145-place Tiverton day nursery sold to Bright Stars

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of Hurly Burly Day Nursery in Tiverton, Devon.

Established in 2016, Hurly Burly Day Nursery is a 145-place, ‘Good’ rated setting with an excellent reputation. It sits in a prominent position within a shared complex in Tiverton.

The setting was founded by Clare Berry, who owned a small group of nurseries. She recently decided to sell to retire from the sector and invest in her other business interests.

Following a confidential sales process with Jassi Sunner at Christie & Co, it has been purchased by the fourth largest nursery group in the country, Bright Stars, which now has over 142 settings in its portfolio.

Clare Berry, founder of Hurly Burly Day Nursery, comments, “I opened this nursery in 2016, but had one in Cornwall before that - this became available when an old setting closed down and I took over the lease. It’s doubled in size and continues to grow as more funded children access childcare locally - we were able to increase capacity after buying the building in 2023. I decided to sell as I wanted to retire at 50, and this meant I could focus on more travel (which I love) and my property business, which I run with my husband and son. A quieter life in my old age! The setting has even more potential to grow in 2026; there’s more land available for a forest school, and I hope a new energy and passion from Bright Stars means all the children and staff get more out of a new owner with new ideas!”

Kirsty Ibbott, M&A Director at Bright Stars, comments, “We are excited to welcome Hurly Burly Day Nursery into the Bright Stars family. This acquisition aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing high-quality early years education and care. Clare Berry has created a fantastic setting with a strong community reputation, and we look forward to building on that. Our team is dedicated to fostering an environment where creativity and learning flourish, and we can’t wait to collaborate with the existing staff to continue delivering exceptional childcare experiences for families in the area.”

Jassi Sunner, Associate Director – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, comments, “With limited stock in the area, Hurly Burly was always going to attract a lot of interest from buyers in Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and beyond. When the business was initially marketed, it was smaller, and our client owned the leasehold. During the marketing process, Clare purchased the existing space as well as some additional nursery space to use, which transformed the business we were advertising. We received a total of 28 enquiries, 14 viewings, and 10 offers for the business before we agreed a sale to Bright Stars. It has been a pleasure to work with Clare, and her pragmatic approach and ambitious growth have made it a smooth process throughout. We wish her well in her next business adventure.”

Hurly Burly Day Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.

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