BGF invests £10m in Kids Planet

Family-owned Kids Planet, the North West based children’s nurseries group, secured a £10m investment to continue the roll-out its day care centres across the region. The Group plans to open five nurseries in the next two years creating 150 new jobs and providing nursery care and education to an additional 550 children.

Founded in 2008 by Chairman John Hoban and his daughter Chief Executive Clare Roberts, Kids Planet now owns and manages 17 nurseries. John’s other daughter Lucy Kaczmarska joined in 2013 as Director of Early Years.

The Group provides nursery care and education to around 1,700 children and holds 12 Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ ratings, with the remainder of its centres awaiting assessment. All Kids Planet nurseries are fitted with modern, well invested facilities including structured learning and development activities, and are located close to transport links.

Kids Planet opened its first two nurseries in Warrington and Widnes. Since then, the business has grown organically and through the acquisition of eight nurseries – including Jeffrey’s Corner, Liverpool Nurseries and Yarrow House Nurseries – to become one of largest groups in the region. Most recently, it has agreed to a lease on a building in Salford Quays.

BGF’s investment will be used to support the fit-out of five freehold sites that have already been acquired by Kids Planet, and for the continued expansion of the Group.

Mark McMenemy, who has experience in site roll-outs spanning Mothercare, Monsoon and WHSmith, has been appointed as Non-Executive Director following an introduction made by BGF.

Kids Planet joins a growing number of businesses in the North of England to secure funding from BGF, the UK’s most active provider of growth capital. The investment was led by Neil Inskip and Pinesh Mehta, based in BGF’s Manchester office.