Queen’s builder Fairhurst Ward Abbotts goes under

Aaron Morby 10 years ago
Share

Long-established historic building restoration specialist Fairhurst Ward Abbotts has gone into administration.

More than 200 staff with the Dartford-based firm are understood to have received letters informing them they have been made redundant.

The news comes as two other contractors – Nottingham M&E specialist D H Fathers and Tyneside builder Turney Wylde Construction – also entered administration bringing total job losses to over 400 this week.

FWA was established back in 1941 and holds the royal warrant for building and decorating services to the Queen.

The firm built up a countrywide reputation for delivering renovation and refurbishment of historic properties, plus luxury new build projects.

As well as the Royal Palaces, FWA worked on some of the UK’s finest historic buildings including the National Galley, the V&A and Chatsworth House.

Kevin Brush - managing director of Fairhurst Ward Abbotts,

In 2006, ex-surveyor Kevin Brush (above) bought a majority stake in the then £10m turnover firm and launched FWA on an expansion drive as managing director.

In recent years, the builder grew strongly and was projecting to raise turnover from around £50m to over £80m.

According to its last accounts the firm’s 246-strong team includes 148 directly employed craftspeople and tradesman.

It recently completed the £2.5m restoration of Hoxton Hall, one of Britain’s few surviving Victorian music halls and won trade magazine awards for its restoration of Bletchley Park, the famous home of the Second World War’s Enigma codebreakers.

Begbies Traynor (Central) took over as the administrators yesterday afternoon.

Also this week administrators from Newcastle corporate recover specialist Tait Walker took control of Wallsend building contractor Turney Wylde Construction.

Turney Wylde was established in 1967 and built its business working with local authorities, housing associations and commercial clients in the region on new-build and refurbishment projects up to £7.5m.

The firm was bought from the Wylde family by managing director Ken Parkin and fellow director Ian Cuthbertson in 2011 in the depths of recession.

Ken Parkin Turney Wylde

Parkin (above), who was a former Skanska project director, joined the firm in 2009 and prided the company on developing talent from site starters to managers.

The last set of accounts filed at Companies House showed the firm turned over nearly £6m in 2013 but had high hopes of doubling this last year to its more traditional trading position as more contracts were won.

Many of the 80 staff had been with the firm for over 25 years.

Another long-established Nottingham firm, M&E specialist D H Fathers, also entered administration with the loss of up to 100 jobs this week.

The £16m turnover contractor was established back in 1957 and worked on many projects for Blue Chip clients.

Latest news

13-year-old becomes UK’s youngest qualified digger driver

Grandson of Gallagher Group chairman sets industry record
5 hours ago

Cubby reborn in £12m Svella-backed takeover

£50m revenue target set as 14 firms combine under new Cubby Group banner
20 hours ago

North East NHS trusts plot £3bn health estate overhaul

Market engagement begins for major construction push across four trusts
20 hours ago

HG goes green on cranes in £1.2m switch to battery power

Diesel-free crane drive cuts fuel bills by 94%
21 hours ago

Developer fined £165,000 for fire safety failings

Firm ignored fire safety orders on apartment job in Preston
21 hours ago

Bidding to start for £1.8bn North West framework

Contractors invited to bid for latest Procure Partnerships deal
21 hours ago

Hill hits record £90m profit as homes pipeline swells

Build-to-rent push and £4.8bn contracting book to fuel next growth phase
2 days ago

Rayner unveils £39bn plan to build 300,000 social homes

Council building revival and rent reform feature in social and affordable homes plan
2 days ago

Keltbray bounces back with £3.2m profit

Tighter controls and smarter project selection fuel strong turnaround
2 days ago

VINCI JV wins 500-home twin town centre revamps

Chester Northgate phase 2 and Northwich Weaver Square schemes move to delivery stage
2 days ago

80 energy projects unlocked as Ofgem backs grid expansion

£24bn energy networks deal gets green light from regulator
3 days ago

How to see your stories on the Enquirer

Join our Suppliers and Buyers directory to get your news published
2 days ago

Henley lands Midland Mill revamp on Leeds tower scheme

Restoration of 18th-century mill kicks off on South Bank regeneration project
2 days ago

New boss at Eric Wright Civil Engineering

Gavin Hulme takes top job as Diane Bourne moves to group role
2 days ago

Pinewood submits £1bn data centre plan

Studio giant adds green and learning spaces to tech hub blueprint
3 days ago

Record results after TClarke goes private

Britain's biggest M&E contractor flourishes after de-listing
3 days ago

Dalkia lands £200m nuclear maintenance deal

1,000 nuclear FM staff to join M&E contractor
3 days ago

Construction comeback to outpace wider economy

Arcadis forecast fueled by spending review optimism
4 days ago

First steel goes up on giant car battery site

Severfield gets to work on McAlpine Somerset site
4 days ago

Permasteelisa wins cladding deal on Bovis city tower

Facade specialist lands package at 60 Gracechurch Street
3 days ago

Fox buys recycled asphalt specialist Fisher

Acquisition adds major recycled asphalt capacity in north west
4 days ago

Major Building Safety Regulator shake-up to end tower delays

HSE stripped of control and top fire chiefs brought in to fast-track stalled schemes
4 days ago

Hinkley trio sign Sizewell civils deal

Balfour,Bouygues and Laing O'Rourke form Civil Works Alliance for new power station
4 days ago

£3.9bn data centre plan for Ravenscraig steelworks

Green energy to power massive new steel to silicon AI campus
4 days ago

Breakthrough on HS2’s second longest tunnel

8.4 mile Northolt to Old Oak Common drive completes
4 days ago

Neilcott on fast-track to debt-free employee ownership

£22.5m loan nearly paid down after big profit year
4 days ago

TfL kicks off race for £700m Tube station upgrade

South Kensington and Elephant & Castle top the pipeline list
4 days ago

Corbyn Plant Hire fleet goes under the hammer

Kit to be sold off by sister firm to collapsed groundworks contractor
4 days ago

Government wields procurement stick on late payment

New rules would block slow payers from bidding on big public jobs
7 days ago

Hercules buys power line labour firm for £15.7m

Labour supply specialist snaps up Advantage NRG to tap booming electricity upgrade market
7 days ago