Rydon staff have been the sole focus of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry for the second successive week. Key witnesses were the main contractor’s refurbishment director Stephen Blake – who also stood in as the project’s contracts manager in its final months – and on-site “No 1” David Hughes, who was effectively project manager from October 2015.

Probing the background to 2017’s horrific fire at the high-rise block in west London, in which 72 lives were lost, inquiry barristers Kate Grange QC and Richard Millett QC paid particular attention to Rydon’s quality-control oversight of its contractors on the project. They also questioned witnesses on in-house expertise, their own product knowledge and contacts between the client team prior to its appointment.

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