The company which owns a large Wolverhampton industrial estate has gone into administration, leaving small businesses fearing for their future.

Companies including a cafe, builders merchants and a welding firm at Bushbury’s Bluebird Industrial Estate this week received letters saying administrators had been called in to Countrywide Homes Ltd.

The Park Lane estate is home to 30 businesses and the site is where radios used to be manufactured by The Ever Ready Company around 40 years ago.

Mother-of-one Helen Western, who owns the Bluebird Cafe, said: “No-one knows what is going to happen. The first we heard of any problems was when we got the letters on Monday. It’s a very worrying time.”

Miss Western bought her portable cabin cafe six years ago but still pays ground rent to the estate owner. She employs three people.

She said: “I’m really worried my electricity will be cut off. What I’ll do if it goes I just don’t know.”

Shane Gibbon, aged 52, runs Webgibb, a welding and fabrications firm that employs three other people.

The married father-of-two, who set up his business in 1981, said: “There are a number of well-established firms here.

“If the site is sold and we are all moved off, then I don’t know where everyone will go.

“This site is important to Wolverhampton and there aren’t many other places to rent in the city.”

Mike Silverstone, aged 62, who owns one of the longest-running businesses on the industrial estate, Parkfield Electro Plating Co Ltd, is worried the estate’s security guard would be laid off, leaving the site open to burglars.

Mr Silverstone moved to the Bluebird Industrial Estate 30 years ago and employs 15 workers.

He remains optimistic, adding: “I understand there is a lot of interest in the site. I don’t think we’ll have to move off.”

Mr Silverstone’s firm supplies metal parts to Chubb Locks Custodial Services.

The management company in charge of the day-to-day dealings on the industrial estate is Fifield Glyn, who were unavailable for comment, as was Countrywide Homes Ltd.