. 

The Company has the following share options:

2013
Summary
Enterprise Management Initiative Scheme
Unapproved Share Options
Approved CSOP Share Options
Total

2012
Summary
Enterprise Management Initiative Scheme 
Unapproved Share Options 
Approved CSOP Share Options 
Total

As At
31 July
2012
No. of options
349,166 
2,442,175
283,713
3,075,054

As at 
31 July 
2011
349,166
2,164,386
232,002
2,745,554

Granted
–
408
23,592
24,000

Granted
–
277,789 
52,211
330,000

Exercised
(185,798)
(135,000)
(61,530)
(382,328)

Exercised
–
–
–
–

As at
31 July 
2013
No. of options
163,368
2,156,583
233,775
2,553,726

As at
31 July
2012
349,166
2,442,175
283,713
3,075,054

Lapsed/
surrendered
–
(151,000)
(12,000)
(163,000)

Lapsed/
surrendered
– 
–
(500)
(500)

61

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our Financials 
Notes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

19   Equity settled share-based payment plans continued
The following table shows options held by Directors under all schemes. 

As at 31 July 
2012

Options 
granted

Options 
exercised

EMI Scheme

 Unapproved 
Scheme 

Approved
 CSOP share 
options

Total
 at 31 July 2013

At 31 July 2013

2013
Executive Directors
A Jacobs — Unapproved
SG Thomas — Unapproved
RA Davies — EMI
RA Davies — Unapproved
RA Davies — CSOP
RA Davies total
CM Jacobs — EMI
CM Jacobs — Unapproved
CM Jacobs — CSOP
CM Jacobs total
Non-Executive Directors
RJ Holmes — Unapproved
ETD Luker — Unapproved
C P Peal — Unapproved
Non-Executive total
All Directors total

500,000
500,000
98,039
528,431
23,530
650,000
79,173
216,082
24,745
320,000

10,000
15,000
10,000
35,000
2,005,000

–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–

(50,000)
(50,000)
(98,039)
(15,000)
(23,530)
(136,569)
(47,759)
–
–
(47,759)

–
–
–
–
(284,328)

–
–
–
–
–
–
 31,414
–
–
31,414

–
–
–
–
31,414

450,000
450,000
–
513,431 
–
513,431
–
216,082
–
216,082

10,000
15,000
10,000
35,000
1,664,513

–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
24,745
24,745

–
–
–
–
24,745

450,000
450,000
–
513,431
–
513,431
31,414
216,082
24,745
272,241

10,000
15,000
10,000
35,000
1,720,672

The grant of options to Executive Directors and senior management is recommended by the Remuneration Committee on the basis of their 
contribution to the Group’s success. The options vest after three years. No options have been granted under the EMI approved scheme in the year 
(2012: Nil).

The exercise price of the options is equal to the closing mid-market price of the shares on the trading day previous to the date of the grant. The 
exercise of options awarded has been subject to a key non-market performance condition being the achievement of an annual revenue target of 
£10 million. This condition has now been achieved. Exercise of an option is subject to continued employment. The life of each option granted is 
seven years. There are no cash settlement alternatives.

The expected volatility is based on a historical review of share price movements over a period of time, prior to the date of grant, commensurate 
with the expected term of each award. The expected term is assumed to be six years which is part way between vesting (three years after grant) 
and lapse (10 years after grant). The risk free rate of return is the UK gilt rate at date of grant commensurate with the expected term (i.e. six years).

The total charge for the year relating to employer share-based payment schemes was £94,256 (2012: £91,821), all of which relates to equity-
settled share-based payment transactions. 

62

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013 
www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

20   Enterprise Management Initiative Scheme
The Company operates a share option scheme under the Enterprise Management Initiative (‘EMI’), the vesting conditions of which have been met. 

Movements in the year are shown in the table below.

Outstanding at 1 August
Exercised during the year
Outstanding at 31 July
Exercisable at 31 July

Weighted
average
exercise
price
2013
pence
121.23
102.00
144.00
144.00

Options
2013
number
349,166
(185,798)
163,368
163,368

Weighted
average
exercise
price 
2012
pence
121.23
–
121.23
121.23

Options
2012
number
349,166
–
349,166
349,166

The share price at the year-end was 136.00 pence per share. The share price ranged from 102.49 pence per share to 137.00 pence per share 
during the year. The exercise prices for shares exercisable at 31 July ranged from 113.00 pence per share to 156.00 pence per share. The options 
outstanding at 31 July 2013 had a weighted average contractual life of 2 years (2012: 1.7 years). 

