Brabners’ corporate team completes tenth transaction for Happy Days Nurseries

Our corporate team — recognised as among the biggest and best in the country by The Times Best Law Firms — has completed its tenth transaction for Happy Days Day Nurseries, supporting its position as the UK's leading nursery group as it continues its expansion across the South of England.  

Buy-and-build in the nursery sector 

The nursery sector has undergone significant consolidation in recent years, with an increasing number of private equity-backed operators pursuing buy-and-build strategies.  

Historically, the sector was dominated by a handful of large national groups and relatively few mid-sized operators. Now, the market includes a growing cohort of medium-sized consolidators focused on regional expansion and acquiring businesses with strong growth potential. 

Headquartered in Cornwall, Happy Days Day Nurseries is one of these growth-focused platforms. Backed by Zetland Capital through parent company Pittshanger Holdco Limited, the business operates around 44 nurseries across the South of England and has grown significantly through a targeted acquisition strategy. The group reported a turnover of £26m in 2024 — a figure that continues to grow following several successful acquisitions. 

Trusted legal support throughout each acquisition 

We began working with Happy Days in 2023 and have since become a trusted legal partner throughout every subsequent acquisition as the business pursues its ambitious growth plans.  

A key part of our approach has been providing continuity by ensuring that the business works with a familiar core group of advisers while allowing us to flex resources depending on the size and complexity of each transaction. Regular check-ins and close collaboration have helped to maintain momentum across multiple high-value and complex transactions. 

Our work has included advising on all aspects of the transaction process and helping Happy Days to navigate the unique challenges that can arise when completing multiple deals in relatively short timeframes.  

Since Happy Days undertakes a significant amount of its own due diligence, close communication between our teams has been essential in assessing findings, identifying risks and progressing transactions efficiently. This has helped to streamline negotiations, reduce complexity and allow our team to act with confidence on the group's behalf. 

Tenth acquisition marks a significant milestone 

The completion of this tenth transaction (of Polka Dot Nurseries in May 2026) marks a significant milestone for Happy Days and reflects the trust that has developed between our teams.

With further acquisitions expected in the future, we're proud to remain a key part of the group's ongoing expansion journey and continued success within an increasingly competitive childcare market.

Quotes  

Simon Lewis, Partner in our corporate team who leads our work work with Happy Days, said: "Supporting Happy Days through ten transactions since 2023 has been a fantastic example of what can be achieved through a strong and collaborative client relationship. The nursery sector has seen significant consolidation in recent years and Happy Days has established itself as a highly successful growth platform within the market. 

As the business has expanded its portfolio, our role has been to provide practical advice, maintain momentum and help Happy Days to navigate the complexities that come with an active acquisition programme. By working closely with the team and building a detailed understanding of their objectives, we've helped to deliver transactions efficiently and support its long-term growth strategy.  

The fact that Happy Days continues to trust us with its growth plans is something that we're incredibly proud of and we're delighted to have played a part in helping Happy Days to become one of the UK's leading nursery groups." 

Marcia Viccars, Mergers and Acquisitions Director at Happy Days, said: “Our relationship with Simon and the wider team has been an important part of Happy Days’ acquisition journey. Their commercial approach, responsiveness and understanding of our business have been invaluable in helping us to navigate the complexities of multiple transactions. 

As we continue to grow, having trusted legal advisors who understand our strategic objectives can deliver practical, solution focused advise is essential. We have developed a strong and collaborative working relationship with the team and look forward to continuing that partnership as we continue on our growth strategy”. 

Talk to us 

As one of the UK’s most active legal teams for merger and acquisition (M&A) activity, our multi-award-winning corporate lawyers provide the guidance and efficiency you need throughout your growth journey. 

Our team was trusted to advise on 168 transactions last year with a combined value of around £1bn for a range of private companies and household-name businesses. 

Discuss your ambitions today by calling 0333 004 4488, emailing hello@brabners.com or completing our contact form.