My purchase of a closed Glasgow day nursery: one year on

Image: The newly refurbished day nursery

In September 2024, Aisha Ali who owns Bright Starts Nurseries – which comprises a portfolio of eight Scottish settings located across Glasgow, Perth, Inchinnan, Dunfermline, Bridge of Allan, and Blantyre – and Appin Nursery in Dunfermline, purchased the former Happitots Nursery Thornliebank.

This setting, which ceased trading in May 2024, was registered for 103 children and occupies a purpose-built property in a predominantly industrial and commercial area of Glasgow.

One year on, Callum Lancaster, Business Agent – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, spoke with Aisha about how they’re getting on…

Can you tell us a bit about Bright Starts Nurseries?

I have been an independent operator for over 14 years, and every one of our nurseries has been acquired through Christie & Co. With a 25-year background in childcare, starting from my own apprenticeship in my teenage years, I worked my way up through every role in the sector, including time with the local council.

What attracted you to this vacant nursery?

The nursery is within walking distance of me and has historically been a very successful setting with a waiting list, which was evident in the accounts. I felt that, with the right hands-on operator and some care and investment, it had strong potential to return to its former success.

What has been the biggest challenge and highlight from this process?

The greatest challenge was securing partnership funding from the local council. Typically, new nurseries are entitled to funding immediately, but as we had taken over an existing registration where funding had previously been revoked, we were required to meet the national care standards by achieving grade 4 in all areas before being considered. We successfully achieved this within the first year of reopening.

A key highlight was seeing all of my Nursery Managers unite, focusing on their individual tasks while working together towards this shared goal.

What changes have you implemented so far to align the new nursery with your existing brand?

We have rebranded the nursery under Bright Starts, giving it a fresh identity. The building has been fully transformed both inside and out to reflect our brand standards.

Our long-term goal is to restore the nursery to full occupancy, as it once was.

How are you ensuring consistency in curriculum and care across all your nurseries?

Taking on this additional setting highlighted the need for stronger support across the group. I have since appointed an Area Manager and an Early Years Development Officer who work across all our nurseries. They ensure consistency in practice, support staff, and help share good practice between sites.

How do you stay innovative and responsive to changes in early years education?

I am deeply engaged in the sector and passionate about driving quality in early years education. Alongside running the nurseries, I have established two successful training businesses.

The first is an online childcare training platform, originally designed for our own staff teams. Due to demand and positive feedback, it has grown rapidly and is already used by more than 200 nurseries across Scotland. We are preparing for an official launch in January 2026, when the app will be available on both iOS and Google Play. You can find us at hubbatraining.com.

In addition, I have set up my own apprenticeship training company.  This also began as a way to support staff development in my own nurseries, but the success of the model has seen us expand significantly. We now work with apprentices across more than 100 nurseries throughout Scotland, helping to strengthen the workforce of the future.

These ventures not only ensure that our own teams remain well-trained and supported, but also allow us to share best practices and raise standards across the wider sector.

What advice would you give to someone acquiring a vacant nursery?

It is a challenging and financially demanding process. My advice would be to carry out thorough financial planning and ensure you have a small but reliable team to support you through the journey.

If you’re considering buying a closed or operational day nursery and would like to discuss your options, contact Callum Lancaster: callum.lancaster@christie.com / 07754 559 529