The Barley Barn Childcare buyout is the start of the group’s ‘fast-paced acquisition programme’ for the year.
The group has bought the three Barley Barn nurseries in Enfield, north London, North Weald in Essex, and Sawbridgeworth in Hertfordshire.
The North Weald nursery operates from a modern timber-framed barn on the 160-acre North Weald golf course.
The Sawbridgeworth setting provides 75-places and is based in a Grade II listed country house along with a converted stable annex and brand new modular classroom building in the centre of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire.
The Enfield nursery provides 80 places from a Victorian Grade II listed building.
The sale includes Barley Barn Childcare’s after-school clubs in Epping and Loughton, which run from Alderton Infant and Junior School.
Chief executive Andy Morris said, ‘At Asquith, we are all delighted that the owners have decided to sell their business to us, as we truly believe that Barley Barn and all of the team within it will be a great fit within our family of nurseries.
‘We look forward to welcoming the children, parents and staff into the Asquith family and ensure them that the safety and wellbeing of the children and staff is our number one priority.’
Asquith now operates 80 nurseries with 28 nurseries now graded outstanding, the most recent being Reigate and Royal Earlswood, both based in Surrey.
In Nursery World's Nursery Chains supplement, published last November, the group was listed as having 82 nurseries offering 6,304 places.
