CONTRACTORS who created a catalogue of disaster as they tried to upgrade a golf clubhouse in Ayr have been booted out — just weeks after the Advertiser highlighted the issue.

South Ayrshire Council have lost patience with the company, T&A Kernoghan Limited, after giving them two chances to put things right, and have terminated the contract to build a new £1.5m golf clubhouse in Belleisle Park.

A source close to the club contacted the Advertiser with his concerns after it emerged that the project was a year behind schedule and that basic errors in the construction had led to members being angry and frustrated, sentiments shared by council officials and elected members.

Now negotiations are underway to appoint a replacement contractor, with two local companies in the running to replace the outgoing company whose headquarters are in Antrim, Northern Ireland, in a bid to get work started as soon as next month, with a new completion date of March 2016.

This was confirmed by South Ayrshire Council on Monday, August 17, when a spokeswoman cited ‘T & A Kernoghan Limited’s unacceptable performance, which resulted in various delays to the project, which was originally scheduled for completion in March this year’, as the reason.

She added: “Despite a revised completion date being agreed of June 2015 and two determination notices – which advised the contractors of concerns about their failure to progress the works regularly and diligently – being issued to the contractor in May and July 2015, the council remained dissatisfied with the lack of progress.

“A replacement contractor will now be appointed as quickly as possible, so that work can resume on the much-anticipated clubhouse at the earliest opportunity.

“A mini-tender exercise is being undertaken to appoint the new contractor and contact has been made with the bidders that submitted tenders for the original contract to confirm interest in negotiating to complete the works. As a result, negotiations are ongoing with two Ayrshire-based companies that have indicated a willingness to complete the project.” Councillor Bill Grant, whose remit includes tourism and leisure, added: “ No one is more frustrated than us about how this project has progressed over recent months. It’s extremely disappointing that it’s come to this but, despite some progress being made and labour levels being increased in response to the first determination notice, we’ve not seen any change in response to the second notice.

“Decisive action – in line with the necessary contractual obligations and timescales – was our only way forward.

“Our focus now is to turn this situation around as quickly as possible, get work underway and get this clubhouse up and running and delivering the quality off-course facilities our golfers and visitors deserve. I want to thank everyone for their patience and co-operation while we do this and I can assure you all that we share the concerns about the current situation and we’re doing everything within our power to get things back on track.” The clubhouse, which will be available to golfers playing Belleisle, which is said to be many to be the best public inland course in the country, will include modern changing accommodation, a new golf professional shop, a large modern cafe bar, new starter facilities, club rooms, lounge area, and a golf simulator room.