The UK is seeing a rise in companies collapsing into administration due to rising costs and other financial difficulties. Unfortunately, with many businesses forced to shut, most, if not all, employees are being made redundant. However, it's good news for this one Scottish business which fell into administration, but has now been saved.

Christies (Fochabers), a nursery and tree-growing operation based in Moray, was appointed joint administrators, Graham Smith and Michelle Elliot, of FRP Advisory on September 10. The two completed the sale of the company's business and assets to Albra Trees Limited, a specialist supplier of trees and hedging plants, on Tuesday, February 3.

Christies has been supplying agricultural equipment and gardening essentials to customers across Scotland for centuries, but unfortunately collapsed into administration after experiencing cash-flow pressures in recent years.

The administrators said: "The family business invested significantly in its operations, including grading facilities, cold store refrigeration and modern agricultural equipment. The Arradoul site comprises a range of agricultural buildings, plant and machinery, tree stocks and associated land.

"The company experienced increasing cash-flow pressures in the period leading up to the appointment, which ultimately led to the decision to enter administration."

Trade continued as usual while a buyer was sought. The company employed 32 members of staff, who were all able to be secured as part of the sale, with the administrators adding that the transfer ensures "continuity for staff, customers and suppliers", reports The Herald.

New owners, Alba Trees, based in East Lothian, is already the UK's largest producer of cell-grown trees. The administrators say that the company will be able to "serve new customers while deepening relationships with existing clients and provide a more resilient, flexible one-stop solution across stock types and planting needs".

Mr Smith added: "We're pleased to have secured a buyer in Alba Trees that has the expertise and scale to build on Christies' heritage, and we would like to thank the staff and customers for their continued support throughout the process. We wish Alba Trees every success as it takes the business forward."

The Chrisities of Fochabers garden centre was bought by Simpsons Garden Centres last June. Christies' garden centre was first established in 1820. According to property agent Christie & Co, which handled the sale, the fifth generation of the Christie family decided to sell the centre to allow them to retire.