Upset and angry staff and parents met to raise concerns after a long-standing village pre-school announced it was set to close this month after a series of money issues.

Hartlip Pre-school has been caring for children aged two to five at its base in the village hall for 25 years.

But its management team says its doors will shut for the final time on the last day of term – Friday, July 21.

More than 50 parents and staff met at the primary school across the road to hear the reasons for the closure and discuss the future of early years education in Hartlip.

Alison Bruce, chairman of the pre-school’s committee, said: “Hartlip Pre-school’s closure is to do with finance.

“We received our last grant in 2014, which was meant to keep us going for three years, and it has, but there’s no more funding, and our rent has risen by 122% in the last four years.”

She also cited minimum wage rises, lack of funding and lack of numbers of children attending, saying the need to close was down to “pure maths”.

Donna Brazier, Hartlip Pre-school manager, said: “We are all devastated. I’ve been here for 15 years and all of our staff are long-standing.

“We’re all passionate about our jobs and all have the same vision and make the children our priority.

"We are all devastated...I've been here for 15 years and all of our staff are long-standing" - Alison Bruce

“I am overwhelmed by the turnout and to say thank-you isn’t enough.”

But there is hope, as Tracey Jerome, head teacher at Hartlip Primary School, said she hoped to get the pre-school relocated at the primary school site.

Steps are being taken to set up a group working towards planning permission.

She said: “There is a need for this provision in the village.

“I would love to move towards a purpose-built building that would house 30 hours of provision and we have to move with the times – that is my vision for this school.”

A lot of the anger was directed at the village hall committee over rent demands.

The annual rates skyrocketed from £4,777 in 2014 to £10,640 this year.

Angry parents blamed the committee for not adjusting rental rates in line with inflation and adding extensive restrictions on how the pre-school could run.

Barbara Addicott, village hall committee chairman, said: “Hartlip Village Hall committee was not invited to the meeting and is not aware of what was said so therefore can’t comment.”