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Nurseries Group secures £10m PE Investment

A family-owned children’s nurseries group headquartered in Cheshire has secured a £10m private equity investment to continue the rollout of its day care centres across the North West.

Kids Planet, which is headquartered in Lymm, has received the backing from the Business Growth Fund(BGF). The group plans to open five nurseries in the next two years, creating 150 jobs and providing nursery care and education to an additional 550 children.

Founded in 2008 by chairman John Hoban and his daughter, chief executive Clare Roberts, Kids Planet now owns and manages 17 nurseries. Hoban’s other daughter Lucy Kaczmarska joined in 2013 as director of early years.

The group currently provides nursery care and education to around 1,700 children and holds 12 Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ ratings, with the remainder of its centres awaiting assessment.

Kids Planet opened its first two nurseries in Warrington and Widnes. The business has since grown organically and through the acquisition of eight nurseries, including Jeffrey’s Corner, Liverpool Nurseries and Yarrow House Nurseries, and most recently agreed to a lease on premises in Salford Quays.

BGF’s investment will be used to support the fit-out of five freehold sites that have already been acquired by Kids Planet, and for the continued expansion of the group. Mark McMenemy, who has experience in site rollouts spanning Mothercare, Monsoon and WHSmith, has been appointed as non-executive director following an introduction made by BGF. Read More