A council defended its decision to close part of a historic pier and laid the blame squarely at the attraction's owner.

Hastings Borough Council yesterday revealed it has been asking the owner of the town's 130-year-old pier to carry out maintenance and repair work on the decaying structure since January 2005.

But despite lengthy negotiations no repairs appeared to have been carried out by last December, when the council became so concerned about the condition of the pier it consulted the Health and Safety Executive.

Council leader Peter Pragnell told The Argus the council had asked owners Ravenclaw Investments to provide a list of all structural faults, a schedule of repair works, an extreme weather procedure and an inspection regime.

Councillor Pragnell said: "Considerable discussion took place but no progress was made.

"On April 5, a member of council staff, inspecting the bottom of the pier, lightly touched part of the structure which then fell away."

In May, the council served an order under the Health and Safety at Work Act requiring Ravenclaw to provide a full structural survey and schedule of repair works to be carried out by July 21.

A further inspection commissioned by the council found the structure was in danger of collapsing under the weight of large crowds.

The council used emergency powers to close the structure beyond the main facade on June 16 and it has remained shut ever since.

Ravenclaw was again ordered to provide a full survey at a court hearing on June 21.

Coun Pragnell said: "It is important to emphasise that the council has still not received a survey of the pier from Ravenclaw, as required by the court order, or even the name of engineers who would be used for this purpose.

"At this stage, therefore, the council will pursue the actions it is currently taking under both the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Building Act 1984."

Ravenclaw pier manager Har-mesh Pooni said: "The council asked us to provide a structural survey by July 21 and we were well on track to comply with that.

"In the meantime, they closed us down stating the pier was in danger of imminent collapse but we are going to prove that was the wrong course of action and the council was wrong in coming to that conclusion.

"It is trying to shift blame for the fact it took a wrong decision, which resulted in 70 per cent of the pier's traders becoming homeless and 70 per cent of my company's income being stopped."