DOZENS OF parents face spending Christmas desperately trying to find alternative childcare for their youngsters following the shock closure of a Fife nursery.
Around 15 people lost their jobs when the Three Bears Nursery in Dunfermline called in the administrators on Friday afternoon.
The Courier understands there was no warning of the Canmore Street nursery’s closure and many parents have yet to be told.
The Three Bears, which opened in 2002 in a two-storey townhouse, was registered for 50 children aged between six weeks and five years.
According to its Facebook page, it had planned to be shut for eight days from today.
However, staff about to leave for the weekend were given the devastating news that it was closing for good with immediate effect.
Instead of spending the Friday before Christmas celebrating the festive season, many were trawling job-seeking websites as they wondered how they would make ends meet.
One nursery nurse described the news as “a massive blow” but said she refused to let it ruin her Christmas.
MP Thomas Docherty was contacted on Saturday by a concerned father who claimed the nursery had closed without telling parents.
“Parents picked up their kids at 3.30pm and at 4pm the owner arrived with the administrator,” said Mr Docherty.
“The parent I spoke to only found out because he was in Tesco and bumped into a staff member who was in tears.
“Staff aren’t getting paid and parents don’t know what’s going on.”
The MP added that according to the parent, the nursery is planning to inform parents by letter over the holidays.
“It’s ridiculous. I’ll be trying to establish after Christmas who the administrators are and find out what’s happening,” said Mr Docherty.
“This is a terrible time for staff and families it’s not a great time to be trying to find childcare arrangements.”
Mr Docherty urged affected staff to contact him with any concerns.
“The priority for them would be to see if they could get any or all of the wages they are owed,” he said.
“It’s fairly appalling to not give staff any notice and to basically be told when you are about to break up for Christmas, you’ve just lost your job.”
cwarrender@thecourier.co.uk