Workforce made redundant as 160-year-old building firm closes
A 157-year-old South Yorkshire building firm has closed its doors with the loss of 57 jobs.
Mexborough-based George Hurst & Sons had been a family firm since it was founded in 1860 and passed from father to son – and daughter on one occasion during WWII – until a management buyout in 2008.
The firm’s most recent published accounts, for the year to October 2015, had showed a slight pre-tax profit of £142,000 on a turnover of £13m.
However losses incurred on three large contracts in recent months put too much pressure on the business, forcing the appointment of Gareth Rusling and Joanne Hammond, of Begbies Traynor in Sheffield, as administrators.
The decision was then made to close the business and make its 57 staff redundant.
Hammond said it was “very sad to see the demise of such a long-established business and the loss of jobs”.
She added: “Despite a heritage of more than 150 years, this business failed as the result of losses on three large contracts over the last six months and, unfortunately, there was insufficient work in the pipeline for the company to remain viable and enable it to continue trading.”
The company’s projects ranged from small domestic plumbing and building jobs to projects of £4m in value carrying out work for local authorities, health services, education, social services, housing associations and private clients.
