£550,000 guide price for former Preston nursery which suddenly shut its doors after 25 years

The former First Steps Nursery at Fulwood Lodge, Longsands Lane, Fulwood, has been listed this week by Auction House North West, Commercial.

An online auction for the property will run on March 22 to 23.

The business in this location, which has catered for thousands of children, closed down in August last year saying it was unable to operate due to lack of staff.

Marketing material states that the premises is approximately 2,988sq ft (277.6 m2) with a car park and is “suitable for a variety of uses including offices, residential and the site could also lend itself to create individual building plots ,all ( subject to obtaining the relevant planning consents).”

It continues: “Fulwood Lodge is detached former children’s nursey, the original section of which is constructed of brick with a rendered exterior, below a pitched slated clad roof.

"To the rear is a two-storey addition of similar construction and a single-storey building, again of rendered and painted brick below a flat roof. To the front of the property is a car park and to the rear is a former garden which has recently been used as a playground.

"Internally the property has been converted into a number of classrooms, WC areas, kitchen and staff room.”

“Incredibly difficult decision”

Last August, unable to secure staff for the new term in the following September, the nursery said it would not be able to safely offer quality childcare, even on quieter days, and the decision was made to close its doors for good.

"This has been an incredibly difficult decision, and may I say how sorry I am that this situation has arisen,” said owner Mike Melville.

"In over 25 years operating the nursery we have never experienced such difficult conditions such as these and unfortunately, we cannot see these improving despite our best efforts."

Mr Melville said the difficulty in finding staff was a ‘nationwide issue’ affecting nurseries across the UK and said First Steps had to rely on agency staff on a daily basis.