McLeans to lay off 50 staff

David McLean Group has blamed the "tightening financial market" for the loss of more than 10% of its 400-strong workforce.

Frank Reil, group managing director, said: "In response to the tightening of the financial market and the downturn in workloads in our main contract and retail framework divisions, the board has conducted a preliminary review of the David McLean Group businesses to ensure our operations are in line with the current market.

"The outcome of this is a proposed re-organisation of staffing structures across the group."

The news comes at the end of what has been a troubled year for the Deeside and Liverpool-based David McLean Group, with David McLean himself having to come out of retirement in June to turn around his company's fortunes after it was damaged by weak profits and a £7m write-off.