The following table shows options held by Directors under this scheme.

CM Jacobs
CM Jacobs
CM Jacobs
RA Davies

As at 31 July 
2012
25,000
22,759
31,414
98,039
177,212

Granted
–
–
–
–
–

Surrendered
–
–
–
–
–

Exercised
(25,000)
(22,759)
–
(98,039)
(145,798)

As at 31 July 
2013
–
–
31,414
–
31,414

Exercise price 
(pence)
102
113
152
102

Date from which 
exercisable
20/01/07
30/07/07
30/07/08
19/01/07

Expiry date
20/01/14
30/07/14
30/07/15
19/01/14

63

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsNotes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

21   Unapproved Share Options
The Company issues unapproved share options, the vesting conditions of which have been met.

Movements in the year are shown below:

Outstanding at 1 August
Granted during the year
Forfeited during the year
Exercised during the year
Outstanding at 31 July
Exercisable at 31 July

Weighted
average
exercise
price
2013
pence

124.19
136.00
73.00
58.00
133.00
140.00

Options
2012
number

2,164,386
277,789
–
–
2,442,175
1,796,888

Weighted
average
exercise
price 
2012
pence

127.09
108.50
–
–
124.19
131.70

Options
2013
number

2,442,175
408
(151,000)
(135,000)
2,156,583
1,637,869

The options outstanding at 31 July 2013 had a weighted average remaining contractual life of 4.7 years (2012: 5.7 years). The exercise prices for 
shares exercisable at 31 July 2013 ranged from 56.50 pence per share to 269.50 pence per share.

The inputs into the Black–Scholes model used to value the options issued during the year are as follows:

Date of grant

31 July 2013

Expected life 
(years)

Share price at 
date of grant 
(pence)

Exercise price 
(pence)

6

136.00

136.00

Expected 
volatility
(%)

39.71

Expected 
dividend yield
(%)

Risk free interest 
rate (%)

Fair value charge 
per award 
(pence)

4.17

1.36

34.05

The following unapproved share options have been granted to Directors of the Company.

As at 
31 July 
2012
500,000
500,000
528,431
216,082
15,000
10,000
10,000
1,779,513

Granted
£
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

Exercised/
lapsed
£
(50,000)
(50,000)
(15,000)
–
–
–
–
(115,000)

As at 
31 July 
2013
450,000
450,000
513,431
216,082
15,000
10,000
10,000
1,664,513

Exercise price 
(pence)
0.565–213.5 
0.565–213.5 
0.565–213.5
0.565–213.5
56.5
56.5
56.5

Date from which 
exercisable
21/01/07–31/07/15
21/01/07–31/07/15
21/01/07–31/07/15
21/01/07–31/07/15
31/07/12
31/07/12
31/07/12

Expiry 
date
21/01/14–31/07/22
21/01/14–31/07/22
21/01/14–31/07/22
21/01/14–31/07/22
31/07/19
31/07/19
31/07/19

A Jacobs
S Thomas
R Davies
C Jacobs
ETD Luker
R Holmes
C Peal
Total

64

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

22   CSOP Approved Share Options
On 2 June 2010 the Group adopted a Company Share Option Plan (CSOP). The CSOP subsequently achieved HMRC approval on 28 June 2010. 
There are no performance conditions attached to share options issued under CSOP.

Movements in the year are shown below:

Outstanding at 1 August
Granted during the year
Forfeited during the year
Exercised during the year
Outstanding at 31 July
Exercisable at 31 July

Weighted
average
exercise
price
2013
pence
94.17
136.00
108.00
85.00
107.00
85.00

Options
2013 
number
283,713
23,592
(12,000)
(61,530)
233,775
107,489

Weighted
average
exercise
price
2012 
pence
90.97
108.50
107.86
–
94.17
–

Options
2012
number
232,002
52,211
(500)
–
283,713
–

The options outstanding at 31 July 2013 had a weighted average remaining contractual life of 7.9 years (2012: 8.6 years). There were no options 
exercisable at 31 July 2013. 

