Builder folds as creditors call time

BUILDING firm TJ Pybus Construction has gone into liquidation.

The 4m family business, set up in 2006 by Tom Pybus, carried out commercial and residential projects and saw strong growth in the period to early 2009.

The construction industry was hit hard by the recession, however, despite signs of a modest upturn at the start of the summer, and TJ Pybus was subject to a voluntary creditors liquidation last month.

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The firm, based in Leeds and with an office in Harrogate, has also been taken off the Federation of Master Builders' list of recommended contractors.

The liquidators' report on TJ Pybus said it had assets worth 74,600, but owed creditors 812,200. These include HM Revenue and Customs, which is owed more than 140,000, trade and expense creditors, which are owed 385,000, employee claims of 27,500 and subcontractor arrears of 12,600.

The report said the company had a total estimated deficiency of 712,400.

According to Companies House, TJ Pybus Construction had an outstanding mortgage with NatWest, registered in June last year.

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The firm grew in a short space of time and TJ Pybus had 42 staff late last year.

Mr Pybus's first job was a 1,000 chimney removal and he said he wanted to showcase the work of skilled tradesmen. He tried to differentiate the business from its rivals by embracing innovative practices, such as the use of CCTV technology to prove a live stream of major construction projects, meaning customers could monitor schemes in real time. The firm was also in the process of buying land to start developing its own houses.

Harrogate-born Mr Pybus was named young entrepreneur of the year at the Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards in 2009.

Documents at Companies House show TJ Pybus was wound up on October 19. DL Partnership, based in Huddersfield, has been appointed as liquidators.

Neither TJ Pybus nor DL Partnership could be reached for comment.