Pair of children’s day nurseries in West Dunbartonshire sold to local group

The group comprises two well-established settings trading as Carousel Nurseries, located in Alexandria and Dumbarton. Together, the nurseries are registered to care for over 140 children and operate from prominent sites within their local communities. Both settings benefit from strong partnerships with West Dunbartonshire Council and have a consistent history of ‘Good’ and ‘Very Good’ grades from the Care Inspectorate.

The nurseries had been owned by Carousel Nurseries Ltd since 2018, when they were acquired through Christie & Co, and were brought to market as part of the owner’s strategic decision to refocus her portfolio within the childcare sector.

Following a confidential sales process with Callum Lancaster at Christie & Co, and with funding sourced through Stephen McConalogue at Christie Finance, they have been purchased by existing operators, Tots R Us Nurseries, which has two other settings in West Dunbartonshire.

Isabel Burns, Director at Tots R Us Nurseries, comments, “We are delighted to announce that Carousel Nurseries have officially joined the Tots R Us family. This marks an exciting step for our family-run business, and we look forward to the journey ahead.

“Our immediate focus will be on enhancing the learning environment across both settings, including the introduction of new resources and investment in outdoor spaces. While maintaining the warm and nurturing atmosphere already in place, our aim is to provide even greater opportunities for children to learn, grow, and thrive. We look forward to working closely with the children, parents, and the fantastic teams at both nurseries, and are excited to get started.”

Callum Lancaster, Senior Business Agent – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, comments, “I’m absolutely delighted to have supported Angela in the successful sale of Carousel Nurseries, having originally acquired both settings through Christie & Co in 2018. It’s been a pleasure working with her throughout this process, and while this marks the sale of these settings, she remains active within the childcare sector.

“It’s great to see the nurseries acquired by Isabel and Piotr at Tots R Us Nursery Ltd, who already operate locally in Dumbarton and Clydebank. I met with them in Glasgow prior to the nurseries coming to market, and they were very keen on Carousel should the opportunity arise. Once the businesses became available, I was able to introduce them quickly and agree a deal between the parties. With Isabel’s wealth of experience in the childcare sector, I’ve no doubt the nurseries will continue to perform well and grow under their ownership.”

Stephen McConalogue, Associate Director – Christie Finance, comments, “I’m pleased to have supported my clients with the funding package for another transaction within the children’s day nursery sector. The nursery sector continues to have its challenges; however, the market for new entrants or indeed experienced operators is strong, with funding readily available for the right applicant.”

The two Carousel Nurseries settings were sold for an undisclosed price.

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