The inputs into the Black–Scholes model used to value the options issue during the year are as follows:

Date of grant

31 July 2013

Expected life 
(years)

Share price at 
date of grant 
(pence)

Exercise price 
(pence)

6

136.00

136.00

Expected 
volatility
(%)

39.70

Expected 
dividend yield
(%)

Risk free interest 
rate (%)

Fair value charge 
per award 
(pence)

4.2

1.36

34.05

The following CSOP approved share options have been granted to Directors of the Company.

R Davies
C Jacobs

As at 
31 July 
2012
23,530
24,745
48,275

Granted
£
–
–
–

Exercised
/lapsed
£
(23,530)
–
(23,530)

As at 
31 July 
2013
–
24,745
24,745

Exercise price 
(pence)
85.0
85.0

Date from which 
exercisable
30/07/13
30/07/13

Expiry 
Date
30/07/20
30/07/20

65

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsNotes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

23a Other reserves

Group

1 August 2011
Share based remuneration (options)
Cash flow hedge reserve net of tax
Dividend paid
31 July 2012
Share based remuneration (options)
Cash flow hedge reserve net of tax
Dividend paid
31 July 2013

Cash flow
hedge
reserve
£’000

–
–
(382)
–
(382)
–
165
–
(217) 

Merger
reserve
£’000

6,295
–
–
–
6,295
–
–
–
6,295

Other
reserve
£’000

5,153
–
–
(917)
4,236
–
–
(1,399)
2,837

Capital
redemption
reserve
£’000

Share-based
payment
reserve
£’000

34
–
–
–
34
–
–
–
34

1,376
92
–
–
1,468
94
–
–
1,562

Total
£’000

12,858
92
(382)
(917)
11,651
94
165
(1,399)
10,511

The merger reserve represents the excess of the nominal value of the shares issued by Lok’nStore Group plc over the nominal value of the share 
capital and share premium of Lok’nStore Limited as at 31 July 2001.

The other distributable reserve and the capital redemption reserve arose in the year ended 31 July 2004 from the purchase of the Company’s own 
shares and a cancellation of share premium.

23b Other reserves

Company

1 August 2011
Share based remuneration (options)
Dividend paid
31 July 2012
Share based remuneration (options)
Dividend paid
31 July 2013

24 

 Retained earnings

Group

1 August 2011
Profit attributable to owners of Parent for the financial year
Transfer from revaluation reserve
1 August 2012
Purchase of shares into treasury
Profit attributable to owners of 
Parent for the financial year
Transfer from revaluation reserve 
(Additional depreciation on revaluation)
Transfer from revaluation reserve 
Realised gain on disposal of property (net of deferred tax)
31 July 2013

Other 
reserve
£’000

4,973
–
(917)
4,056
–
(1,399)
2,657

Share-based
payment
reserve
£’000

1,590
92
–
1,682
94
–
1,776

Retained
earnings before
deduction of
own shares
£’000

7,180
753
205
8,138
–

1,421

193

Own shares
(note 25)
£’000

(2,593)
–
–
(2,593)
(1,648)

–

–

1,120
10,872

–
(4,241)

Total
£’000

6,563
92
(917)
5,738
94
(1,399)
4,433

Retained
earnings
Total
£’000

4,587
753
205
5,545
(1,648)

1,421

193

1,120
6,631

The transfer from revaluation reserve represents the additional depreciation charged on revalued assets net of deferred tax. 

The Own Shares Reserve represents the cost of shares in Lok’nStore Group plc purchased in the market and held in the Employee Benefit Trust 
to satisfy awards made under the Group’s share incentive plan and shares purchased separately by Lok’nStore Limited for Treasury Account. 
These treasury shares have not been cancelled and were purchased at an average price considerably lower than the Group’s adjusted net asset 
value. These shares may in due course be released back into the market to assist liquidity of the Company’s stock and to provide availability of a 
reasonable line of stock to satisfy investor demand as and when required. 

66

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

 Retained earnings continued

24 
The Company has taken advantage of the exemption available under the Companies Act 2006 not to present the Company income statement of 
Lok’nStore Group plc. The Company loss for the year was £203,637 (2012: £193,995).

