Employees confirmed the news on social media with one director stating: “Sadly the Pollard adventure has come to an end.

“A combination of issues, some of which predate the current management team which took on the company in 2011, has led to the decision that the company is no longer viable and had no option other than to close.

“It has to be the worst day of my business life having to tell so many loyal and dedicated staff that they had lost their jobs.”

The business was based in Bridgwater and was founded in 1860.

It’s profile on LinkedIn states: “Pollard are a regional contractor with a reputation for quality and have undertaken a wide range of high profile construction projects across the South West.

“Our team place great value on maintaining excellent relationships with clients and consultants and we believe strongly that the extra value we can deliver in terms of reliability, quality, openness and integrity underpins these partnerships.

“We operate collaboratively to deliver projects on time and budget, working closely with our approved supply chain, who have contributed to our success. Using regionally based sub-contractors ensures we make a significant contribution to the local economy.”

Latest accounts for the year to March 31 2020 show a pre-tax profit of £177,888 from turnover of £24.1m with 41 staff on the payroll.