Popular Portsmouth day nursery sold for the first time as founder retires

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of Teddy Bears Nursery School in Portsmouth, Hampshire.

Teddy Bears Nursery School is an established day nursery business that looks after children from nought to five years old and provides education and care in a warm, structured, and safe environment all year around. It operates from a converted residential property that can take 52 children at any one time and has access to an impressive outdoor play area that the children take full advantage of.

The previous owner, Vithiya Arenesarajah, bought the nursery in 2006 after a long-standing career in accounting and has successfully grown the business to become what it is today. She decided now was the right time to explore a sale to enjoy her retirement.

Following a confidential sales process with Sophie Willcox at Christie & Co, the setting has been purchased by Happy Days Nurseries, a group of 29 nurseries operating across the UK.

Kim Herbert, CEO of Happy Days Nurseries, comments, “We are thrilled to be growing our portfolio again with the acquisition of this fantastic nursery whose ethos of nurturing children in a warm, friendly environment aligns with our own. We look forward to working with the staff team to support children to become strong and motivated learners for life and provide a top-class service to enable parents to work and live their daily lives knowing their children are cherished and cared for to the highest standard. We now look forward to working with the staff team to support children to become strong and motivated learners for life and provide a top-class service to enable parents to work and live their daily lives knowing their children are cherished and cared for to the highest standard.”

Sophie Willcox, Director – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, comments, “I am delighted to have found Vithiya the right buyer to carry on her legacy as she enters retirement. It was a tense end to the deal, which completed just ahead of the Autumn Budget, but I’m delighted to have completed on this freehold nursery. This is an example of another freehold sale in the South, bucking the trend of previous years where we saw more leasehold sales, whereas 2024 has been more of an equal split.”

Teddy Bears Nursery School was sold for an undisclosed price.

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