Pair of Glasgow day nursery settings sold to Bright Stars Nurseries

Image: Happy Days Too in Southfield House, Glasgow

For more than 30 years, Happy Days Too has provided high-quality childcare and education through a range of full-time and part-time places for children aged between six weeks and preschool years. The two settings - Happy Days Too Busby and Southfield House, Mearnskirk - are located on East Kilbride Road and Mearns Road in Glasgow.

They have been owned by CME Investments since 2003 and were brought to market in January 2024.

Following a confidential sales process with Martin Daw at Christie & Co, they have been purchased by Bright Stars Nurseries which now owns 23 settings across Scotland.

Dougie MacAulay, Managing Director at CME Investments, comments, “After 21 years of successfully running both Happy Days Too Busby and Southfield House, Mearnskirk nurseries in East Renfrewshire, providing care for up to 215 children, Linda and I decided the time was right for us to pursue retirement and find a suitable buyer with the same core values as ourselves. Over the period of our ownership, we have developed a very strong, experienced and accomplished team who have consistently delivered quality childcare provision, and we are so proud of their success. Bright Stars are, in our view, an ideal fit. They will look after all our wonderful staff, who will continue to flourish under their management and direction. Our sincere thanks go to all our dedicated staff and the parents who have put their trust in us over the years.”

Stephen Booty, Chairman at Bright Stars Nurseries, comments, “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Happy Days Busby and Southfield House, Mearnskirk nurseries. We are excited to integrate these beloved settings into our family, continuing their legacy of nurturing care and excellence. Our commitment to providing a safe and stimulating environment remains steadfast. The dedicated staff at Happy Days Too and Southfield House, Mearnskirk will continue to play a vital role in fostering a warm atmosphere where children can learn and grow. We aim to maintain the high standards of education and affection that parents have come to expect. As we embark on this new journey, we look forward to creating joyful experiences for the children in our care and building strong relationships with families in the community.”

Martin Daw, Senior Director at Christie & Co, comments, “Having known our clients for over 18 years, it was clear the timing was right to run the sale process. Over the last two decades, Dougie and Linda have created a fantastic business with quality childcare at the centre of it. A long history of excellent Care Inspectorate gradings and high occupancy made it a very attractive business to acquire. I look forward to seeing Dougie spend more time with his family and other interests as he winds down to retirement.”

Happy Days Too Busby and Southfield House, Mearnskirk were 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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