High wind in Christchurch has delayed the demolition of one of the city's largest hotels.
The Copthorne on Durham St was expected to be levelled by the end of Friday, but because of the wind one section and the lift-shaft will have to be removed on Monday instead.
The demolition, which is being carried out by Leighs Construction, began on Monday and involved the use of a 41-metre demolition excavator, brought over from the United States.
The 14-storey hotel will be a pile of rubble by the end of Monday, but clearing the site and work on the basement could take until the end of the month.
The hotel remained operational after the first Canterbury earthquake on 4 September 2010, but sustained serious structural damage in the 22 February quake and had to be stabilised before it could be demolished.
