Four Old Station nurseries sold to family-run group
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Sarah Steel, owner of The Old Station Nursery group, has sold four of her ten settings to Children 1st.
The sale of the settings, three of which are in Lincoln and one in Newark, brings the total number of nurseries owned by Children 1st Day Nurseries to 19, offering 1,800 places.
Children 1st, which operates settings across the Midlands and South Yorkshire, must of which are rated outstanding, will re-brand the nurseries later on in the year.
The family-run group confirmed that the sale will have no effect on current staff, parents and children.
Sarah Steel, who will continue to run the five remaining Old Station nurseries and one out-of-school club, which are spread throughout Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Buckinghamshire, said it was a difficult decision to say goodbye to the teams and children at the settings, but was looking forward to spending less time travelling.
She added that she is confident Children 1st will continue with the ethos of The Old Station Nursery.
Margaret Mason, founder and executive chair of Children 1st Day Nurseries, said, ‘We already have a presence in the area with our nurseries in Newark and Grantham, and therefore the acquisition presented a perfect opportunity for us to further enhance our business in Newark and Lincolnshire.
‘All four nurseries are well run and have excellent reputations due to the hard work of their staff. We are keen for this to continue and improve where possible through increased training and development.
‘I am looking forward to working with all new staff and getting to know the parents, carers and children.’
