Tops has also bought the standalone Yeovil Day Nursery. The deals mean that the nursery group has grown by more than a third.
With the acquisitions, supported by NatWest bank, the nursery group now operates 27 nurseries across the south and south-west of England, employing more than 750 staff.
Established in 1996, Noah's Ark Childcare Centres is a group of seven nurseries. Yeovil Day Nursery and Pre-school, based in Somerset, was established in 2016.
Tops Day Nurseries has more than 3,000 children on roll. According to Nursery Chains 2017, the group offered 1,690 childcare places last November.
Across the 27 nurseries, there are 2,026 registered childcare places.
To bring the new nurseries in line with the rest in the group, more eco-sustainable operations and purchasing will be introduced. Last year, the Tops banned the use of glitter. More training and apprenticeships will be put in place through the Hadland Care Group’s training arm, Aspire Training Team.
Tops Day Nursery in Boscombe
Cheryl Hadland, founder and managing director of Tops Day Nurseries (pictured), said, ‘We are delighted to be welcoming more colleagues, children and their families into our group. Each nursery has its own environment, community and heritage and we will be working with each one to celebrate where they are already. We will also enhance and support what each does best along with embarking on a fresh journey of continuous improvement.
‘The advantages to colleagues of joining a bigger family of nurseries include being able to learn from and with each other and to engage in wider career and development opportunities. And in turn to offer the best possible environment and teaching for children in their early years, which is a tremendously fulfilling and responsible vocation.’
Karrina Lee, senior childcare negotiator at Redwoods Dowling Kerr, who brokered the sale, said, ‘We approached Tops Day Nurseries as we believed they would be a perfect buyer for this opportunity due to their large presence in the region and also the opportunities that they can give to the existing employees.’
Kids Planet
Nursery group Kids Planet has also acquired another setting, bringing its total number of nurseries to 30.
Kids Planet, which operates settings in Warrington, Manchester, Cheshire and Liverpool, has bought Harrison Day Nursery School in the Wirral, Merseyside. A former bank, the nursery was established in 2000 and provides places for 120 children.
Clare Roberts, chief executive of Kids Planet, said, 'We’re delighted to acquire this fabulous nursery and look forward to continuing to provide outstanding childcare. We are really looking forward to continuing the legacy that has been created by Frank Landrum and build on this further with Jane and her team.'
The sale was brokered by Christie & Co.
