Village businesses today said a road closure may force them to close.

Essex County Council has shut off the B1026 to cars in Tolleshunt D'Arcy so it can lay paving, resurface the road and install drains.

The work in North Street and Station Road is due to continue for another six weeks, but shopkeepers, pub landlords and the village post office all claim they are losing money as drivers are being diverted away.

Jim Errington, who runs the Thatcher's Arms pub, said he has seen takings drop by at least £1,000 a week.

Ian Drain, who runs the Queens Head pub at the top of North Street is losing between £800 and £1,000 a week.

Essex County Council highways department said the road was closed to safeguard contractors but would be reopened for Bank Holiday weekend.

However assistant engineer Lawrence McKeogh said it would be reopened this Bank Holiday weekend and possibly on subsequent weekends.

He added: "Traffic can get by, but there are parts of the road that are very narrow. We would not close the road for no reason."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.