GOB THE BUILDER
Bust firm’s boss boasts about flash cars as workers plead for lost wages
A Mustang- driving construction boss bragged to former staff about his luxury lifestyle as workers battled to get unpaid wages.
Joe Chambers, 46, boasted he owned apartments abroad, a £ 500,000 home and a fleet of topof-the-range cars in a text message he sent to former workers.
Out-of-pocket staff claim they are owed thousands of pounds in wages after his building firm went bust with debts of almost £1million.
In a text message exchange passed to the Sunday Mail, a former worker quizzed Chambers, who is linked to a number of c ompa n ie s, on h i s t rouble d businesses.
But the arrogant bodybuilder, who has been seen driving about Lanarkshire in his bright yellow Mustang, fired back to mock the man for living in a flat, writing: “Two flats abroad, Range Rover, Mustang, two Jeeps, Porsche, 500K house. F****** hard life innit.”
One of Chambers’ f irms, JC Groundworks and Civils Limited, which he set up in September 2019
folded ed iinn May.
Administrators of the firm, which carried out work for the NHS, including at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, have said the company went liquidation. Liquidator Blair Nimmo, of Interpath Advisory, said the firm owed £ 610,000 to the taxman. Only months before it collapsed, Chambers set up another building company called JC Construction Sco Limited, with the slogan “Digging deeper for trust, building relationships.”
But that firm – which has also landed a number of lucrative public contracts, including work at the Edinburgh Trams project – appapp e a r s t o h a v e a l s o h i t problems. problem
Disgruntled D staff at JC Groundworks Gro and Civils Ltd have hav said that JC Construction Sco, which has sponsored SPFL club Albion Rovers, has stopped trading, trad with more workers and suppliers supp owed thousands of pounds. poun
Chambers Ch told the Sunday Mail that both companies had been “liquidated”.
He hhas now also set up a third civil enengineering and groundwork
firm called Acaen Limited. The married dad of four’s public Facebook page is full of claims of a lavish lifestyle, including foreign holidays and hospitality day outs at Celtic Park.
Two of the cars at his detached home in an upmarket area of Cambuslang have private number plates.
But one, according to the Department and Vehicle Licensing Agency, a white Fiat Fullback, has expired road tax, making it illegal to drive on a public road.
Disgusted former staff have set up a Facebook page called Pay-Up Joe warning workers to avoid his firms.
One ex-worker, who didn’t want to be named, said: “His name is mud in the construction industry. I’m owed around £2000 and I’m far from alone.
“There is a host of workers out of pocket — working men trying to make a living.”
Another former member of staff said: “They’ve not been paid for their work. He can’t face the people his firm owes money to.
“Something really needs to be done because this is causing havoc
with people’s lives.” A supplier who claims he is owed thousands of pounds by JC Construction Sco said: “He likes to play the big man but he’s out his depth.
“What’s worse is he keeps repeating the same pattern.”
No one answered the door or phone at JC Construction Sco HQ in Cambuslang.
But an unapologetic Chambers later said out- of-pocket workers would get pay back via taxpayerfunded protection schemes.
He t old t he Su nd ay Ma i l: “I’m su re you k now how t he construction industry works.
“Both companies are liquidated and employees got monies due through government schemes in place.
“I’m also sure you aware there is two sides to every story and the employees you mention are the reason for the company’s demise through poor site management despite being paid above average salaries to carry out their roles.
“Unfortunately, I am a working guy and have a family to provide for and over a hundred thousand pounds lost in the failed business which needs to be paid back.”