Perspectives

We publish a small number of pieces each year on the property side of the early years sector — valuation, exit, buildings, and the operating realities that sit behind all three. Written from the operating side as much as the investment side.

What nursery property investors assess before buying a building
A nursery can trade well in a building that still makes a weak property investment. Investors therefore look beyond the current accounts to the operator, lease, capacity, planning position and the building's long-term usefulness.
September 2026
Nursery sale and leaseback: how it works for operators
A sale and leaseback separates the nursery business from the building it occupies. The operator releases the capital in the freehold, stays in the setting and takes a new long lease from the buyer.
September 2026
Everyone is talking about the shift to leasehold. Two different things are happening.
Christie & Co reported that 73% of day nursery transactions in 2025 were leasehold. The number is produced by two groups behaving in opposite ways, and it does not tell you what should happen to your building.
August 2026
Is keeping your freehold as a pension still worth it?
Most owners now sell the business and keep the building. It has become the default rather than a decision — and what the plan becomes depends almost entirely on who buys from you.
July 2026