Two of UK's biggest groups continue to expand
Katy Morton
Monday, May 30, 2022
Kids Planet and ICP Education have both purchased new settings.
ICP Education - which was listed as the 10th biggest group in Nursery World's Nursery Chains - has secured its second deal in Scotland, Edinburgh’s Pilrig Children’s Nursery.
The 69-place nursery was established in 2014 by Jen and Eamon Hegarty, who have now retired from the early years sector.
Speaking on behalf of ICP Education, mergers and acquisitions director, Kirsty Ibbott, said, ‘We are thrilled to be welcoming Pilrig Children’s Nursery to ICP Education. Jen and Eamon have built a wonderful nursery and a high calibre team over the last eight years.
According to Rosie Adlem, director of Christie & Co and senior director Martin Daw, who handled the deal, the Scottish nursery market is ‘particularly active’ at the moment.
Adlem explained, ‘We are delighted to have assisted another client with their retirement plans and to introduce an excellent childcare provider who will continue to nurture the business. With demand currently so high, we are finding that quality nursery businesses are receiving exceptional levels of interest within a very short timeframe despite a highly confidential process.’
The latest deals follows the the acquisition of the four Wee Gems' Nurseries in March.
The third largest nursery group in the UK, Kids Planet has acquired Church House Day Nursery in Kidderminster (pictured above), its 114th site.
The standalone setting in Worcestershire has been operating for 40 years.
Chief executive of Kids Planet, Clare Roberts, said, ‘I am thrilled that Church House has joined the Kids Planet Group. I look forward to what I hope to be a seamless integration into our growing group.’
