Rebrand of Wythenshawe nursery first of £1.7m overhaul

A £60,000 refurbishment of a nursery at Wythenshawe in south Manchester has kick-started a £1.7m project by Co-operative Childcare to redevelop its entire estate.

The unit is one of 23 Buffer Bear outlets acquired by Co-operative Childcare (which is owned by Midcounties Co-operative) in a deal for an undisclosed sum which took place in December last year.

Co-operative Childcare general manager Linda Knight said that the remaining 22 outlets will now be rebranded by the end of the year at a cost of £60,000-£120,000 per unit.

Buffer Bear was set up in 1992 as a not-for-profit company by founder Dr Kay Turner, while Co-operative Childcare was formed in 2004 and has six units.

Knight told TheBusinessDesk.com that Turner approached The Co-operative last year after deciding to retire. She said she had sought out a business with a similar ethos to its own to ensure that its 650 staff were looked after.

The Co-operative will now rebrand all of the nurseries under its own name, and Knight said that that other changes such as systems upgrades and an increase in the levels of support staff would also be made to help improve the amount of time that staff spend with children.

The combined firm is targeting a turnover of £12m in its current year, but Knight said that it is also targeting other potential

“We’re looking at new buildings, the acquisition of small groups or standalone sites,” she said.