Unique day nursery on a Darlington farm sold
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of High Bank Nursery in Stapleton, Darlington.
High Bank Nursery is a ‘Good’ rated setting with a capacity for up to 110 children aged nought to four years. It was purpose-built giving a spacious feel to all its rooms and comprises a unique outdoor space including a large play area, mini-farm, garden, and Forest School. The nursery was extended with a purpose-built preschool unit in 2021 due to increased demand. It is ideally located on a farm in the village of Stapleton, a beautiful semi-rural location within easy reach of Darlington and Richmond.
The business was founded by Lesley and Angus Thompson in 2003 and was brought to market earlier this year as a genuine retirement sale.
Following a confidential sales process with Vicky Marsland at Christie & Co, it has been purchased by Kids Planet, which now owns 167 settings across the UK.
Lesley and Angus, Founders of High Bank Nursery, comment, “Kids Planet is an ideal buyer for the nursery that we have spent the last 20 years growing. We will miss the staff and children at the setting, however, we know that they are in good hands.”
Clare Roberts, CEO at Kids Planet, comments, “A warm welcome to the team at High Bank - a unique, family-feel setting that aligns with our Kids Planet approach. The nursery will strengthen our presence in County Durham, and I look forward to supporting and welcoming the team and families as they join our group.”
Vicky Marsland, Associate Director – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, comments, “I met Lesley and Angus in 2019 and have since built a good working relationship, which has been key in understanding the best way of achieving their desire to eventually retire when the time came. This is truly a beautiful nursery with an amazing team of staff, a great opportunity for Kids Planet to grow its offering in the North East of England. It’s been a pleasure working with Lesley through this process, even if it has been stressful at times but, together, we achieved what we set out to. I’d also like to give a special thanks to Chris Morgan and David Williams at Savage Silk Solicitors, for all their hard work.”
High Bank Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.
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For further information on this press release, contact:
Phoebe Burrows, Corporate Communications Manager
P: 07540 063 598 or E: phoebe.burrows@christie.com
Contact the agent:
Vicky Marsland, Associate Director – Childcare & Education
P: 07526 175 857 or E: vicky.marsland@christie.com
Visit Christie & Co’s Business Search page to find out more about current childcare and education listings.
