FEARS are growing that a quarry firm closure could lead to the loss of more than 100 jobs on Portland.

Administrators have been called in at Stone Firms with 50 jobs lost so far and nine remaining staff being retained while its owners try to rescue the operation.

And bosses from the building industry say double the number of jobs lost so far could ultimately go because of the impact on companies who rely on Stone Firms for work.

The blow comes days after 130 new jobs at the island’s new Tesco store were put on hold due to highways planning delays.

Michael Poultney, managing director of Albion Stone, said his company was owed £4,000 by Stone Firms.

Mr Poultney said his staff were safe as he was witnessing increased demand for Portland Stone but he feared for smaller companies.

He said: “For them this sort of money could be make or break.

“I suspect the knock-on effect will be devastating for a number of businesses on the island.”

Mr Poultney is hoping his company can pick up any contracts Stone Firms are unable to fulfil and ensure that the island retains the work in the longer term.

He said: “The accumulative effect for Portland could end up being the loss of the same number of jobs again as has been lost from Stone Firms.

“When a prime industry is based on an island like Portland there could be six times the number of jobs in the community as a result of the business being there.”

Stone Firms boss Geoff Smith is hoping to save the operation through the firm’s parent company Cladding Consultancy.

He said: “We are confident that Cladding Consultants could trade on by servicing debts to the bank and meeting all its obligations.”

“But the terms of the bank lending to Stone Firms mean Cladding Consultants is now also at risk of going into administration.”

Talks continue with the administrators KPMG and Barclays Bank.

Stone Firms has invested £2million in state-of-the-art technology at the new Easton Lane factory and sold Bottom Coombe quarry for the new Tesco store.

Mr Smith said the order book was “looking really healthy for 2011”.

He added: “A lot of livelihoods on Portland depend on this operation.

“As well as the jobs at Stone Firms there are hauliers and other sub-contractors.”

Richard Paisley, owner of Paisley Plant Hire, said a third of his work came through Stone Firms.

He will be keeping his workforce but agreed more jobs could go elsewhere. He said: “I would not be at all surprised.

“It’s the staff I feel sorry for. “They must have been one of the biggest independent employers on the island outside the prisons.”

* LEWIS RODD is clinging to the hope that Stone Firms can be saved.

Mr Rodd, 21, of Fortuneswell, joined Stone Firms within a year of leaving Royal Manor and loved working there.

He said: “I’ve got to move home to my mum and dad’s and sign on the dole.

“All my family has come from quarrying and this is one of the worst things that could have happened as I wanted to stay there as long as I could.

“It was an absolutely brilliant job. I loved it.

“To be honest it was the one job where I knew I belonged and fitted in well.

“It was emotional for a lot of us as we are all Portlanders and I hope the same guys can come back as a lot of them have been there for 30 years.”

Administrators KPMG said nine staff had been retained as they looked for a buyer to rescue the company ‘or its business and assets as a going concern’.

Any interested parties can contact Richard Harvey by email at richard.harvey@kpmg.co.uk