ANOTHER Bolton family business has hit financial trouble. Thomas Hough & Co Ltd of Bark Street has gone into administrative receivership and is now for sale as a going concern.

The 50-year-old company, which specialises in catering equipment design and service, has established a regional and national reputation.

David Swaden and Charles MacMillan of Manchester chartered accountants Leonard Curtis and Partners have been appointed joint administrative receivers.

Their spokesman said today that Thomas Hough & Co had experienced trading difficulties over the past 12 months which had included the loss of a major contract.

He added: "We do not plan making any redundancies and we are advertising the business with a view to a sale in the short term.

"There are a number of parties looking at the business at the moment."

The company was started by Thomas Hough in Derby Street, Bolton in 1946.

He supplied industrial wheels and casters to the local mills and then expanded to include kitchen items for mill canteens.

After he died the business was run by his widow Ann for three years before it was handed over in 1976 to her daughter and son-in-law, Dorothy and Graham Seed.

Mr and Mrs Seed built the business into a successful concern, moving to Bark Street in 1980.

Five years ago they opened a retail showroom on the site which made professional kitchen equipment available to amateur cooks.

There are 18 staff, including the directors, and the business includes a small shop and service centre in Kidderminster.

The news follows the problems experienced by Boydell's, the Bolton family toy store which went into liquidation.

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