Stephenson Bell enters into administration

MCR has been appointed as administrator to Stephenson Bell Architects, three months after the Manchester-based firm entered into a company voluntary arrangement with creditors.

In March, the company's founders, Roger Stephenson and Jeff Bell, announced they were to split and Stephenson relaunched his practice as Roger Stephenson Architects.

The pre-pack sale of Stephenson Bell Architects to Roger Stephenson Architects is expected to be confirmed shortly.

Stephenson said the original firm had suffered from £500,000 of bad debt caused by large clients going into administration or liquidation during and after the recession.

Stephenson Bell Architects agreed a CVA with creditors to repay part of its debts but it has now emerged the firm was put into administration on 22 June. Place understands several staff have been made redundant. At the time of the CVA, Stephenson Bell Architects employed 28 staff.

All parties were unavailable for comment at this stage.