Weston's Grand Pier builders face fee for delays

The original pavilion was destroyed in July 2008

A building firm is being charged £10,000 a day after its work to complete Weston-super-Mare's Grand Pier was delayed.

John Sisk & Son was expected to hand over the keys to the pier's pavilion on 25 June, but now it may not be ready until the end of July.

Both the company and pier co-owner Kerry Michael said there was no dispute between them and that they are working together to complete the project.

Fire destroyed the last pavilion.

Kerry Michael, the co-owner of the pier, said: "There's an element of frustration, but when you see the effort everybody is putting in to try and get us up and running, and you realise just how far we've come in quite a short period of time, you certainly can't be angry.

"Every contract of this size has financial penalties. I won't call it a bun fight, but there's always a deal to be done at the end of a contract.

"There will be elements where they've done a bit of extra work and we'll owe them money and there will be elements where they owe us money."

Mr Michael said he had a "great relationship" with the company: "We are all on the same side, just trying to get over the line."

He said they were hoping to be open by the end of the month.

A spokesman for John Sisk & Son said he could not comment on the financial penalty being imposed.

He said: "We are working closely with Grand Pier to get it open as soon as possible."

An electrical fault is thought to have caused the fire which destroyed the previous pavilion in July 2008.