Shock closure of Country Bumpkins Nursery at Ardersier
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Parents have been left scrambling for childcare with little notice of the closure Country Bumpkins Nursery.
The facility at Ardersier was popular with parents due to its outdoor facilities.
It is understood the business, which was established in 2012 and cared for children aged up to five years old, will be going into administration this week.
A parent said: "Country Bumpkins nursery in Adrersier has closed its doors for good giving parents less than 18 hours notice to try and find alternative childcare.
"They’ve already taken their Facebook page down leaving parents and staff lost and confused!
"We have been told it’s going into administration by the end of the week. We were sent a message through the nursery app at around 2pm today.
"Apparently staff had a similar amount of notice. Parents and staff have been left in the lurch with no childcare/jobs. The nursery Facebook page has already been deleted so makes it even harder for us to get in touch with the staff our children were close to.
"It’s an absolute scramble for all of us to find alternative childcare. Especially as many of us picked it for the outdoor environment they provided."
The message to parents indicates the operator made the decision with "sadness and regret" explaining it was prompted by a "current private nursery staffing crisis" meaning it could not operate all its rooms – a situation it predicts would not improve in the next six to 12 months.
They also thanked parents for choosing Country Bumpkins, describing it as a privilege to provide childcare.
Some social media posts have shown empathy for the owners, stating they put their all into the business.
