Brothers Spencer and Matthew Lancaster have just found a new focus for their entrepreneurial skills. From being the owners of a large, successful cleaning company they are moving into the early years sector with the launch of Little Elms Daycare Nursery in Beckenham, Kent.
What was formerly a doctor's surgery is currently undergoing a £1.5m refurbishment to turn it into a beautifully appointed nursery for an initial intake of 55 children.
The family's cleaning business, which was launched in the 1970s and boasted a range of blue-chip clients, was taken over by Rentokil just before the recession kicked in. Matthew Lancaster stayed at the business for eight months but then decided to leave. 'It was no longer a family business and didn't have the same appeal,' he says.
'I took a year out to look at other opportunities. Around this time my daughter was born, and my wife and I realised there was a shortage of high-quality nursery provision in the area. So I decided to start looking at potential properties with a view to setting up a nursery.'
The Lancaster brothers were able to acquire the building when an existing sale fell through due to lack of finance. They completed in May.
'It is a beautiful building and we have reconfigured most of the internal walls,' says Matthew. 'We've installed a stainless-steel kitchen that is built to last, and no expense has been spared on the fixtures and fittings throughout the nursery.'
He reports that, despite the downturn, everything has come together as if it was meant to be. He has been able to use builders he has previously dealt with and employ his son's former reception teacher as nursery manager.
The brothers' aim is to create a sustainable business delivering the best education and care for the children.
'Once we get established we hope to provide lots of additional activities like tennis and language lessons. The nursery will also feature an allotment,' says Matthew.
The nursery will be managed by Janet McRobbie, who has 15 years' experience as a teacher and nursery manager. She will be appointing 22 staff. 'Janet will have complete responsibility for the education and quality of care in the nursery,' says Matthew.
'But from the perspective of a parent I have a clear idea of what it needs to offer. Our cleaning business was very focused on in-house training and it was one of the things that helped it to grow and keep it dynamic,' he adds. 'We want take this approach to the nursery and will be setting up a training room. We believe this will help with staff retention and there are a lot of areas I am getting to grips with.'
Eventually, Little Elms Daycare Nursery will be registered for 85 children although individual rooms will be limited to 13 children at once.
Matthew wants to keep the fees within local families' budgets. 'We are planning to charge £48 a day for children under the age of three, and £43 a day for three- to five year-olds,' he says. 'We will not be taking in our full quota of children on day one. We will consider what is best for the children and build numbers slowly. We don't feel there is any need to rush.'
Matthew reports that some erstwhile doctor's patients still occasionally turn up at the nursery's door. 'It has been closed as a surgery for a long while but it still happens,' he smiles.
'We are advertising outside that a nursery will be opening and have set up a temporary website providing information, with the slogan "Family-run, loadsa fun". So far it has had an excellent response.'
