Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of Blueberry Nursery School in Hove, East Sussex

Established in 1994, Blueberry Nursery School is a well-established, private nursery with operating capacity for up to 67 children aged between 1 and 5 years old. Historically, the nursery enjoys an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating and a very good reputation in its local area.

The setting, which operates from a two-storey, semi-detached period house, sits in a largely residential location in Hove, East Sussex, with prominent road frontage on one of the main roads in the city.

The business was previously owned by Ms Sharn Smythson who decided to sell in order to retire. After a confidential marketing process, it has been sold to national operator, Storal Learning Ltd.

Ms Sharn Smythson commented: “I was so relieved when Sophie introduced me to Varun and Ashwin of Storal learning. Everyone we spoke to and interviewed who knows and works for them expressed how happy they had been and told us they are an extremely nurturing and caring organisation as well as being forward thinking and passionate about early years. 

“We wanted continued development opportunities and investment and to find nurturing employers who had the same ethos and belief in the need for qualified, happy, experienced staff. We wanted them to be extremely organised with an excellent reputation. An organisation who could develop Blueberry and make it even better. I could not have passed it on to anyone I didn’t fully believe in. Varun and Ashwin were very easy and warm and put me at ease. They are truly passionate about early years and nutrition. I knew that they were who I wanted to take over Blueberry.”

Speaking on behalf of Storal Learning Ltd, managing director, Mr Varun Chanrai, added: “We fell in love with everything Blueberry the very first time we saw it – and it all came down to its culture and ethos. As a group, we pride ourselves on only selecting the best nurseries within a local community and cherish each setting for its own special charm and uniqueness. We are absolutely committed to building upon the legacy of high-quality care and early years education that is at the core of Blueberry’s offering. In this regard, we anticipate the nursery operating in much the same way as it has done, including under the same name and with the same team.”

Sophie Willcox, director, Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, stated:

“We were inundated with interest in Blueberry and received multiple offers, no doubt due to its excellent location and local reputation for offering high-quality childcare. We are seeing a lot of demand in the Brighton area for good quality freehold or leasehold opportunities.”

Blueberry Nursery School was sold for an undisclosed price.