The Tewkesbury-based firm worked across the country on jobs up to £4m for oil companies like Shell and BP building petrol filling stations, and supermarkets such as Morrisons and Tesco.

Chairman John Parrott set up the business in 1969, which turned over around £11m last year and employed up to 100 staff.

Joint administrators from accountants Grant Thornton are currently looking at the viability of the company’s existing contracts and aim to maintain a scaled down workforce to complete ongoing projects, subject to successful negotiations with customers.

JP Construction had just picked up a series of jobs with Shell for petrol filling station developments at Newbury, Morden and Waltham Forest, and for a major supermarket chain at Inverness.

It was also in advanced negotiations to construct a food processing unit at Brackley.

A source at the firm said: “Most of the staff have gone. It’s a shame because we had quite a good orderbook. I think you just have to put it down to the effects of the prolonged recession.”

Grant Thornton has not been appointed administrator over the other associated group companies – JP Demolition and Petroleum Decommissioning, and TJP Homes.