Scottish building firm UBC in administration

A construction firm which employs 277 people in Scotland has gone into administration.

UBC Group, formerly Uist Builders (Construction) Limited, has offices in Inverness, Glasgow and Tayside.

It also kept its original bases in Daliburgh and Stornoway on the Western Isles, where the company started 35 years ago.

The firm's contracts include building affordable housing and marine engineering projects.

Administrators Zolfo Cooper said UBC had suffered from the "widespread downturn" which was affecting the construction industry.

<bold>'Very sad day'</bold>

Joint administrator Elizabeth Mackay said: "The financial position facing the business was such that administration was the last remaining option available to the directors.

"Working with all stakeholders including employees, customers, suppliers and regional and national governments, our priority now is to stabilise the business and fully assess the financial position such that we can identify the best possible route forward under what are clearly difficult circumstances."

UBC managing director Seumas Pedrana said it was a "very sad day".

He added: "The directors have looked at every possible option to avoid administration but it became inevitable because of the general downturn in the building sector and the inability of some companies to pay us."