Start your new life

Local business Britannia Lanes helps happy clients from across the country kickstart their dream relocation to Cornwall.

This month, our cover feature celebrates the great Cornish staycation – and who wouldn’t want to visit this beautiful part of the world, time and time again? But, for ever more people, a holiday just isn’t enough and they are making the permanent move here. Cornwall offers both the ultimate lifestyle change and the perfect retirement, especially for those who are escaping the stresses of city life.

“Our approach is centred on listening to our clients’ needs and then accommodating them as best as possible”

One company that sees a lot of relocations is Cornish removals company, Britannia Lanes. Established over 40 years ago and built on a solid reputation, this family-run business has helped many happy families start their new lives in Cornwall over the years. Many out of county clients use Britannia Lanes as a company they know they can trust; the string of independent five-star reviews speak for themselves. So, if it’s time to make your own escape, Managing Director, Mark Lane, tells us how he can help make it a reality.

Britannia Lanes offers a comprehensive removals and storage service, tailored to your specific needs – there’s no one-size-fits-all here. “Our approach is centred on listening to our clients’ needs and then accommodating them as best as possible,” explains Mark. “This often includes informing them on alternative solutions that they may not have thought of – giving them options, to either save money or reduce the hassle for them.”

Indeed, taking the stress away from the client, giving them more time to focus on the relocation and the new lifestyle they are about to enjoy, is what Mark thrives on. This is one of the great benefits of using this Cornish business: they know the roads and practicalities of a Cornish move better than anyone – ideal when you need to contend with narrow country lanes and cobbled harbours, which whilst pretty can be logistically challenging. Mark’s son, Matt Lane, is the company’s Operations Director, tasked with coordinating the trucks, ensuring everything runs smoothly as you would expect. Another perk is the possibility of one-way mileage, offered for selected dates, which can provide savings of up to £700!

Two other technical innovations include the online instant price calculator, which gives a good indication of what the removal might cost, and the video survey – ideal for out-of-county clients, where a home visit is unfeasible. Mark personally responds to each quote individually, following up with more detailed information.

However, the video survey is the really smart bit – a great example of a service that goes above and beyond. Using specially developed software, the client gives a tour of their house via their smartphone or tablet. “We get a very clear understanding of their needs and concerns,” says Mark. “Having some face-to-face interaction, albeit through technology, helps to provide a personal touch – we’re not just an anonymous company!”

From this video survey, Mark uses his experience to work out the number of boxes and overall volume required, creating a detailed itinerary. It’s an extremely effective way of identifying any issues, such as items that will require extra special care, in advance of arrival. Britannia Lanes has been using this technology for just over 12 months and Mark says the feedback has been phenomenal. “It’s much more accurate than the typical estimate,” says Mark, “plus crews are better informed on what to expect and what packaging they’ll need.”

In the last few months, for example, Britannia Lanes has carried out several relocations with high value or irreplaceable items including pianos, large oil paintings, grandfather clocks, mantle clocks and large antique tables. But nothing is too much trouble for the crews, who treat every move with the respect that they would with their own items. This is exactly what you want when moving all your prized possessions and starting your new life elsewhere.

So, if you are thinking of making that move yourself, stop thinking and put the plan in action! Why not start by visiting the Britannia Lanes website and going from there? It might just be the smartest move you ever make!