Nursery World - Happy Days nursery group secures multi-million pound investment to expand

Happy Days nursery group, which operates 18 settings, has secured funding from private equity firm Zetland Capital to grow to more than double its size.

Happy Days Nurseries' managing director Kim Herbert with children at the group's nursery in Newquay, Cornwall

The group, which was established over 30 years ago in Cornwall, plans to expand further into the south-west through a mixture of ‘organic growth’ and acquisitions. It is due to open new sites in Salisbury, Yate and Taunton next year.

It will also use the funding from Zetland Capital to improve its existing 18 nurseries, which are based across Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Swindon and Bristol. Together the sites provide places for nearly 2,000 children and are all rated good or outstanding by Ofsted.

The private equity investment follows a restructure of the group’s senior leadership team over the past year.

Happy Days’ managing director Kim Herbert said, ‘We are delighted to have secured this investment from Zetland which will allow us to provide inspirational care and education to more children across the south-west, while investing in our existing nurseries and teams to improve environments, support staff development and ensure every child at a Happy Days Nursery has the best possible start in life.’

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