The recent activity in the private nursery sector prompted one interested observer to remark last week, 'Well, I think just about every nursery chain is up for sale.'
It's certainly beginning to feel that way. Following Australian giant ABC Learning Centres' acquisition last year of Busy Bees and Leapfrog to take the UK number one spot, the group has pounced again to buy TLC, owner of nine nurseries mostly on NHS sites (see News, page 4). And it is tipped to take on Kidsunlimited's 50-plus settings, which are also up for sale. US-based Bright Horizons Family Solutions, with more than 100 UK nurseries, is due to change hands too, although any effects on its British business are as yet unclear.
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