Torwood House day nursery in Bristol has been sold to Kids Planet Day Nurseries having been under the same ownership for nearly 30 years.

The large, established nursery that can cater for up to 166 children and is located in the affluent area of Redland, on the edge of Bristol’s Clifton Downs.

The setting has been owned by Samantha Packer since 1996 and was brought to market to allow her to concentrate on other business interests.

Following a confidential sales process with Rachel Godwin at Christie & Co, it has been purchased by Kids Planet Day Nurseries, which now owns over 240 settings across the UK.

Packer said: “I decided to sell the business after 30 years of nursery ownership to concentrate on my family a little more and to ensure that the setting continues to flourish in the capable hands of a larger group.

“Alas, for small independent nurseries and proprietorial schools, there are external forces that are causing the nursery sector to make choices that would not have been made.

“The recent policy changes in government have caused me to focus on other areas of my business.”

Torwood House was sold for an undisclosed price.