UK’s oldest demolition contractor steps away from industry amidst recession.
With a history that can be traced back to 1855, Goodman Price Demolition bills itself as the UK’s oldest demolition contractor. In more than a century and a half, the company has endured two World Wars, survived eight monarchs and 30 prime ministers, and seen off countless fluctuations in economic fortune and market sentiment.
But DemolitionNews understands that the company has now been forced to put its demolition activities on the back-burner while the current recession has destroyed workloads and eroded margins in the company’s South East of England territory.
DemolitionNews has spoken to the company but its directors have justifiably chosen not to speak publicly on the matter at this time. We understand, however, that Goodman Price has laid off all its demolition-related personnel and will be running with a skeleton staff in the hope that the move out of demolition proves to be temporary.
The fact that the company has managed what equates to a “soft-landing”, avoiding bankruptcy and debt is certainly to be applauded, and is a testament to the company’s financial acumen. But following hot on the heels of the collapse of both Controlled Group and, more recently, Armoury Demolition, it is another bitter blow for the beleaguered UK demolition sector.
