A DAMAGED bridge could close for nearly two months while repair work is carried out, sparking despair from nearby businesses.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has announced plans to complete the restoration of Sutton Bridge in June and July. The bridge, on the B1228 between Elvington and Sutton-Upon-Derwent, was closed for a month in January for temporary repairs after it was badly damaged by a lorry.

Businesses in the area complained of a huge slump in trade and fear another closure could force them to cease trading.

A council spokesman said it was still consulting with the public about the proposed closure and it would only go ahead with the support of the community.

But Tom Fitzpatrick, owner of Elvington Village Stores, said nobody from East Riding of Yorkshire Council had been in touch with him. He said: “I’ve heard from the parish council that the work will take place some time in the middle of June and last for five or six weeks, but we haven’t been consulted at all. We are very disappointed. This affects us dramatically. We couldn’t stand five or six weeks of the bridge being closed – we’d be out of business.

“Nearly 50 per cent of our trade is passing trade and we really struggled when the bridge was closed in January. We are not happy.”

Mr Fitzpatrick called for a meeting between the council and all business owners in Elvington and Sutton-Upon-Derwent.

“We appreciate the work has to be done,” he said. “But why can’t they do it at night? I know they will say that costs more, but they’ve got to consider the cost to us.”

The council spokesman said it was considering the months of June and July because the extra hours of daylight would mean contractors could potentially work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.