Nursery in historic building buys freehold to grow business
Thursday, August 16, 2018
A Lancashire-based nursery has bought the freehold of its period home with just under £1m in funding as part of expansion plans.
Buckshaw Bunnies Childcare previously rented Gelston Manor Day Nursery in Chorley, which is set in three acres of woodland.
It has acquired the freehold, which means it now owns the property and the land, after receiving £980,000 in funding from Santander Business Banking.
Buckshaw Bunnies Childcare provides 99 places and employs 18 full-time and six part-time staff members.
The nursery began as a childminding setting in 2012, founded by Laura Ward and Annemarie Capper. In response to high demand, the business moved to Gelston Manor and the nursery opened in 2014.
In 2016, with demand continuing to grow, Buckshaw Bunnies was granted planning permission to expand the setting and using Santander funding, was able to renovate a set of outbuildings to enlarge the pre-school facility and accommodate more children.
Buckshaw Bunnies now plans to open a before- and after-school club and offer term-time only provision from January 2019.
Neil Ward, company secretary of Buckshaw Bunnies, said, ‘This is a great outcome for us, our staff, the children and the local community. We are very passionate about our business and are looking to expand and grow it even further now that we have been able to secure the freehold. The support from Santander has been fantastic and integral to the future success of the business – to the point where we feel that the relationship director at Santander is one of the team.’
Chris Green, relationship director at Santander Business Banking, said, ‘We are absolutely delighted to be able to support this great local business. We have been very impressed by the team at Buckshaw Bunnies and their extensive experience in the sector. I’m particularly delighted that we have been able to help the directors further by inviting them to attend our Breakthrough events for business leaders, and greatly look forward to supporting them as they enrich and enhance Gelston Manor Day Nursery.’
