The collapse comes after creditor ACS Stainless Steel Fixings lodged a winding-up petition against Harlequin, which had been due to be heard at the High Court in Leeds on 8 September.

Marco Piacquadio and Alan Coleman of FTS Recovery have now been appointed administrators.

Harlequin was founded in 2011 and grew into a sizeable brickwork, masonry and scaffolding specialist operating on major residential schemes across London and the South East.

At its peak the business employed more than 500 site operatives alongside over 50 office staff and was turning over around £24m.

More recent accounts showed turnover dropping from £18.5m in 2022 to £10.5m in 2023, when pre-tax profit stood at £151,000.

Harlequin built up a track record on several high-profile schemes including Berkeley Homes’ One Tower Bridge, where its brickwork and stonework package was worth £3.5m.

Other projects listed by the firm include Bracknell town centre for Hill, Colindale Gardens, Kew Bridge and Brentford Football Stadium and residential schemes in Staines and Wandsworth.

The firm was founded by Billy Sutcliffe who remained as the only director after James McGrail stepped down as finance director last month.