Bognor Regis nursery claims staff walkouts led to early closure

Addressing clients and customers on Facebook, a spokesperson for the nursery said staff were informed of the owner’s decision to sell the company on Thursday, October 31 and, fearing the business would collapse underfoot, all but three staff members quit over the following weekend, making it impossible to open the following Monday.

"As with all new businesses we run at a loss to begin with, the fees paid at the end of august insured your children had childcare in September but due to staff walk outs this could not legally happen,” they said.

Staff had been told they were protected by TUPE laws, which protects an employee’s rights when a business changes hands from employer to another, the spokesperson added.

The update comes shortly after the nursery drew ire for announcing its close on September on September 3, shortly before the start of the new school year, and leaving many parents scrambling to find alternative day care at short notice, with little hope of recompense for provision already paid for.

"My partner and I both work. I’m back at work next week and I need to find somewhere to send our child. Not only that, but we’ve already paid out, and now I have to try and find that money again,” one parent told Sussex World at the time. "It’s horrible. Our child has additional needs, and they were so happy there, but now they don’t know what’s going on.”