Two nurseries in North Lanarkshire acquired by Busy Bees Nurseries

Images: Lochview Nursery (left) and Parkview Nursery (right)

Founded in 2007 by Jim Agnew and operated alongside his sons James and Ben, Lochview Nursery Ltd has grown into a trusted, family-run organisation with two exceptional settings in Gartcosh and Muirhead. Over nearly two decades, the group has earned an outstanding reputation for delivering high-quality childcare and early years education, supported by strong Care Inspectorate grades and partnerships with North Lanarkshire Council.

Located just seven miles east of Glasgow, the nurseries sit within a mile and a half of each other and together provide 162 registered places, supported by a dedicated team of experienced staff. Positioned in areas of significant residential growth with approximately 1,500 new homes planned and further developments underway, they are ideally placed to meet strong and sustained demand for childcare provision.

Looking ahead to retirement, the Agnew family decided to sell to find the right operator to continue their legacy of excellence and community care.

Following a sales process led by Callum Lancaster & Martin Daw at Christie & Co, both nurseries have been acquired via a new lease from Lochview Nursery Ltd by one of the UK’s leading early years providers, Busy Bees, expanding the group’s portfolio to now include around 390 nurseries across the UK and Ireland. This expansion brings the total number of Busy Bees nurseries in Scotland to 23, spread across 13 local authorities, making Busy Bees one of the largest childcare providers in Scotland. 

Yvonne Smilie, Managing Director for Busy Bees Scotland, comments, “We are delighted to welcome Lochview and Parkview nurseries to our growing family. Jim, alongside sons James and Ben, has built up an enviable reputation for their high-quality learning environments, and we are committed to preserving this vision going forward. We’re proud to continue the legacy of the Agnew family and support the well-established teams, who are held in high regard by parents. Together, working closely with Nursery Managers Lorraine and Kimberly, and their teams, we will ensure every child continues to receive the best start in life. We extend a warm welcome to all colleagues, children, and families into Busy Bees.” 

Callum Lancaster, Business Agent – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, added, “I’m absolutely delighted to have supported the Agnew family in achieving a successful sale, and it was a genuine pleasure working with them throughout the process. After many years of dedication to building Lochview and Parkview into two exceptional nurseries, they can now look forward to a well-earned retirement. Busy Bees is an excellent fit to carry forward the values and reputation they’ve established, and I’m confident these settings will continue to thrive under their stewardship.”

The nurseries were sold at an undisclosed price.

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