Bradford nursery group Kinder Haven invests £1.2m and creates 50 jobs with two new site acquisitions
Thursday 11th August 2016
A Bradford-based day nursery group is investing £1.2m in acquiring two new sites in its home city that will create 50 jobs as the business continues to implement its growth plan.
Kinder Haven now has eight sites located within West Yorkshire following its purchase of two former pubs, The Fiddlers Three in Clayton and Prospect Hotel, Eccleshill. Both pubs were acquired from Enterprise Inns.
Established in 2001, Kinder Haven currently employs 130 staff and looks after 700 children from over 500 families.
As with the company’s three previous acquisitions, Kinder Haven founders, Danielle and Darren Dixon, instructed Yorkshire law firm Gordons.
Commercial property partner, Simon Mydlowski, advised the husband and wife team throughout the purchase process including contract negotiations and applications for planning consent.
The Clayton and Eccleshill sites will undergo a complete refurbishment over a 12-month period to convert them into nurseries. A total of £600,000 will be invested in each new nursery and they are scheduled to open in spring and autumn 2017 respectively.
Commenting on the deals, Danielle Dixon said: “We are very pleased to have made these latest acquisitions in quick succession in areas which are ideal locations for us. It’s great to know that we’ll be providing more high quality childcare in new, purposely designed environments whilst also having created 50 jobs.
“This is the sixth former pub site that we’ve acquired and they are proving ideal in terms of location, size and parking availability. We’ve now been guided on our last five acquisitions by Simon and his team at Gordons and the service they provide is invaluable.
“Their ability to understand what’s best for our company means that the advice given delivers tangible business benefits and underpins our growth plan.”
Mr and Mrs Dixon founded Kinder Haven by buying a former pub in Bradford’s Sticker Lane with a bank loan, after compiling a successful business plan and selling their home and car.
The couple, who then had two small children and now have three, lived in one room on the first floor for over 12 months while working full-time elsewhere during the days and converting the ground floor into their first nursery in the evenings.
Gordons’ Simon Mydlowski said: “Danielle and Darren have enjoyed a great degree of success due to their single-minded focus on ensuring Kinder Haven is an outstanding day nursery brand.
“We’re proud to be trusted to help them implement their continued expansion plans and look forward to seeing these two new sites be as successful as the others.”