Avonside Roofing Collapse Leaves £33.5m Sheffield Council Project Half Done

FOLLOWING the collapse last week of Avonside, the company’s £33.5 million contract with Sheffield City Council to repair and renew the roofs on around 7,000 homes over five years has been left incomplete.

Avonside Roofing, part of the Avonside Group, was contracted to upgrade council house roofs, improving insulation and repairing and renewing roofs as necessary.

Starting in 2020, the project was supplied by Marley and had completed the first two years’ phases in the Hackenthorpe and Handsworth and Richmond areas of Sheffield. Year three of the five-year project in Burngreave, Shiregreen, and Fir Vale was half completed with the project scheduled to end in 2026.

The Council was left concerned for its residents who are waiting for repairs to their roofs or are living in properties where work is already underway.

Janet Sharpe, Sheffield Council’s Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services, said: “One of our roofing contractors, Avonside Roofing, has gone into administration and our priority now is to make sure residents who have been promised work will see that work completed.

“Any half-finished work will be checked to make sure is it safe and good until another contractor is appointed. Completed work will be guaranteed and leaseholders who are paying for their work will not be double-charged.

“We appreciate that this is a worrying time for residents, and we are doing everything we can to mitigate against any risks. We will continue to keep all residents affected by this situation up-to-date.”

Avonside Collapse

Avonside Group appointed administrators Begbies Traynor on 7 September 2022. The UK’s largest roofing contractor, Avonside employed 456 people. It also employed up to 1,200 subcontracted workers, a number of whom were owed payments when the company collapsed.

Since the liquidation of the company on 7 September, 9 Avonside Roofing branches have been sold, saving 79 jobs. Avonside Energy has also been saved through a management buyout funded by the private investor Rcapital, securing another 100 jobs.

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