A NURSERY group in Edinburgh has announced plans to create new jobs and provide more spaces for children, as demand for childcare services in the city continues to soar.
St Margarets Nursery & Pre-school currently runs three childcare sites across the city – one at Craigmillar Park, another on Craiglockhart Avenue, and a third recently acquired site on West Savile Road.
After securing £1.5 million in funding from the Bank of Scotland, the Craiglockhart Avenue and West Savile Road nurseries are now undergoing refurbishment to offer more space for children, doubling their total capacity from 120 to 240 children.
The increase in available spaces for children also means that the number of staff will double from 40 to 80, creating new jobs for locals in Edinburgh.
The refurbishment will include energy efficiency measures and new spaces for dance, cooking and sports lessons.
Craiglockhart Avenue will reopen in June, and West Savile Road later in the year.
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Mark Emlick, chief executive at Consensus Capital Group, the company which owns St Margarets Nursery, said the investment will help to meet the increased demand for childcare in the city.
“By as early as 2023, St Margarets’ Craigmillar Park site was already receiving waiting list requests for 2025,” Emlick said.
“But now, thanks to the support of Bank of Scotland, we’re completely revitalising two buildings in Edinburgh, delivering not only fresh, modern nurseries but offering more space for the highest quality of childcare.”
Grant Fraser, relationship director at Bank of Scotland, said: “It’s hugely rewarding to be backing St Margarets Nursery in tackling Edinburgh's early years care shortage. Creating new nursery places is crucial for busy families in the capital, where the demand for childcare keeps growing.”
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