Ladybirds day nursery in Oldham, Manchester, has been sold, 18 years after first being opened by husband and wife team, Timothy Clarkson and Barbara Keeling.

The ‘Good’-rated nursery, which has a capacity for up to 54 children aged 0-5 years, has a reputation as one of the best nurseries in the area.

And it enjoys a private-yet-prominent location close to a busy commuter road with direct and easy access to motorway links, attracting a mix of local and commuting parents.

The setting has been owned by the couple since 2006 and focuses on developmentally-appropriate learning, enjoyment, and active play.

But they decided to sell the business as they plan to retire.

Following a confidential sales process, and with funding sourced through Becki Barnett at Christie Finance, it has been purchased by first-time nursery owner, Arron Leech, who also owns Jungle J’s Play and Party Centre in Chadderton, Oldham.

Keeling said: “The foundation of a successful nursery is, of course, its staff, and we have been immensely fortunate in employing a fantastic team of dedicated professionals who have consistently maintained the setting’s reputation for high-quality childcare and education.”

Sofia Beck, director of childcare and education at Christie & Co, added: “We have experienced a busy start to 2024 with several day nursery transactions completing in January and a solid increase in new business instructions and offers accepted.

“We are also seeing lots of new interest in the sector, with first-time nursery buyers like Arron, who have previous experience in the early years and education space, being keen to own their own businesses.”

Ladybirds Educational Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.