Award-winning 122-place day nursery in Essex sold to Happy Day nursery group
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of award-winning Polka Dot Farm Nursery in Billericay, Essex.
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Image credits: Polka Dot Farm Nursery
Polka Dot Farm Nursery is an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rated, 122-place day nursery and forest school on Tye Common Road, just outside the historic residential town of Billericay in Essex.
Having been developed from a farm, coffee shop, and its outbuildings, former owners Sian Douglas and Faye O’Rourke transformed the buildings into a thriving, predominantly outdoor, early years setting .
Polka Dot Farm Nursery was quickly established as an exceptional setting, winning the NMT ‘Nursery of the Year 2025’ award within its first few years of operation. It offers a high-quality environment for early years care and is well regarded within its local community.
Following a confidential sales process with Nick Brown at Christie & Co, the setting has been purchased by Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools, bringing their total number of settings in the UK to 44.
Sian Douglas and Faye O’Rourke, the former owners of Polka Dot Farm Nursery, comment, “We are thrilled to complete on the sale of Polka Dot Farm and wish Happy Days every success going forward. Polka Dot Farm has been the most fun we’ve had in our careers and we are grateful to Nick and the team at Christie & Co for their introduction to the team at Happy Days. We look forward to seeing the nursery continue providing exceptional early years experiences to the children who attend.”
Marcia Viccars, Mergers & Acquisitions Director at Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools, comments, “We are delighted to welcome this exceptional nursery into our group. Its outstanding reputation, dedicated team, and commitment to providing enriching outdoor experiences for children make it a perfect fit with our values and long-term vision. Our priority is to build on the strong foundations already in place, supporting the team as they continue to deliver the high-quality care and education the families know and trust.”
Nick Brown, Head of Brokerage – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, comments, “This sale represents one of the largest individual leasehold deals which I have been delighted to be involved with. There was strong interest from a range of buyers generated via a highly confidential process. It’s been a pleasure working with Sian and Faye - this nursery is an absolute dream for new owners, with quality throughout at the highest level, a reputation that is second to none, and a strong level of profitability. I would like to wish them both the very best for the future.”
Polka Dot Farm Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.
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