DeepStore was selected as The National Archives preferred option in 2003 after a full tender exercise to identify a storage supplier who could meet the necessary environmental standards to house part of a large paper collection.
The National Archives requirement was to find a secure, suitable and cost-effective storage facility that complied with BS 5454 standards (superseded by PD 5454:2012), providing the capacity to meet long term storage needs as well as access to the collection.
In selecting DeepStore, opinion was obtained from HM Inspectorate
of Mines and other expert environmental consultants.
The security of the underground storage and the natural environmental conditions found in the mine along with a competitive cost structure were the key elements of the successful tender.
The initial relocation of documents to DeepStore saw 25 linear km of records move to Winsford in 2003 which has since accrued to 33 linear km.
A bespoke, secure and auditable retrieval service specifically designed around The National Archives’ customer service and key business standards is also provided.
Tom Gregan, Head of Document Services at The National Archives said:
“The National Archives have a very close and transparent working relationship with DeepStore which has proved to be of mutual benefit. Clear communication links, reliability of service and a sound understanding of The National Archives’ business requirements are contributing factors to our successful association.”