From furniture business to business centre

Wise Group is a family-run business that has owned its premises for over 20 years. The journey began as Wiseaction Ltd, a furniture business importing ranges from South America, Australia and other locations across Asia, including the Porto, Pine, Wexford and Hamilton ranges, and selling over 500 containers in its strongest years.

After the 2007 recession reduced furniture sales, the company began letting out space in its 100,000 sq ft site, starting with the ESK discount chain's distribution operation, and then renting storage containers to the public. This led to the business changing its name to Hastings Wise Storage.

Over the following years storage grew to near full capacity, and empty offices once used by furniture staff were refurbished at a cost of £250,000 to create a London-style business environment — giving rise to The Wise Group, now offering offices, hot desking, meeting facilities and storage, with regular networking events for the local business community.