Shock at nursery’s sudden closure on Inverclyde

A GOUROCK nursery has closed down without warning – leaving parents without childcare and staff without jobs.

The owner told staff to call parents to pick up their children from Growing Places Nursery on Friday morning and said she was closing the centre.

Incensed mum Lorraine Mulholland said she was furious at what had happened and said she was struggling to find another place for her three-year-old son Sam.

Lorraine, 28, said: “At 10.30am the owner told staff to call the parents to come in to collect their children.

“She told the workers she was closing the nursery and they were told to lock the doors and leave their keys. They’re very upset – that’s them out of a job.

“I’m angry because it’s a really good team of staff and now I’m going to have to find another place where Sam will settle in.”

Lorraine said there were emotional scenes at Friday’s sudden shutdown of the John Street centre. She told the Tele: “Staff were very upset, they’re going to miss the kids and they don’t have a job.

“I think they were holding it together for the children’s sake.”

Lorraine, of Mallard Crescent, Greenock, says her son has been at the nursery since he was one year old and her eight-year-old Chloe also attended the nursery, while she was at work.

She said: “I’m more shocked than anything else. You don’t expect to go to work in the morning then get a call to say the nursery is closing.”

Another mum, Lisa Porteous, was also left stunned at the closure and is thankful that her three-year-old daughter, Skye McLellan, is due to take up a place at Larkfield Children’s Centre in three weeks.

Lisa said: “I was shocked and quite upset. Skye loved the nursery and the staff were brilliant. They were crying when I went to collect her. I feel really sorry for them.”

Staff members have already sought support from Jim McCourt of Inverclyde Advice and Employment Rights Centre over their future.

Mr McCourt said: “Five members of staff contacted me and I have written to the employer to try to establish what is happening at the nursery.”

Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland – formerly the Care Commission – has been notified the nursery has closed.

The Telegraph also spoke to Calum Anderson, whose wife, Carol, bought the nursery under the auspices of Carol Anderson Childcare Ltd in October.

Mr Anderson said: “We closed the business due to financial difficulties. It’s unfortunate – we regret it because it was our business and we threw a lot of money into resources and putting new heating into the building.”

This is the second nursery to close in Inverclyde in the space of nine months because of financial problems.

Ladybird Nursery in Larkfield shut in October with the loss of 26 jobs and new places had to be found by Inverclyde Council for 90 pre-school youngsters.