Angry Kingston upon Thames parents have slammed the closure of their neighbourhood's 'only crèche' arguing it is vital for local families. An open letter demanding the Malden Centre Crèche, in New Malden, stay open has been signed by more than 100 people after mums and dads discovered the facility will close at the end of May.

The letter says many parents in New Malden rely on the crèche, on Blagdon Road, to keep fit and have time for themselves. Addressed to Kingston Council's leisure services contractor Places Leisure, which runs the crèche, the letter says the facility is "New Malden's only crèche" and calls for a "solution that benefits everyone involved".

Kingston Council said the crèche will close on May 26 and be replaced with "alternative provision" including "parent & baby yoga, and baby spin". The authority said the number of people using the crèche has dropped over the years.

But the letter from New Malden parents demands the facility stay open and has been signed by 104 people so far. The petition says: "By closing the crèche, you are not only limiting access to exercise for parents but also denying children the opportunity to interact with other children and develop their social skills. It is also important to note that flexible childcare options should be encouraged to support the needs of working parents and carers in the community.

"The closure of the crèche has caused great dismay in the community, and we urge you to reconsider this decision. We understand the challenges faced by businesses during the pandemic, but we believe that with the proper support and investment, the crèche can continue to provide an essential service for families in the area."

In a statement on its website, Kingston Labour also called for the crèche to stay open. The statement said: "With the cost-of-living crisis, and with the high costs of childcare, there are limited options for people with young children to access these vital services. 

"The closure of the Malden Centre crèche is a failure to deliver affordable health and wellbeing leisure services for a section of the community who have been disproportionately impacted by increasing costs, and service closures." The crèche costs £6 an hour, or £3 under premium membership, and £8 for two hours or £10 for two-and-a-half hours for adult education course participants.

A Kingston Council spokesperson said: "Places Leisure and Kingston Council will be changing the crèche provision that it currently offers at the Malden Centre and Tolworth Recreation Centre.

"Over the years, the usage of the crèche has declined. Places Leisure and the council have been working closely to engage with the users of the crèche to understand what alternative provision they would like to see being provided.

"From Friday 26 May 2023 the crèche will close and be replaced with alternative provision that will be relevant to the clientele who currently use the crèche such as parent & baby yoga, and baby spin to name a few.

"Our commitment to creating and supporting thriving and healthy communities remains a top priority. These new modern programmes will deliver more interactive classes and opportunities for those who regularly attend the crèche in the long term." Places Leisure and the Malden Centre Crèche have been contacted for comment.