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Repairs and maintenance group Mears saw a 4% dip in turnover and a 7% decrease in pre-tax profit as its felt the impact of delays to works following the Grenfell disaster.

The Gloucester-based firm said its housing division saw a 9% revenue fall between the first and second halves of the year, with the operation eventually posting 拢766.1m, down 3% versus 2016.

Describing Grenfell as a 鈥渢errible event鈥�, David Miles, Mears鈥� chief executive said the disaster had affected the timing of planned maintenance workloads 鈥渁s clients鈥� attentions have naturally been diverted towards ensuring that their housing portfolios are safe and fully compliant鈥�.

Reporting total group turnover for the year to 31 December 2017 of 拢900.2m and pre-tax profit of 拢37.1m, down 7%, the return to profit of its care division 鈥� 拢500,000 on turnover of 拢134.1m 鈥� was a 鈥渃lear positive鈥�.

While he said he was pleased with the firm鈥檚 progress Miles said its overall financial performance in 2017 had been 鈥渄isappointing鈥�.

He went on: 鈥淚 understand the importance of delivering against our financial targets. Whilst some of the short-term challenges in housing could not have been anticipated, it was frustrating that a number of other opportunities, which could have helped mitigate these challenges, did not develop quickly enough.

鈥淣onetheless, I am pleased with the progress made over the last year across the entire Mears business and on a range of important indicators.鈥�

Miles said the group anticipated bidding for in excess of 拢2bn of work during the course of 2018, although revenues would not be delivered until 2019.

Mears also announced the creation of a new executive-level role. A new employee director would ensure that its board received 鈥渇ull, open and honest insight and views from its workforce on how strategic initiatives are being implemented and [in turn] will provide the wider workforce with a better understanding of how the board operates鈥�.

Applications for the two-year-long role would be open to all employees, Mears added.

Last year the group was hit by industrial action in Manchester, while a row also erupted over claims that workers were to be banned from sporting beards onsite in order that dust masks could work effectively 鈥� although goatee beards were apparently excluded from the restriction.