A popular community nursery could be forced to close if it cannot find a permanent venue.

Founders Debbie Moliterno and Cheryl Dagul formed Cheeky Monkeys nursery almost 22 years ago and has grown significantly in popularity, but could now be forced to close without a new permanent location.

Cheeky Monkeys was served notice to vacate All Saints School Hall in 2009 in order to make way for the development of the new library and museum.

The nursery was then offered the former family centre, in Elstree Way, but was only offered a temporary lease for the centre as the building is up for redevelopment as part of plans for the Elstree Way Corridor scheme.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire County Council said: “Cheeky Monkeys had been based at the All Saints Church site in Borehamwood until 2009 when the site was redeveloped. At that time, Hertfordshire County Council offered the nursery a short term lease at Elstree Way to allow them to continue to operate and give the business time to find a more suitable permanent home.

“The short lease reflected our long term plans to enable future development of this property in line with Hertsmere Borough Council’s plans for the Elstree Way corridor.

“In October 2013, the county council wrote to Cheeky Monkeys to remind them that their lease was expiring September 2015 and that they should be actively seeking a permanent home. Hertfordshire County Council and Hertsmere Borough Council have since made the nursery aware of potential venues that would suit their business needs.”

But founders are still desperately looking for a venue that can cater for the growing nursery’s needs.

Debbie Moliterno said: “We now cater for around 130 children - some children at risk, some from deprived backgrounds. We are also Borehamwood’s main nursery who offers funding for two-year-olds.

“We need help. We have requested a couple of buildings that would suit the nursery requirements but nothing has come of our requests to date. We have just under a year to find suitable premises – we are desperate.”

The nursery, which emplys around 20 members of staff, is currently hunting for a venue that will suit D1 use, for non-residential organisations, that is available as soon as possible.

She added: “With all the extra new homes going up, the nursery will be needed even more than it is now – where is the infrastructure? Someone somewhere must know of a place we could use, a bungalow, a warehouse, anywhere.

“Cheryl and I were just two mums in the beginning that got together to help these children, and we don’t plan on giving up just yet. They need us and we won’t let them down.

“I’m so angry – this treatment is absolutely appalling.”