25 

 Own shares

1 August 2011 and 31 July 2012 
Purchase of shares in the year
31 July 2013

ESOP
shares
Number

623,212
–
623,212

ESOP
shares
£

499,910
–
499,910

Treasury
shares
Number

1,142,000
1,324,869
2,466,869

Treasury
shares
£

2,092,902
1,648,134
3,741,036

Own shares
total
£

2,592,812
1,648,134
4,240,946

During the year the Group purchased 1,324,869 shares for Treasury at an average price of £1.23. Lok’nStore Limited holds a total of 2,466,869 
of Lok’nStore Group plc ordinary shares of 1p each for treasury with an aggregate nominal value of £24,669 purchased for an aggregate cost of 
£3,741,036 at an average price of £1.503 per share. These shares represent 9.09% of the Parent Company’s called-up share capital. The maximum 
number of shares held by Lok’nStore Limited in the year was 2,466,869. No shares were disposed of or cancelled in the year.

The Group operates an Employee Benefit Trust (‘EBT’) under a settlement dated 8 July 1999 between Lok’nStore Limited and Lok’nStore Trustee 
Limited, constituting an employees’ share scheme.

Funds are placed in the trust by way of deduction from employees’ salaries on a monthly basis as they so instruct for purchase of shares in the 
Company. Shares are allocated to employees at the prevailing market price when the salary deductions are made. 

As at 31 July 2013, the Trust held 623,212 (2012: 623,212) ordinary shares of 1 pence each with a market value of £847,568 (2012: £676,185). No 
shares were transferred out of the scheme during the year (2012: nil). 

No dividends were waived during the year. No options have been granted under the EBT.

 Cash flows 

26 
(a) Reconciliation of profit before tax to cash generated from operations

Profit before tax 
Depreciation
Amortisation of intangible assets
Loss on disposal of freehold Property
Equity settled share based payments
Loss on sale of motor vehicles
Interest receivable
Interest payable
Increase/(decrease) in inventories
Increase in receivables
Increase/(decrease) in payables
Cash generated from operations

(b) Reconciliation of net cash flow to movement in net debt
Net debt is defined as non-current and current borrowings, as detailed in note 16a less cash and cash equivalents.

Increase in cash in the year
Change in net debt resulting from cash flows
Movement in net debt in year
Net debt brought forward
Net debt carried forward

2013
£’000
1,426
1,204
165
86
94
18
(33)
1,175
2
(562)
711
4,286

2012
£’000
926
1,577
165
–
92
4
(15)
1,029
(30)
(34)
(571)
3,143

2013
£’000
283
2,922
3,205
(25,747)
(22,542)

2012
£’000
182
(1,540)
(1,358)
(24,389)
(25,747)

67

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsNotes to the Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 July 2013

 Commitments under operating leases

27 
At 31 July 2013 the total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases were as follows:

The Group as a lessee:
The minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating lease rentals are in aggregate as follows:

Land and buildings
Amounts due:
  Within one year
  Between two and five years
  After five years

Group 
2013
£’000

1,515
5,592
10,023
17,130

Group
2012
£’000

1,618
6,090
6,087
13,795

Operating lease payments represent rentals payable by the Group for certain of its properties. Leases are negotiated for a typical term of 20 years 
and rentals are fixed for an average of five years.

The Group as lessor:
Property rental income earned during the year was £95,285 (2012: £88,213). This income is considered as ancillary and relatively short-term 
to the Group’s trading activities as these properties are sites held for their development potential as self-storage centres and the rental income 
ceases when the buildings are demolished. These tenancies are therefore of a short term nature since tenants are served notice to vacate pending 
redevelopment of the site or if very short the leases run off to the end of their term. At the reporting date the Group had contracted with tenants, 
under non-cancellable leases, for the following future minimum lease payments:

Within one year

Group 
2013
£’000

92

Group
2012
£’000

89

 Events after the reporting date

28 
VAT Tribunal decision: Following a longstanding dispute with HMRC on a VAT partial exemption issue, the matter was referred to a Tax Tribunal. 
The Tribunal Hearing took place in July 2012 to consider the matter and judgement was received in September 2012 in favour of Lok’nStore. 
HMRC were allowed leave to appeal to the Upper Tribunal in respect of the First Tier Tribunal Judgement (FTT). This appeal is likely to be heard in 
December 2013. Full details on this matter are provided under note 30c below.

