Liquidators called in as construction firm wound up

Wednesday 05 December 2018

One of Guernsey's construction firms has been placed into voluntary liquidation with immediate effect, following a number of high profile projects carried out across the island.

One of the most high profile redevelopment projects Malcolm Gallienne, trading as Mac Gallienne Construction Limited, carried out was on Fountain Street where he rebuilt some of the former Gabriel's shops.

Initial work on numbers 28 and 30 Fountain Street went well, and Mac Gallienne Construction Limited went into partnership with others to work on the next two shops on the hill too. 

Pictured: No. 28-34 Fountain Street were former Gabriel's shops which have been redeveloped.  

Mr Gallienne entered into an agreement with David and Emma Hodge and Elizabeth Fitzgerald to work on numbers 32 and 34 Fountain Street, with the redevelopment work initially proving profitable. The proceeds of the sale of one of the flats within one of the redeveloped Gabriel's shops is listed as £248,000, but there were queries over 'unresolved borrowings' and 'stated investment sums' with the parties involved all represented at an ordinary court hearing last week to finalise matters and to formallly end that partnership.

The court heard that the parties involved with Fountain Street Developments Limited, had previously agreed to end their business relationship in January 2017, with the applicants (the Hodges and Ms Fitzgerald) agreeing to sell their shares in FSDL to Mr Gallienne. That matter was never resolved and lawyers were appointed in April of this year, leading to last week's court hearing.

During that court hearing liquidators were appointed to FSDL. Grant Thornton is overseeing the administration of the company with Jamie Toynton and Ben Rhodes doing the work. Any creditors of FSDL should contact Grant Thornton directly. 

Following last week's court hearing, it was also decided that Mac Gallienne Construction Limited should enter into a voluntary winding up process.

Stuart Arthur Gardner and Patrick Joseph Brazil of Ernst and Young were appointed as Joint Liquidators for Mac Gallienne Construction Ltd and are overseeing the winding up.

Creditors need to contact them, via Royal Chambers, St Julian's Avenue, before 10 January 2019. 

Pictured: Some of the old features from the Gabriel's shops were incorporated into the work done to the former shops.

The Gabriel's chain of shops all closed for good eleven years ago, with work to redevelop the buildings, with their iconic frontage, taking place over a number of years.

Some of the original features still remain with the work carried out by Mac Gallienne Construction Ltd including the restoration of shop entrances and doorways. 

Pictured top: Fountain Street.