Nursery 'devastated' parents tried to save closes

A children's nursery that parents tried to save with a petition is to close down on Christmas Eve.

Bright Horizons Quayside Day Nursery and Preschool in Ipswich announced in September it would be shutting before the end of its lease term.

It rented its building from the University of Suffolk, which told the BBC it had been in discussions with the nursery "for well over a year" about its future.

Parents said they were devastated at the news, while the nursery said it would continue to support them in finding alternative childcare arrangements.

Colin Parrott, whose daughter attended the nursery and whose other child was expected to start in January, said families had been left "scrambling to secure places elsewhere at very short notice".

He launched a petition to save the facility, which was signed more than 600 times.

"For many of us, Quayside has been more than a nursery, it has been a cornerstone of the community, providing stability, education and emotional support to our children during their most formative years," he said.

"The staff are exceptional, and the closure not only disrupts children's development but also places their jobs at risk.

"The timing around this decision has left parents devastated."

"Bright Horizons Quayside has been a part of the local community for many years," the nursery said.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our families and colleagues, past and present, who have been part of the nursery's story."

Before the announcement of the closure, the University of Suffolk said it had been talking to the nursery as part of plans to integrate the building into its campus development.

It said it understood the nursery's search for an alternative location had proven fruitless and had been "unable to find a suitable premises to relocate to".

"The decision to close the nursery ahead of the end of the contract was not our decision," a spokesperson said.

"Throughout the discussions, we offered a variety of support to Bright Horizons in their search for new premises.

"We share the disappointment of families affected that a more positive outcome could not be reached."

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