Nursery left homeless after rent dispute with church

A nursery says it could have to close down after the church where it has been based increased its rent by almost double.

Little Bournes Green Pre-School was told it would have to pay £90 a day to continue using the hall at St Augustine's Church in Thorpe Bay, Essex.

Emma Martin, who runs the nursery, said the increase from £50 a day had left her team feeling "very unwanted".

The Reverend Dave Willis said the previous rate paid by the pre-school was "significantly lower" than other groups had been paying.

Ms Martin has launched a fundraiser with the aim of raising £70,000 to cover the deposit for a new premises.

She told BBC Essex that if the money was not found, the nursery could have to shut.

Ms Martin said the pre-school had been running for more than 50 years and that for 23 of those years, she had been in charge.

"We're just not welcome any more - we're excluded from part of the community," she said.

Any pre-school would find it "impossible" to operate with such a rent increase, Ms Martin added.

"It has been devastating. It's splintered the staff group; it's upset families - people are concerned and worried."

Ms Martin said "the next generation of parishioners" were being impacted by the decision.

Mr Willis said he understood the "disappointment and frustration" felt by the pre-school but that the church had been impacted by its own rising costs.

He said "extraordinary efforts" had been made to accommodate Little Bournes Green, which had been paying a subsidised rent.

The pre-school was "greatly valued" and he understood the frustration felt by all involved, he said.

"The church has gone out of its way to generously support the pre-school owner for many years," he said.

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