If, like me, you’ve ever looked for office space in and around Lichfield you’ll know how hard it can be.

Instead of property listings you get faced with page after page of estate agent listings that don’t even give a web site or e-mail address.

That’s why I was so excited yesterday when Lichfield District Council released a public beta of their new commercial property database.

The database is really easy to use; giving you the options of industrial, land, retail or office space and allowing you to type in the area where you’re looking – a great improvement on sites that force a selection from a drop-down box.

Another great feature is the minimum and maximum square footage, allowing you to filter out a huge amount of properties that aren’t suitable. You can also add any keywords that might refine your search.

There are a few things that need improvement but otherwise it’s a great start to a great service.

If you have commercial property to rent you can contact Jackie Jones on 01543 308 254 or e-mail [email protected].

To give feedback during the beta phase, e-mail [email protected].