 Related party transactions

29 
The following balances existed between the Company and its subsidiaries at 31 July:

Net amount due from Lok’nStore Limited

2013
£’000

3,207

2012
£’000

4,490

The amount due from Lok’nStore Limited is interest free. The balance is repayable on demand, however the Company has no present intention to 
demand repayment within one year and so the amount has been presented as a non-current asset as at 31 July 2013. 

The Company provides share options for the employees of Lok’nStore Limited. The capital contributions arising from these share-based payments 
are separately disclosed under investments in note 11.

The aggregate remuneration of the Directors, who are the key management personnel of the Group, is set out below. Further information on the 
remuneration of individual Directors is found in note 6.

Short term employee benefits
Post-employment benefits
Share-based payments
Total

68

2013
£’000
653
30
38
721

2012
£’000
504
15
59
578

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

29  Related party transactions continued
The Group has a service agreement for strategic services with Value Added Services LLP, a limited liability partnership in which Andrew Jacobs 
and Simon Thomas have a beneficial interest. The total fees payable to Value Added Services LLP are as shown in note 6. Fees are usually settled 
monthly and there were no outstanding amounts due to Value Added Services LLP at the year-end (2012: £nil). The maximum balance outstanding 
at any time during the year was £91,001 (ex VAT) (2012: £24,252).

The Group uses Trucost plc, an environmental research company, to provide information and undertake performance assessment of the 
environmental effect of its business activities. Trucost plc is a company in which Andrew Jacobs and Simon Thomas have a beneficial interest. The 
total fees payable to Trucost plc in respect of its environmental assessment and reporting for the year was £6,000 (2012: £6,000). The balance 
outstanding to Trucost plc at year-end was £nil (2012: £nil).

The Group has an agreement with Keith Jacobs, a brother of Andrew Jacobs and Colin Jacobs, for the provision of marketing services and support 
on a consultancy basis. The fees payable to Keith Jacobs during the year under this arrangement were £26,519 (2012: £21,310). There were no 
amounts outstanding due to Keith Jacobs at the year-end (2011: £nil). The maximum balance outstanding at any time during the year is  
£3,153 (ex VAT) (2012: £1,956).

30a Capital commitments and guarantees
The Group has capital expenditure contracted but not provided for in the financial statements of £3.98 million (2012: £2.56 million) relating to the 
£2.5 million development commitment at Aldershot, remaining commitments on the build-out at Maidenhead, £0.34 million at Saracen relating to 
increasing warehouse racking and fire vault capacity, and various other minor works.

30b Bank borrowings
The Company has guaranteed the bank borrowings of Lok’nStore Limited. As at the year-end, that company had gross bank borrowings of  
£26.8 million (2012: £29.7 million). 

30c  Contingent Liability — Value added tax
As an ancillary activity, Lok’nStore acts as an intermediary in relation to supplies of exempt insurance to customers for which it receives a 
commission. In November 2007 Lok’nStore approached HMRC to request the implementation of a Partial Exemption Special Method (PESM). 
Lok’nStore has maintained that the standard partial exemption method, i.e. one based on the values of the various different income streams, 
resulted in a wholly distortive restriction of input tax. Lok’nStore remains of the view that revenue is a poor proxy for the ‘use’ of the majority  
of the input tax incurred by Lok’nStore and, as a consequence, the standard method does not provide a fair result.

Current Dealings with HMRC 
On 25 February 2008, HMRC determined that it was appropriate to raise an assessment in the amount of £140,903 in respect of Lok’nStore’s 
partial exemption calculations, under the Standard Partial Exemption Method (“standard method”) for the VAT periods April 2005 through  
April 2007. Lok’nStore rejected the basis of this assessment and has advanced a number of other proposals and arguments in a bid to resolve this 
dispute. Following the formal rejection of the various proposals which were submitted for a PESM, a local review of the decision was requested 
which upheld the rejection of a PESM. This decision was appealed by Lok’nStore to the Tax Tribunal in September 2009. Counsel also confirmed 
that Lok’nStore should carry out a Standard Method Override Calculation (“SMO”) and that this should be calculated on the same basis as the 
proposed mixed floor space and values based method.

