Jobs saved after conservatory firm pre-pack

AROUND 300 jobs have been saved at a Blackburn conservatory manufacturer after it was bought in a pre-pack deal.

Administrators appointed to the Burnden Group on January 27 said the business and its assets were sold on the same day to K2 Conservatories, an associated company.

Joint administrator Phil Duffy blamed the firm’s problems on the recession.

He said: “The administration follows the continuing pressure on the sector due to the recession.  Unfortunately conservatory manufacturers and retailers were no expectation, creating an untenable situation for the Burnden Group and contributing to it entering into administration. 

Mr Duffy said the same management team will continue in the “immediate period” following the sale.

Records at Companies House shows Burnden is owned by Sally Fielding, who was also a director of K2 until last month, along with former Burnden director Stephen Beckett.

According to these documents Mr Beckett terminated his directorships at both companies in December. Ms Fielding stepped down as a director at K2 in January when a new director, James Sheffield, joined the board.

In 2007 Burnden emerged from an eight year legal battle with its Clitheroe rival Ultraframe.

The dispute centred on the intellectual property rights of two Ultraframe subsidiaries, Northstar and Seaquest which had previously been owned by Burnden founder Gary Fielding. The Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the Burnden Group.