Two more Jersey construction businesses have ceased trading in the past week, dealing a further blow to the island’s building sector.
The Style Group – encompassing Style Windows, Style Homes, Style Interiors, and the long-established construction firm AC Mauger – has confirmed it has stopped trading and intends to enter winding-up procedures. Meanwhile, Amplus Limited, which has served the construction industry in the UK and Channel Islands since 1999, ceased trading on 11 August.
The latest closures of well established business will send shockwaves across the economy, with many secondary business affected by unpaid bills or cancelled work.
The Jersey Chamber of Commerce has expressed concern that the Island will lose its capacity to deliver housing, schools and other essential projects if more firms go under.
Mike Osborne, Chair of Chamber’s Building, Housing and Environment Committee, said: “We need tangible action now that will reduce the risk of further businesses getting into difficulty, and risk losing the opportunities for keeping and developing skills in this vitally important sector of the economy. Government is the biggest client and influencer of activity in the construction sector, but it needs to understand the importance of the multiplier effect that comes through construction value into the broader economy. We want to work with Government, whenever and however possible, to bring activity to construction sites quickly.
“We need a procurement process that is rapid, reduces bureaucracy and supports local business. That will allow them to invest, employ, train and ultimately maintain a sector that will thrive again.”
Murray Norton, CEO of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce, added: “Chamber has been consistently calling for the release of capital projects as the government is by far the biggest customer for building and construction services. Earlier this month we welcomed the Government’s Investing in Jersey programme, but it needs to be fast-tracked to improve facilities and the public realm, providing an urgently required pipeline for this sector.
“Without headline projects that local construction companies can bid for, we are concerned that further closures in this sector will be inevitable and skilled tradespeople will be lost to Jersey’s economy. There is a clear need for a broad range of investment, including infrastructure, housing, repairs, maintenance and improvement. We must make it happen.”