Position at Year-end 
There were two appeals lodged at the Tax Tribunal; one in respect of the proposed PESM going forward and the other in respect of the SMO 
calculations for the past VAT periods. It was agreed with the Tribunal and HMRC that the second appeal (i.e. the SMO appeal) would be stood over 
pending the outcome of the first appeal in respect of the proposed PESM. The Tribunal Hearing took place in July 2012 to consider the matter and 
judgement was received in September 2012 in favour of Lok’nStore. The Judge found that while there was some link between overhead costs and 
the cost of insurance there was not a significant link and concluded that the standard method was not a fair proxy for use and went to find that 
our proposed method gave a more accurate proxy for use and should be accepted. 

HMRC were allowed leave to appeal to the Upper Tribunal in respect of the First Tier Tribunal Judgement (FTT). This appeal is likely to be heard in 
December 2013.

Accordingly, in light of the potential for HMRC to overturn the judgement, it is appropriate, as in previous years, to update on the range of 
outcomes. On a worst case scenario, the overall liability in relation to input tax claimed up to the end of July 2013 which may become repayable 
to HMRC totals £520,957 (2012: £438,504) based on the standard method restriction. Of this £219,205 (2012: £227,926) relates to capital 
expenditure inputs and £301,752 (2012: £210,578) relates to income statement items. Interest would be added to both totals. Alternatively, if 
our floor-based special method is unchallenged by HMRC, this will give a restriction of less that 0.1%, in which case the total amount of VAT (plus 
interest) to be assessed by HMRC would on the figures above give a de minimus result. 

It remains the Group’s position to continue to report the position as a contingent liability until such time as the result of HMRC’s appeal is 
determined. However while that outcome at present remains uncertain it is not considered that any material provision is necessary.

69

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsGlossary

Abbreviation

Adjusted EBITDA

AGM

APD

Bps

C&W

CAC

Capex

CGU

CO2e

CSOP

EBT

EMI

EU

GHG

HMRC

IAS

IFRIC

IFRS

LIBOR

LTV

MWh

Earnings before all depreciation and amortisation charges, losses or profits on disposal, share-based payments, 
acquisition costs, and non-recurring professional costs, finance income, finance costs and taxation

Annual General Meeting

Auditing Practices Board

Basis Points

Cushman & Wakefield

Contributory asset charges 

Capital Expenditure

Cash generating units

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Company Share Option Plan 

Earnings Before Tax

Enterprise Management Incentive Scheme

European Union

Indirect greenhouse gas 

Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs

International Accounting Standard

International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee

International Financial Reporting Standards 

London Interbank Offered Rate

Loan to Value Ratio

Megawatt Hour

Operating Profit

Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT)

PESM

RICS

SMO

sq. ft.

Partial Exemption Special Method 

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Standard Method Override Calculation

Square Foot

Store adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA (see above) but before central and head office costs.

VAT

Value Added Tax

70

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013Our Stores

Head office
Lok’nStore plc
112 Hawley Lane
Farnborough
Hampshire, GU14 8JE
Tel   01252 521010

www.loknstore.co.uk
www.loknstore.com

Central Enquiries
0800 587 3322
info@loknstore.co.uk
www.loknstore.co.uk

Basingstoke, Hampshire
Crockford Lane
Chineham
Basingstoke
Hampshire, RG24 8NA
Tel  01256 474700
Fax  01256 477377
basingstoke@loknstore.co.uk

Crayford, Kent
Block B
Optima Park 
Thames Road 
Crayford
Kent, DA1 4QX
Tel  01322 525292
Fax   01322 521333
crayford@loknstore.co.uk

Eastbourne, East Sussex
Unit 4, Hawthorn Road
Eastbourne
East Sussex, BN23 6QA
Tel  01323 749222
Fax  01323 648555
eastbourne@loknstore.co.uk

Fareham, Hampshire
26 + 27 Standard Way
Fareham Industrial Park
Fareham
Hampshire, PO16 8XJ
Tel  01329 283300
Fax  01329 284400
fareham@loknstore.co.uk

Farnborough, Hampshire
112 Hawley Lane
Farnborough
Hampshire, GU14 8JE
Tel  01252 511112
Fax   01252 744475
farnborough@loknstore.co.uk

www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

Harlow, Essex
Unit 1 Dukes Park
Edinburgh Way
Harlow
Essex, CM20 2GF
Tel   01279 454238
Fax   01279 443750
harlow@loknstore.co.uk

