After a year of relatively little activity in terms of nursery group acquisitions and mergers, 2006 has finished with a definite bang - witness the 70m sale of Busy Bees to the Australian giant ABC Learning Centres, the largest childcare provider in the world (see News, page 4). The UK private nursery sector has been demoralised and fearful for its future in recent years, but this investment and vote of confidence from abroad, plus the back-up from a fast-growing company that is strong in several continents, could help to inject some optimism. It is highly unlikely that ABC boss 'Fast Eddy' Groves will stop at a single acquisition in the UK. A couple of purchases costing modest amounts compared to some of ABC's recent deals could quickly take him to the number one spot.
After a year of relatively little activity in terms of nursery group acquisitions and mergers, 2006 has finished with a definite bang - witness the 70m sale of Busy Bees to the Australian giant ABC Learning Centres, the largest childcare provider in the world (see News, page 4).
The UK private nursery sector has been demoralised and fearful for its future in recent years, but this investment and vote of confidence from abroad, plus the back-up from a fast-growing company that is strong in several continents, could help to inject some optimism. It is highly unlikely that ABC boss 'Fast Eddy' Groves will stop at a single acquisition in the UK. A couple of purchases costing modest amounts compared to some of ABC's recent deals could quickly take him to the number one spot.
Busy Bees' lucrative voucher business was an undoubted draw for ABC, which has stated its interest in replicating it on an international scale. The implications of this deal should be of great interest in 2007.
The Nursery World team would like to wish all its readers, contributors and advertisers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We'll be back on 4 January with some great new features to help you do the best job in the world!
Liz Roberts, editor
