Dawnay, Day Principal Investments and Swordfish Investments LLP have bought children’s day nurseries operator Asquith Nurseries.

The business was sold by Lyceum Capital, a private equity firm that invests in mid market service businesses, for £95 million.

Lyceum’s property valuation adviser was Christie + Co, led by director Courteney Donaldson. The firm was instructed to value 113 of Asquith’s children’s day nurseries and crèches.

“Christie + Co specialise in the valuation and sale of child centric sector businesses.” Donaldson said. “Christie + Co have an unrivalled wealth of knowledge and expertise within the children’s day nursery sector and act for many of the UK’s largest nursery groups. The Asquith deal illustrates the increasing levels of confidence in nursery sector and we anticipate further investment and consolidation will occur during 2007.”

Christie + Co

Christie + Co is the UK’s leading business agent specialising in the sale, valuation and acquisition of businesses in the childcare and education sector. Christie + Co has an unrivalled presence, wealth of knowledge and expertise within the children’s day nursery sector, acting for many of the UK’s largest nursery groups and also private single site operators.