Horsham, West Sussex
Blatchford Road 
Redkiln Estate
Horsham
West Sussex, RH13 5QR
Tel  01403 272001
Fax  01403 274001
horsham@loknstore.co.uk

Luton, Bedfordshire
27 Brunswick Street
Luton
Bedfordshire, LU2 0HG
Tel  01582 721177
Fax  01582 721188
luton@loknstore.co.uk

Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Etheridge Avenue
Brinklow
Milton Keynes
Buckinghamshire, MK10 0BB
Tel  01908 281900
Fax  01908 281700
miltonkeynes@loknstore.co.uk

Northampton Central
16 Quorn Way
Grafton Street Industrial Estate
Northampton, NN1 2PN
Tel   01604 629928
Fax   01604 627531
nncentral@loknstore.co.uk

Northampton Riverside
Units 1–4
Carousel Way
Northampton
Northamptonshire, NN3 9HG
Tel  01604 785522
Fax  01604 785511
northampton@loknstore.co.uk

Poole, Dorset
50 Willis Way
Fleetsbridge
Poole
Dorset, BH15 3SY
Tel  01202 666160
Fax  01202 666806
poole@loknstore.co.uk

Portsmouth, Hampshire
Rudmore Square
Portsmouth, PO2 8RT
Tel  02392 876783
Fax  02392 821941
portsmouth@loknstore.co.uk

Reading, Berkshire
5–9 Berkeley Avenue
Reading
Berkshire,RG1 6EL
Tel  0118 958 8999
Fax  0118 958 7500
reading@loknstore.co.uk

Southampton, Hampshire
Manor House Avenue
Millbrook
Southampton
Hampshire, SO15 0LF
Tel  02380 783388
Fax  02380 783383
southampton@loknstore.co.uk

Staines, Middlesex
The Causeway
Staines
Middlesex, TW18 3AY
Tel  01784 464611
Fax  01784 464608
staines@loknstore.co.uk

Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex
Unit C, The Sunbury Centre
Hanworth Road
Sunbury
Middlesex, TW16 5DA
Tel  01932 761100
Fax  01932 781188
sunbury@loknstore.co.uk

Swindon Kembrey Park, Wiltshire
Kembrey Street 
Elgin Industrial Estate
Swindon
Wiltshire, SN2 8UY
Tel  01793 421234
Fax  01793 422888
swindoneast@loknstore.co.uk

Swindon (West), Wiltshire
16–18 Caen View
Rushy Platt Industrial Estate
Swindon
Wiltshire, SN5 8WQ
Tel  01793 878222
Fax  01793 878333
swindonwest@loknstore.co.uk

Tonbridge, Kent
Unit 6 Deacon Trading Estate
Vale Road
Tonbridge
Kent, TN9 1SW
Tel  01732 771007
Fax  01732 773350
tonbridge@loknstore.co.uk

Development locations 
Southampton, Hampshire
Third Avenue
Millbrook
Southampton 
SO15 0JX

North Harbour, Port Solent, 
Hampshire
Southampton Road
Portsmouth 
PO6 4RH

Maidenhead, Berkshire
Stafferton Way
Maidenhead
Berkshire 
SL6 1AY

Reading, Berkshire
A33 Reading Relief Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 6EL

Managed stores
Aldershot, Hampshire
(Opening 2014)
251, Ash Road
Aldershot
GU12 4DD
Tel  0845 4856415
aldershot@loknstore.co.uk

Ashford, Kent  
(from 28 March 2013)
Wotton Road
Ashford
Kent, TN23 6LL
Tel   01233 645500
Fax   01233 646000
ashford@loknstore.co.uk

Crawley, West Sussex
Sussex Manor Business Park
Gatwick Road
Crawley
RH10 9NH
Tel  01293 738530
crawley@loknstore.co.uk

Woking
Marlborough Road
Woking
GU21 5JG 
Tel  01483 378323
Fax  01483 722444
woking@loknstore.co.uk

71

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Our FinancialsNotes

72

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7Lok’nStore Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2013www.loknstore.com 

  Stock Code: LOK

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7L

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Head Office
Lok’nStore Group Plc

112 Hawley Lane

Farnborough

Hampshire GU14 8JE

Tel: 01252 521010

www.loknstore.co.uk

www.loknstore.com

22583-04  — 30-10-2013  — Proof 7