Up to 40 per cent of Thakeham’s staff were furloughed under the job protection scheme. CEO Rob boughton said the business outlook in the first lockdown was ‘shrouded in uncertainty’ so the firm chose to safeguard jobs and comply with health and safety guidelines by furloughing staff. But he added: “Since then, the outlook for the construction industry has become much clearer. At our last board meeting we unanimously decided to voluntarily return all the money we have received through the furlough scheme. We have repaid over £200,000 to HMRC. “We know some larger UK businesses have either returned, or pledged to return furlough money. However, this is rare for a business of our size. We simply believe that other people need this money more than us. Our values must always match those of the national community creator we aspire to become.” Thakeham was launched in 2003. Today, the firm employs close to 200 people with a turnover of over £100 million.