Popular day nursery in Shoreham joins Busy Bees

Established in 2009 in what was a former police station, Sunshine Day Nursery has been extended and refurbished over the years to allow it to cater for up to 110 children, keeping up with demand for places. The latest refurbishment, which was completed in January 2024, doubled the outside space and added a new, dedicated baby garden.

The nursery sits in Shoreham-by-Sea’s town centre and is ideal for local walking parents or those who drive, as there is the main town car park opposite the nursery.

The setting has been owned by Steve and Kate Cox since it opened, and was brought to market to allow them to retire.

Following a confidential sales process with Sophie Willcox at Christie & Co, it has been purchased by Busy Bees, which now owns 15 nurseries in Sussex, including Busy Bees Crowborough, which opened in March 2025. The day-to-day running of the nursery is managed by a fantastic senior leadership team and a long-standing manager who will continue to run the centre under the new ownership.

Steve and Kate Cox, former owners of Sunshine Day Nursery, comment, “Once we decided to retire, we contacted Sophie first, as we knew of her great reputation in the sector. We wanted to find a buyer who would share our ethos as a caring and supportive employer, whilst offering new career development opportunities for the staff team. After carefully considering our options, we chose Busy Bees as we felt that our approaches, values and commitments to high-quality childcare were closely aligned. We are very proud to have cared for and supported thousands of local children and their families over the past 16 years. Playing a part in the early years of so many young lives has been a real honour. Busy Bees is a very reputable childcare provider, and we are confident that the nursery will flourish under their leadership.”

Steve Goodchild, Divisional Director at Busy Bees, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Sunshine Day Nursery into our expanding family. Steven and Kate have poured their hearts into creating a nurturing and welcoming environment with a dedicated, long-standing team that truly cares about the unique needs of each child. We’re proud to continue their vision going forward, and we’re committed to working closely with the team and families to ensure continuity of high-quality care. We extend a warm welcome to all colleagues, children and families into Busy Bees.”

Sophie Willcox, Director - Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, comments, “We were inundated with interest in Sunshine, which didn’t surprise me - it ticks all the boxes of what buyers are looking for in a nursery. Kate and Steve have done a fantastic job, and I wish them all the very best in their retirement.

“This is yet another example of a competitive process achieving a very good result for my clients through having multiple parties interested.”

Sunshine Day Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.

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For further information on this press release, contact:
Phoebe Hill, Associate Director – Corporate Communications
P: 07540 063 598 or E: phoebe.hill@christie.com

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