Sunshine Day Nursery in Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex, has been sold to Busy Bees.

Established in 2009 in what was a former police station, Sunshine Day Nursery has been extended and refurbished over the years to allow it to cater for up to 110 children, keeping up with demand for places.

The latest refurbishment, which was completed in January 2024, doubled the outside space and added a new, dedicated baby garden.

The nursery sits in Shoreham-by-Sea’s town centre and is ideal for local walking parents or those who drive as there is the main town car park opposite the nursery.

The setting has been owned by Steve and Kate Cox since it opened and was brought to market to allow them to retire.

Following a confidential sales process with Sophie Willcox at Christie & Co, it has been purchased by Busy Bees, which now owns 15 nurseries in Sussex, including Busy Bees Crowborough, which opened in March.

Steve Goodchild, divisional director at Busy Bees, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Sunshine Day Nursery into our expanding family.

“Steven and Kate have poured their hearts into creating a nurturing and welcoming environment with a dedicated, long-standing team that truly cares about the unique needs of each child.

“We’re proud to continue their vision going forward and we’re committed to working closely with the team and families to ensure continuity of high-quality care.”

Willcox adds: “We were inundated with interest in Sunshine, which didn’t surprise me; it ticks all the boxes of what buyers are looking for in a nursery.

“This is yet another example of a competitive process achieving a very good result for my clients through having multiple parties interested.”

Sunshine Day Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.