It's closing... again. 

Much to the dismay of businesses and trade on Gloucester's eastern side, St Ann Way is going to be out of action for most of next month because the High Orchard Bridge will be shut for vital repairs for the SECOND time this year.

Back in May, the Canal and River Trust (CRT) high-fived its work teams when the finishing touches were put on £250,000 worth of structural repairs to ensure service as normal could return on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal after cracks in the bridge's masts meant it could no longer be raised.

The work was completed just days ahead of the city's latest Tall Ships Festival amid fears that the event would have been scuppered if the job hadn't met deadlines.

But this time around, the CRT says the issue, which will entail closing the road from Saturday, October 5 to Sunday, October 27 is all about the road surface over the bridge, which acts as a vital link for traffic between the city centre and the strategic north-south route of Hempsted Lane.

Teams from Kier and specialist subcontractors will be brought in for the job, the CRT says, on behalf of the charity – and the CRT has explained why the work wasn't carried out with the original job.

The work in May was focused on the repairs to the mast on the bridge, these works are to replace the road surfacing. Due to the welding activity we could not undertake the works concurrently, and our focus at the time was to stabilise the structure in time for the Tall Ships Festival.

Is there any assessed impact on local business and is there any mitigation process for that, eg diversion signs for businesses etc... The road closure is booked through the Highway Authority, with appropriate advice warning signage and diversion.

Richard Joyce, spokesman, said: "Due to the welding activity we could not undertake the works concurrently, and our focus at the time was to stabilise the structure in time for the Tall Ships Festival.

He added that the road closure is booked through the Highway Authority, with "appropriate advice warning signage and diversion".

Neil Owen from Canal & River Trust added: "Unfortunately, the road surface on High Orchard Bridge has come to the end of its life and needs to be resurfaced. We will be removing the old surface, making repairs to road plates and abutments, and will then resurface the road over the bridge to complete the work."

He continued: "We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause while the road closure is in place. High Orchard Bridge is an important structure on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, lifting to allow tall-sided boats to navigate in and out of Gloucester."

Dave Akhurst, landlord of the High Orchard pub, in the shadow of the bridge at 2 St Ann Way, said the news of the closure was a potential blow for the pub's ongoing trade.

Mr Akhurst, who has 22 staff and serves food throughout the day for 160 covers, told Punchline-Gloucester.com: "I took over in February and the previous closure was a hard factor to contend with - we suffered a lot of table cancellations because coming from the city centre it can take two minutes to get here, but the diversions and delays meant that could an hour so people just cancelled."

He added: "It also doesn't help that road works are beginning on September 18 on Hempsted Lane. I had notification from the city council over that, but we have not heard anything from the Canal and Rivers Trust."

Another automotive business nearby which asked not to be named, added: "We have just heard about this and we are aware of the implications for businesses as well as customers, and it's really disappointing news for all of the businesses who depend on this link."

Punchline-Gloucester.com editor Mark Owen says: "We realise that work has to be done, but this is a big ask for Gloucester, just when there is a buzz in the air for business. Closing this main artery will have obvious impact for Sainsbury's but also all the business and trade estates that are all nearby. Road closures can be a real menace for trade, and for smaller businesses there is an understandable belief that a diversion can risk becoming a dead end."