PARENTS at a West End nursery have told of their shock at learning the kindergarten will close.

The staff at Kelvinside Kindergarten were shocked to learn the facility would close, despite learning in June the facility was looking for new premises.

Vicky Holsen, whose daughter attends the nursery, said she was taken by surprise by the news, ­revealed to staff in a Zoom call last week.

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She said: “We couldn’t believe it, even though there was talks of it being relocated, that fell through.

“We didn’t get any information at all to give us updates, monthly or weekly.

“It just went from: We’re relocating to, We’re closing completely.”

Her father, Donnie Reid, 73, told how staff had been “shattered” by the news the kindergarten will close on December 22.

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“I would have thought they would have kept people in the loop with this sword of Damocles hanging over their heads,” he said.

The kindergarten is a private facility owned by the UK-wide firm the Bertram Nursery Group.

Glasgow Times:

Julie Campbell, the company’s operations director, said: “Having been in extensive negotiations since June and also having exhausted many attempts to secure alternative premises, it is with deep sadness and regret that we have no option but to close on January, 22, 2021.

“We understand that our dedicated staff and parents are devastated. We informed them of the situation in June but had, until now, been hopeful and giving the highest priority to finding a solution.

“We are sorry that, for Covid-19 safety reasons, we were unable to break the news to staff face-to-face and had to use a video call. We are doing everything possible to offer positions to all our staff at sister Bertram nurseries in the Glasgow area.

“We have emailed all our parents, providing them with options to place their children in our other nurseries. We fully appreciate the locations may be unsuitable and are working with the local authority to provide details of alternative provision in the area.”