A children's nursery shut its doors yesterday blaming financial difficulties.

Beechwood Private Nursery School in Bromley Cross told parents last week it would be closing this Friday, but closed yesterday.

A spokesperson for the nursery told The Bolton News it was due to a staffing issue.

It is understood the closure was then brought forward to Tuesday, February 28 due to issues with staff wages over the recent period.

Currently there are 48 children on roll at Beechwood Nursery School and there are 13 members of staff, according to the latest Ofsted report, in which it was marked inadequate.

The closure has left 13 workers jobless, children heartbroken and parents facing difficulties in having their children looked after.

A letter sent to parents on Friday said the costs of running the nursery has rendered it ‘unsustainable’.

It stated: “It is with deep regret that we are writing to advise you that we have taken the unfortunate but necessary decision to cease trading.

"We have tried to avoid this situation and taken all the steps we could to continue the running of the nursery in order to provide  ongoing care for the children.

"However as you will be aware the costs involved in the day to day running of the nursery have increased significantly and over the last 12 months, this combined with the reduction in children attending the nursery have left the business unsustainable.

"This is not a decision we have taken lightly and having considered all available avenues, we regret to advise that after nearly 40 years of trading and providing a service to the local community the nursery will close with effect from 6pm on March 3, 2023.

"We have loved looking after your children here at Beechwood and hope they continue to thrive and flourish. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support during these past difficult months."

Samantha Longworth had twin boys, aged three, at the nursery for two years and said it was ‘stressful’ finding last minute childcare.

She said: “My boys have loved it at the nursery.

“They go in happily and always have done and even when we saw the Ofsted report, the nursery offered for parents to go in on a Saturday to talk to us about what they were putting in place to improve.

“My children have never complained.”

Parents received a message via the nursery’s app telling them about the sudden closure on February 27 instead of the date listed on the letter, March 3.

Samantha said: “I thought it was a hoax at first, I didn’t know what was going on.

“So, we’ve had two days to find somewhere else, which has been very stressful.

“We feel sorry for the poor staff as well.

“Luckily, we found a new nursery but I know parents that were in tears and have not found a place yet.

“They must have known this was going to happen.”

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One parent of a two-year old boy at the school said the decision had left parents in ‘complete shock’. He said: “The communication on this has been terrible.
“My boy is so happy there. “As parents we have had no notice of this and are in complete shock. “We have no idea where our son will go after today, and how as working parents we will manage this.”
Another parent of a three-year-old girl, said: “The first we knew was in an email just after 6pm on Friday, just after they told the staff. “My daughter calls every member of staff at Beechwood her best friend.
“She’s bonded with many other children there, made friends and they are now being torn apart. “For a lot of us it could mean we have to leave our jobs if we can’t find alternative arrangements and in a cost of living crisis that obviously isn’t ideal. “It’s another layer of worry.”
Beechwood was established in 1984 as a children’s day-care and pre-school education centre and can care for up to 60 children aged two-four.

The nursery is the latest to close or be earmarked for closure.

Local authority run Alexandra Nursery in Daubhill is proposed for closure due to falling numbers, but no final decision has been made.

Alexandra Nursery could close as early as August this year.

It is an Ofsted rated good nursery, with its most recent inspection report stating, ‘children love their nursery.’

Harvey Nursery, in Great Lever, was also closed due to financial issues.