Kids Planet on growth trail

A FAMILY-owned and managed nursery operator has announced further expansion in the region as it bids to grow revenues from £13m to beyond £20m.

Lymm-based Kids Planet Day Nurseries has acquired a business in Southport and a site in Swinton, Greater Manchester, where it will invest £1.5m in a new facility. Both deals are being supported by a loan facility from Barclays.

In Southport it has bought a converted church, Yarrow House Nursery, which has become its 16th site and its ninth to be rated ‘Outstanding’ by regulator Ofsted.

Kids Planet Day Nurseries was founded in 2008 by chief executive Clare Roberts and her father John Hoban, who is chairman. John’s other daughter, Lucy Kaczmarska, joined the group in 2013 as director of early years.

After first acquiring two nurseries in Warrington and Widnes, the company has become one of largest groups in the region with nurseries located in Crewe, Dukinfield, Hale, Liverpool, Lymm, Prestwich, Sale, Salford, Springhead, Warrington and Widnes.  It hopes to expand further and hit 25 sites in the next three years.

Chief executive Clare Roberts said: “Yarrow House Nursery is a beautiful building and was a perfect fit for the Kids Planet Group. We’re also very excited and looking forward to our purpose built nursery in Swinton”.

The deal was arranged by Barclays relationship director, Matt Ryan. Mark Traynor of Manchester-based HRC Law advised on the transaction and Christie & Co were the agents selling the business.

Ryan, said: “Kids Planet is an exceptional business and one we are proud to be associated with. Clare and her father John are proving they have the appetite and confidence to invest by expanding their business operations into Liverpool earlier this year and now Southport and Swinton.

“The group has bold ambitions and if they continue on this growth track they will become the largest independent nursery operator outside London.”