The Linford building group that includes stone and conservation specialists Linford-Bridgman has been placed in Administration, although six of the masons, including Stonemasonry Manager Andy Chamberlain, have been taken on by Leicester company Norman & Underwood.

The collapse of Linford Group, whose name goes back more than 130 years, comes as the latest business failures figures from Equifax show the construction sector continues to struggle, with a year-on-year rise in business failures of 22.6% in the third quarter.

Linford’s 240 employees were sent home on 13 October as Butcher Woods were appointed Administrators. Redundencies took immediate effect. Bad debts were being blamed for the closure. Richard Goodwin, of Birmingham-based Butcher Woods, appointed as Administrators, said: “The company is unfortunately another casualty of the difficulties currently being faced in the construction industry. We are doing what we can to work with all parties involved to maximise realisations.”

Read more about this in the November issue of Natural Stone Specialist magazine. Make sure you receive your own copy every month with an annual subscription. Click here to order your copy.