Nursery deal is latest addition for Busy Bees
Childcare provider Busy Bees has bought Droitwich Spa Nursery and Kindergarten in its latest deal.
The Staffordshire-based business operates internationally, having acquired 78 Canadian nurseries when it bought Brightpath last year and 70 nurseries in Singapore and Malaysia in a 2015 deal.
Busy Bees is owned by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, the investment group which also holds a 48% stake in Birmingham Airport. It now looks after more than 50,000 children across nearly 500 nurseries in the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada and China.
Marg Randles, managing director of Busy Bees, with her grandson Louis
Marg Randles, co-founder of Busy Bees, said: “We are pleased to welcome Droitwich Spa Nursery & Kindergarten to the Busy Bees family. After seeing the brilliant staff and their abilities, we are confident that this nursery is as passionate about childcare as we are.”
The deal, for an undisclosed sum, sees the nursery’s owners Nick and Philippa Fell retire after running the site since 1993.
Philippa Fell said: “I believe we have found an ideal partner with Busy Bees. After 25 years of watching our nursery grow, I have no doubt that Busy Bees will continue our hard work, and the setting will thrive under their guidance.”
Droitwich Spa Nursery
Business property adviser Christie & Co brokered the sale for the Fells.
Nick Brown, head of brokerage – childcare, who handled the sale, said the “deal was agreed at a level which reiterates that the market is exceptionally buoyant and brimming with high quality, well-funded buyers”.
