It has emerged that Aria Direct applied to go into administration on 16 December, five days before it closed the attraction in Old Hall Street in Hanley.

The rink opened on 5 December and was supposed to have been in place for six weeks.

But the attraction closed on 21 December and, apart from a short spell three days later, has not opened its doors to skaters again.

Legal action

Aria has since said a problem with its insurers caused by the firm's financial problems forced the closure of the rink on health and safety grounds.

Aria gave notice on 16 December through Middlesbrough County Court of its intention to appoint an administrator.

The company officially ceased trading on 24 December with losses of �120,000 up to March 2002.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which spent �54,000 underwriting the cost of the project, threatened Aria with legal action after the attraction first closed.

The city's elected mayor, Mike Wolfe, who helped to bring the ice rink to the city, has been asked by the council's scrutiny committee to explain how the shutdown came about.