BUILDERS working on the outside of the Mansion House in York will be asked to finish the work, even though the main contractor has called in the administrators.

City council bosses are going to negotiate with subcontractors to get on with “specific and critical” work like scaffolding, facade cleaning, repair, redecoration and chimney flue lining; so that the scaffolding can come down in accordance with agreements with neighbours.

York-based firm William Anelay Ltd have been doing the restoration and renovation at the Mansion House, but the historic building specialist went into administration earlier this month.

A formal decision notice on the city council’s website shows that the authority has taken back responsibility for completing the works, and has made decisions on how to continue with the project.

It says the council will directly contract with a small number of contractors, previously subcontractors to Anelay, to undertake “limited specific and critical pre-agreed works” including scaffolding, facade cleaning, repair, redecoration and chimney flue lining.

York Press:

These pieces of work deemed to be the minimum necessary to make sure the outside work can be completed quickly, and the scaffolding can be brought down out of consideration for the Mansion House’s neighbours.

After that, the council is going to look for proposals from other contractors who previously tendered for the Mansion House works to finish the rest of works effectively.

As reported in The Press, the Mansion House was one of 17 live jobs being done by Anelay’s when it went into administration in early September.

A council spokesman said it was not yet possible to say whether the timescales for the project would be badly hit, but confirmed that of the £1.6 million project cost the council had £1.1 million left.

Earlier, the council’s deputy leader Cllr Keith Aspden expressed sadness at the company’s demise.

He said: “This is deeply regrettable news. City of York Council was fully committed to working alongside local contractor William Anelay Ltd - one of the world’s oldest construction companies.

“The authority would like to offer its sympathies and also its thanks to Chairman Charles Anelay, all their staff and suppliers for their work up-to-date on the Mansion House project.”

Around 130 workers and craftsmen were made redundant when the family owned firm, which had been trading since 1747, went into administration.