BPE acts for Treetops Nursery in share sale

The corporate team from Cheltenham-based BPE Solicitors has acted for Treetops Nursery, a provider of education and childcare, as the owners sold the business to Dean Close School.

The childcare provider operates from two sites across Cheltenham and Gloucester offering care for babies from three months of age up to and including pre-school age children. The business was established in 1989 and in September 2017 became part of the Dean Close Foundation, adding the excellent resources and expertise of Dean Close School’s team to the offer of Treetops.

Given the understandable concern parents have in who looks after their children the deal was sensitive by nature. A further key part of BPE’s task was to ensure the existing staff had job security and the change of control brought minimal disruption to staff, parents and children.

Dale Williams of BPE said: “Working with the Treetops management team during their sale to Dean Close was a good local deal to be involved with. The history and reputation of the business involved meant confidentiality was key throughout the negotiations, additionally a previous trading partnership arrangement had to be formally concluded which added an additional level of complexity.”

Michelle Dearman, who set up Treetops in 1989, said: “When I set up the nursery my own kids were very young and needed childcare. Treetops was established to provide child care in an environment as close to that the children would experience at home as possible. We have always focused on allowing each child to develop and grow as they learn and build their confidence.

“This sale will see Treetops continue to thrive under the excellent management of the Dean Close Foundation, and I look forward to my grandchildren enjoying their time here as much as their parents did.”

These notes have been prepared for the purpose of articles only. They should not be regarded as a substitute for taking legal advice.