Happy Days Nurseries Secures £30 Million Growth Facility from OakNorth Bank

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools, one of the UK’s leading early years education providers, has secured a £30 million growth funding facility from OakNorth Bank to accelerate its expansion across southern England.

The new facility will support Happy Days’ strategic plan to grow from its current 36 nurseries, double the size of its portfolio just three years ago to more than 43 sites by early 2026 with a long-term vision to reach 60–80 nurseries in the coming years.

The capital will be used to acquire and open new nurseries, upgrade existing facilities, and strengthen operational capabilities, enabling the group to meet rising demand for high-quality early years education and childcare.

Kim Herbert, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Days Nurseries, said:

“This funding marks a pivotal moment for Happy Days. With 36 nurseries already established and strong demand for our services, we are now well positioned to accelerate our growth and achieve our goal of operating more than 43 nurseries by early 2026 with a long-term vision to reach 60-80 nurseries in the coming years. I want to recognise the outstanding role Toni Kilby, our CFO, played in leading this funding process. Her expertise and commitment were central to securing this facility and building a strong partnership with OakNorth Bank, which will support our expansion journey.”

Toni Kilby, Chief Financial Officer of Happy Days Nurseries, added:

“The funding process was rigorous and thorough, but it provided a valuable opportunity to demonstrate the strength of our business model and long-term vision. OakNorth’s team approached the partnership with professionalism and a collaborative spirit, and together we built a strong foundation for future growth. We look forward to working closely with OakNorth as we continue to expand and deliver outstanding early years education across the UK.”

Deepesh Thakrar, Managing Director of Debt Finance at OakNorth, continued: “Happy Days is a standout operator in the UK childcare sector, high-quality, well-run, and delivering on its ambition to build a scaled, high-performing early years education platform. The management team has a clear strategy, and with Zetland’s backing, they’re executing it with discipline and pace. The recent acquisition of Edward Bears Nursery in Gloucestershire reflects the group’s continues commitment to quality, scale, and integration efficiency. We’re pleased to support them with a flexible facility that provides certainty and room to grow.”

Founded in 1991, Happy Days has built a trusted reputation for excellence in early years education, with a proven model that continues to drive growth across the South of England and Wales.  The Group, which cares for over 3000 children daily and employs over 1,230 personnel, is backed by Zetland Capital Partners which acquired a majority stake in 2022.