Evesham's Leaps and Bounds Pre-School to close for good

Leaps and Bounds Pre-School, based at Oat Street Unitarian Chapel, will close for good after more than a decade in the town.

Lorraine Leahy, director of the nursery, says they are having to leave due to issues with the lease.

“All I can say on this matter is that due to not being able to agree on a new contract, and the financial situation of the chapel, the trustees and the reverend feel that renting the rooms in the day to others, rather than myself, would increase the income for the chapel.

“Also, due to staffing issues and not being able to recruit new members of staff, I have had to make the very hard decision to close at the end of the financial year, instead of July.

“It is a very sad situation as Leaps and Bounds Pre-School has been here for 12 years.

“As you can appreciate my main priority and concern, are the children, parents and staff.”

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The nursery's director said they are having to close due to the building's trustees and reverend, Mark Hutchinson (Image: Mark Hutchinson)

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A closing date of Friday, March 31 has been confirmed in a letter sent out to parents.

However, the trustees of the chapel say the agreement in place allowed for the completion of the current school year.

They have also stated that the tenant was previously offered a lease to the premises, which was declined.

A statement read: “As trustees of the premises, we have recently been contacted by the parents of some of the children who attend the pre-school.  

“We understand that the owner has announced her intention to close it at the end of her financial year.

“In order to correct certain current misconceptions, we wish to make public the circumstances of the school’s intended departure from the Gatehouse.

“Under the terms of the tenancy agreement, we were required to give the owner of Leaps and Bounds just three months’ notice to vacate the premises.

“In October 2022, after two meetings with the owner, we gave her ten months’ notice to leave, that is, by the end of July 2023.

“This was with the intention of allowing her to complete the academic year, and with ample time thereafter for the school to remove its property.

“We understand the anger and frustration of parents at the abrupt withdrawal of education from their children part way through the academic year, and wish to make it clear that the present situation was not created by the trustees.”

Following a refurbishment, the building will become available for wider community use, the trustees confirmed.