Nursery Chains: Editor's view

Since 2010 the largest 25 groups in the UK and Ireland have expanded from 881 nurseries to 952, offering over 4,000 more places.

Chains are increasingly recognising the importance of achieving outstanding as our table reveals , with many now promoting their top rating as a powerful selling point.

Small chains with an emphasis on high-quality practice are also in a strong position to thrive as our profile on Nursery World award winner Cranley Nursery highlights (page 14). Much hard work to ensure that high standards of practice are consistent across the three sites has paid off and the business now has an annual turnover of more than £1m.

Sometimes the vision of one individual can make all the difference. At Toad Hall Nurseries, the appointment of a new chief executive has taken the group's occupancy and reputation to a new level. No aspect of the nursery's operations have been overlooked as part of the overhaul, and what was good has now become excellent.

However, chains need all their business acumen and good judgement to ride out these difficult times. Occupancy levels are unpredictable as unemployment worsens and chains are still bracing themselves for the full impact of local authority cuts.

Investors are understandably cautious, and will only invest if the location is right, the management is strong and there is 'experience of trading through the bad times as well as the good' . Despite all the uncertainties, the big groups are unanimous about one thing - achieve quality and everything else will follow.