Twenty-five jobs have been lost through the closure of a family-run Bradford timber firm which has been forced out of business after suffering significant losses due to the double-dip recession.

C R Taylor (Timber) Ltd, which has operated at Denholme since 1960, suffered as customers such as major house builders forced down prices and squeezed its profit margins.

However, five jobs have been saved in Bradford following the sale of part of the business to former chairman Charles Taylor, who will run the cash-and-carry timber business from its depot in Thornton Road.

Ironically, the Thornton Road site remains in operation after surviving the axe in the 2008 downturn after an outcry from customers.

The depot opened in the 1990s to supply local builders and tradesmen.

Mr Taylor said he would be focusing on developing the operation, which had remained reasonably untouched by the severe downturn in business which hit the rest of the group.

He said: “The Thornton Road operation is in a good site and I’m optimistic that by focusing entirely on that business we can remain successful. I’ve been in this trade since I was 16 and don't know anything else, so I'm determined to keep this operation going and build it up.”

The demise of C R Taylor (Timber) Ltd came as demand fell away in recent months following an optimistic start to the year.

In January Taylor said it was looking to double sales of roof trusses and joists to £2 million each and sales of I-joists were up 15 per cent on 2010, with a further 80 per cent growth expected this year.

But as the winter wore on business fell away as a result of the double-dip recession which saw the construction sector suffer a 14 per cent decline in April.

The business had faced tough times previously. In 2007 sales slumped by 40 per cent.

Between 2008 and 2011 trade continued to decline, leading to significant losses in spite of a survival strategy put in place by the directors.

In early June they tried unsuccessfully to sell the business and after deciding it could not trade itself out of the depression decided to put the business into administration.

Paul Whitwam and Gary Blackburn of corporate recovery and insolvency firm BWC in Leeds were appointed administrators on July 6 and sold the Thornton Road depot as a going concern to Charles Taylor.

They are now seeking buyers for the company’s main engineered timber business, although operations at the 13-acre Denholme site have ended and employees laid off. The C R Taylor (Timber) Limited business name is also for sale, along with customer lists and other assets.

The administrators urge interested parties to call (0113) 243343.