The owner of Mulberry Roots in Lancashire has acquired three North Yorkshire nurseries in a deal facilitated by specialist business property adviser Christie & Co.

Hamzah Arshad bought the group of three day nurseries, trading as Kids at Heart, to expand his early years portfolio. The settings have a combined capacity for up to 137 children.

“Expanding my portfolio with the acquisition of the Kids at Heart group is an exciting step forward,” said Arshad. “The settings are highly respected, with strong teams and a long-standing reputation for excellence. I am committed to ensuring continuity for families while also exploring opportunities to further enhance the learning environments and experiences offered across the three settings”

Julie Shaw, previous owner of Kids at Heart, acquired the group in 1994 and decided to sell to allow her to retire after more than 30 years in the sector.

“It has been an immense privilege to have shared the learning and development of so many wonderful children and to have worked together supportively with such brilliant families and staff teams for so long,” she said. “However, the time has come to hand over the reins so that I can spend more time with my family and grandchildren. I believe that Hamzah’s values and ethos reflect my own, and it reassures me that children, parents and staff will be well supported under his leadership.” 

Vicky Lowe, director at Christie & Co, said: “I’m pleased to have been able to work with Julie through the process, which, at times, wasn’t easy. Through our continued marketing efforts, I’m pleased to have introduced the buyer for the desired sale, which allowed Julie to take a very well-deserved retirement.”