In June this year Bright Horizons Family Solutions snapped up Child & Co, a chain of nine nurseries with 863 places among them, based in Oxfordshire. Two months later, it bought the Birrell Collection of six nurseries in Edinburgh, acquiring a further 358 places. This puts Bright Horizons at 4,291 places, ahead of Busy Bees, which had 4,075 places in June 2004.
Ilene Hoffer, director of public affairs for Bright Horizons FS, said last week that the plan is 'not to grow for growth's sake' but to 'grow appropriately'.
She said, 'If we believe that it makes strategic sense and if we feel that we have a cultural and organisational fit with a group, we will pursue the acquisition.'
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