The Melrose-based construction company, operational since 1946 and specialised in residential house building, faced severe financial strain due to difficulties on a construction contract.

After exploring the options available to them, the directors made the difficult decision to seek the appointment of joint provisional liquidators, appointing Mr Nimmo and Mr McAlinden on 7 February 2024.

Given the financial position of the company, the business has ceased to trade and regrettably, all 23 members of staff have been made redundant. The joint provisional liquidators’ immediate priority is on ensuring the impacted employees are given full support to submit redundancy claims to the relevant Government department.

Mr McAlinden, head of Interpath Advisory in Scotland and joint provisional liquidator, said: “It is sad to see this well-established, family-owned business enter into liquidation.

“Persistent strong headwinds, including cost inflation, tight margins and labour shortages, are continuing to impact companies across the housebuilding and wider construction industry and unfortunately, in the case of J S Crawford, they were too difficult to overcome.

“The directors had worked hard to explore other options but unfortunately, had no option but to place the company into provisional liquidation. We will endeavour to provide any and all support to those workers impacted by redundancy during this difficult time.”

Michael Crawford, director of J S Crawford, said: “It was with great sadness and regret that after 50 years of trading, J.S. Crawford (Contracts) Borders has ceased trading, with the loss of 23 jobs.

“It is something I had been desperately trying to avoid, and had hoped that the company could trade out, but unfortunately, the necessary backing from suppliers and funders was not there.”

Mr Crawford explained: “The failure of my business is due in the main to the delay in completion of the West Grove project. Over the past year additional and unsustainable interest charges combined with rampant cost inflation has resulted in a significant loss on the project.

“The shareholder had been supporting the business, but these efforts were ultimately in vain, and so the only option remaining was to liquidate the company.”