THE controversial owner of Eastbourne Pier has made an offer to buy Hastings Pier as well.

The structure was named Pier of the Year 2017 by the National Piers Society.

It also beat five other buildings in November to win the Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba) Stirling Prize, presented annually to the UK’s best new building.

But Hastings Pier Charity, the charity which ran the award-winning pier, went into administration last November having failed to complete a fundraising exercise for the pier to reach self-funding status within three years.

The pier, which was originally opened in 1872, has remained open to the public since the appointment of the joint administrators.

Yesterday it officially went on the market and Sheikh Abid Gulzar has confirmed he wants to buy it.

He said: “I am 100 per cent serious about Hastings Pier and we have expressed our interest.

“I have put my heart and soul into Eastbourne Pier with an investment of more than £1 million since I bought it in 2015.

“Here is a wonderful new opportunity in Hastings.

“It is clear Hastings Pier needs to become viable. At present it isn’t and that’s why it has gone into administration.

“It’s quite simple. There needs to be more on Hastings Pier which brings money in.

“Running a pier is running a business and we all have to find ways of bringing in money.

“I look forward to working closely with Hastings Borough Council to make the pier the talk of the town.

“I want to bring the pier to life.

“Yes, of course I would like a gold theme, like we have on Eastbourne Pier, but there’s nothing wrong with that.”

The Grade II listed Victorian Eastbourne Pier has undergone a major transformation in recent years. Virtually destroyed by fire in 2010, it has been extensively rebuilt and was reopened to the public in April 2016.

The pier, originally opened in 1872, has remained open to the public since the appointment of the joint administrators.

It features a substantial open pier deck, striking central hub facility with educational rooms, history exhibition, cafe shop and view platform.