AFTER weeks of uncertainty The Willows Nursery School has finally been given the go ahead by Ofsted to take up residence in the Millennium Centre’s Canada Room.

The nursery will re-opening on Monday.

One of the partners, Jackie Finlayson, said: “The partners are pleased to announce we are re-opening the nursery next Monday.

“We would like to thank everyone who has given their time and support to the nursery during the relocation from the Recreation ground.

“The Willows will be open from Monday to Thursday, between 9am and 3.30pm, and places are currently available for children from the ages of two to five years.”

In an extraordinary meeting on August 19, the Millennium Centre management committee proposed to offer the Canada Room to The Willows on a short term basis, until December 2015, at a cost of £31.74 per day.

That was the same amount which the nursery was previously charged by the parish council to use the now-condemned pavilion on the recreation ground.

Normally the nursery would have re-opened at the beginning of September, after the summer holidays, but due to the delay in getting Ofsted to inspect and approve the new premises, it has now lost more than six weeks of the autumn term.

Nursery owners – Jackie Finlayson. Jill Cooke and Jannice Bowley – were first served with an eviction letter last October.

But after enormous public outcry they were granted an extension until the end of this year’s summer term.

In July, the trustees of the Bramshott War Memorial Recreation Ground made the decision to close the building with immediate effect and start demolition at the earliest opportunity, giving eviction notice to The Willows.

The nursery had occupied the pavilion at the Recreation Ground for the last 14 years, creating an accumulative income for the parish council of more than £64,000, and had nowhere else to go at short notice.

The decision to evict The Willows before Christmas last year was made in an exempt meeting of the recreation committee following a building survey report by Petersfield-based surveyors Jacobs & Hunt, which was carried out last August on behalf of the parish council.

It stated the building had been altered and extended over the years and required repair in places, with flooring needing to be properly fixed, as otherwise it posed a safety hazard.

Although the Willows management was willing to pay for repairs to the building they would have required a long-term lease.

The trustees stated that on advice from the Charity Commission that could not be done within the terms of the current deeds as they do not allow for nursery education provision.

To book or for more details, call Jackie Finlayson on 07765 675175 or e-mail Jackie.willows@ hotmail.co.uk.