West

In a candid interview for Inside Out West, Michelle Michael, who owns the Grand Pier with her brother Kerry, recalls the horror of that day in July when her hopes and dreams went up in flames.

She remembers looking out of her bedroom window first thing in the morning and feeling her heart sink.

Michelle raced down to the shoreline and was one of the first people to reach the pier as the pavilion succumbed to the flames. 

"I remember looking at the fire and thinking to myself, the flames aren’t bad; the smoke is only in one tower; it’s going to be okay.

"As I walked towards the pavilion and got closer to it I had an uneasy feeling when I looked up. I could see some more smoke coming out of the pavilion entrance.

"At that point, I realised we were in danger of losing everything up there. I think at that point in time I broke down. I felt in pieces to be honest."

Rising from the ashes

Now, the Michaels are turning their attention to how the pier can rise from the ashes.

The Michaels want it to be a 21st Century attraction that will draw holiday makers from all over the country.

Inside Out West’s cameras were given exclusive access behind the scenes as Michelle met one of the architects hoping to win the contract.

London-based Ray Hole Architects have been responsible for a number of iconic visitor attractions, including the Snowdon summit building currently nearing completion in Wales.

While, it’s still very early in the process, Ray Hole has started to sketch some concepts of what a new pavilion could look like.

His first designs envisage a futuristic chrome-and-glass "cocoon" powered by wind turbines and solar panels.

He says, "I always relate it back to a forest. Without a forest fire or a tree falling new life can’t emerge.

"There’s an opportunity here to actually create new ambition and new opportunities. I do like the idea of enclosing something in a total shell.

"It should be a beautiful levitating object.

"Nature has a wonderful habit of telling you how to do things."

Fighting back

Michelle and Kerry Michael are determined that Weston Super Mare will fight back from the disappointments of 2008.

Up in smoke - the fire at its peak.

They say that before too long, construction will have started on a new, more exciting, pavilion; bringing a renewed sense of optimism to Weston Super Mare’s beleaguered tourism industry.

They want to create something that the resort can be proud of for generations to come.