The continuing downturn in the building trade could spell dozens of job losses at a Witney firm. Bosses at Stewart Milne Timber Systems which employs 119 staff at its base in Curbridge Business Park, Downs Road, say up to 40 jobs will go across the division which includes its other operations in Aberdeen and Glasgow. A month-long consultation period has now started at the firm which specialises in building timber frame houses, affecting 66 workers, 33 of whom are based in Witney. Group managing director Alex Goodfellow said: “We have expected some form of recovery this year but that has not materialised and it looks like these conditions will continue for a couple more years at least. “But we still see Witney as a home for us for a long time to come.” The news will come as a shock to staff as earlier this year bosses revealed the company was back in profit after turning around its fortunes with chairman Stewart Milne saying management were “well placed to move ahead and grow our business.” The company is due to report its half-year financial results next Wednesday.