Extra £6.5m investment for fast-expanding nursery group

BGF’s Ben Barker and Clare Roberts

Family-owned fast-growth nursery group Kids Planet has received an additional £6.5m investment from BGF to spearhead further expansion and open more sites.

Since BGF’s initial investment in 2016, the business, based in Lymm, Cheshire, has expanded to 38 sites across the North of England and Midlands.

With a strong foothold in the North West since opening its first two nurseries in Widnes and Warrington, Kids Planet opened its first site outside the region in April this year with sights set on growing the company’s geographical footprint further. A new purpose-built nursery will open in Worsley this Summer.

BGF, which is the UK and Ireland’s most active investor in growing businesses, has now invested £23m into the company with an initial £10m and a further £6.5m in 2018.

The investment has supported acquisitions, nursery fit-outs and will now see new developments.

Kids Planet’s model centres around early-years care based around creative play, nutritional meals and educational support.

Last financial year (March 2019) the business reported £21m in sales. The group provides nursery care and education to 5,000 children and currently holds 20 Ofsted Outstanding ratings.

Clare Roberts, Kids Planet chief executive, said: “Our goal is to provide outstanding early years education to as many children as possible across the North. With BGF’s backing we’ve been able to accelerate the roll-out of our business while remaining focused on providing an exceptional care and facilities.”

Pinesh Mehta, an investor at BGF, added: “Kids Planet has performed consistently well as a business because of the high standards the team holds. Since embarking on this journey with Clare and John, Kids Planet has gone from strength to strength and it’s fantastic to be providing further funding for the next phase of expansion.”

Pinsent Masons advised on the legals.

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