A statement of affairs lodged by administrator Begbies Traynor highlights the scale of debts in the wake of Beaumont Morgan’s collapse in January.

Directors at Beaumont Morgan blamed the contractor’s demise on a number of factors including delays on a design and build job in Sheffield which led to a legal dispute with the structural engineers.

The business also boosted staff numbers to 70 and increased its regional office network in anticipation of an increased pipeline of work which failed to materialise

A series of disputes with subcontractors also flared-up while projects were also put on hold by the pandemic.

Turnover dropped to £10.4m in the eight months to December 2021 from £54.1m in the previous 12 months and after losing disputes with a combined value of £8m the business was hit with winding-up petitions last last year.

Begbies Traynor said Beaumont Morgan has more than 200 trade creditors owed more than £7m with little chance of them seeing any of their money.

The main secured creditor was Fortis UK Holdings Ltd who were owed £4.4m.