Avonside Group Services Limited – administration

Avonside Group Services Limited, the UK’s largest roofing contractor, which provided specialist roofing, energy and plumbing services operating through 39 branches across three divisions – Avonside Roofing, Avonside Energy and Avonside Plumbing – entered administration on 7 September. The Group, which employed 456 people, cited a period of disrupted trading during the pandemic, margin squeeze, the impact of underperforming divisions and financial reporting issues as the main drivers behind the administration. Joint administrators Kirstie Provan and Gary Shankland of Begbies Traynor have secured the sale of nine Avonside Roofing branches to an undisclosed industry buyer, preserving 79 jobs. The joint administrators were unable to find suitable buyers for the remaining Roofing and Plumbing sites within the Group, which are expected to be closed imminently. The Group’s Energy division continues to operate out of its seven branches, and a sale is expected to be concluded in the near term.