Andrew and Mary Ainslie of Kennett Cottage Farm, near Marlborough, have leased the barn to local company Sixpenny, which already operates three nurseries in Wiltshire.
Work started on the barn last August and the nursery is due to open at the end of February. In response to local demand, Sixpenny has already opened a temporary nursery in stables on the site. When the barn is complete the temporary nursery will be converted into low-cost accommodation for nursery staff.
Kate Easter, joint owner of Sixpenny, said the accommodation would prove vital in attracting skilled staff to the nursery. She said, 'We have two staff flats above another of our nurseries at Aldbourne. The flats are a good tool to attract staff and improve retention, which is paramount in childcare. When we started work on this nursery it made sense to continue the theme. House prices are very expensive in the local village and we don't want to lose good staff after we have invested in their training.'
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