Harrison Drury advises shareholders of South East-based nursery group on sale to Kids Planet

Harrison Drury’s corporate team has advised the shareholders of Perfect Start Nurseries, an eight-setting childcare provider in the South East, on their sale to Kids Planet – one of the UK’s largest day nursery groups.

Perfect Start was founded by Paul Clarke, Michelle Richardson, and Paul Evans in 2018. It comprises day nurseries located across Sussex, Surrey and Kent that offer first-class environments for up to 733 children.

The nurseries are located in prime locations in Burgess Hill, Cobham, Farnham, Haywards Heath, Horsham, Sevenoaks, Walton-on-Thames, and Weybridge. The group has been sold for an undisclosed sum to Kids Planet Day Nurseries which now has over 233 settings across the UK.

The process was led by Harrison Drury’s Mark Traynor with support from Wendy Catterall, Sophie Holt-Rogers, Jennifer Potts and Emma Butterworth.

Paul Clarke, Michelle Richardson and Paul Evans, former owners of Perfect Start, said: “We are all delighted to have found the perfect home for our group with Kids Planet. We are very proud of what we have achieved with the team, and this is an excellent opportunity for Kids Planet to get a foothold into these ideal locations.

“We would like to wish them, the parents, the children, and all the staff the very best for the next step on this exciting journey. We would also like to say a huge thank you to Mark and the team for their invaluable help and advice throughout the transaction. The team’s insight and knowledge of the childcare sector sets them apart.”

Mark Traynor, partner and head of the corporate team at Harrison Drury, said: “We’re proud to have supported this important transaction which we expect to be one of the most significant in the sector in 2025. I’m delighted for our clients who have built an incredible group of nurseries. It’s great to see them hand this over to the hugely respected Kids Planet Day Nurseries.

“Having advised on a significant number of transactions in the day nurseries sector, we were able to use our experience and knowledge to assist Michelle, Paul and Paul in achieving a well-earned and successful exit.”