Housebuilder in talks over redundancies
A HARTLEPOOL housebuilder bought by its management team in October with a promise to “do everything possible” to safeguard jobs, is consulting over at least 50 redundancies.
Yuill Homes, which employs about 150 staff across 12 sites, said in a statement today: “We are doing everything we can to minimise the impact of these testing market conditions. However, we have reluctantly consulted with our staff over job losses.”
Among the more radical suggestions being considered is a switch to alternative week working, a temporary shut down, and a change in the company’s marketing policy in an effort to sell more properties to the public sector - a move encouraged by the National Housebuilders Federation and backed by the Government, which is likely to struggle to meet its social house building targets.
Yuill said it remained determined to trade its way through the downturn.
“We will continue to do everything possible to keep job cuts to an absolute minimum and to ensure that we remain a strong employer in the North-east,” the company said.
It added: “This consultation period has yet to be concluded and when it is, it will be our staff who we speak to first to confirm such difficult decisions.”
The company, which has been a fixture in the region for 80 years, was acquired by Newbridge Enterprises Ltd - a shareholding operation owned by the directors of Yuill Homes and the Bank of Scotland (Ireland) (BOSI) in October.
