The restructure and reorganisation of an early years setting

The challenge

As part of the sale, it was agreed that Margaret would retain one of the day nurseries and forest schools (now known as Maggie’s @Oakwood) to continue her aim of supporting families through challenging times and to carry on her charity work through the Margaret Mason Trust. A pre-sale demerger was identified as the best option to separate Maggie’s @Oakwood from the rest of the group to reduce disruption in a tax efficient manner.

Our approach

With a clear understanding of Children 1^st’s business, structure, assets and shareholders, we prioritised the clients’ business objectives from the outset whilst keeping a firm handle on the legal and tax implications of the demerger. Working alongside the company’s accountants and tax advisors, our reorganisations team managed the group restructure in preparation for the sale, in a timely and efficient manner.

As part of the reorganisation, we facilitated the transfer of the company’s trade and assets into newly incorporated companies specifically established to continue the business post-sale, with some transitional services to ensure continuity of service at the divested nursery. This approach ensured that Maggie’s @Oakwood could be retained by Margaret following completion of the transaction.

The outcome

Following the restructuring and reorganisation of the group, the Children 1st group was successfully acquired by Storal and Margaret continues to own and run Maggie’s @Oakwood.

How we made a difference

Building on their technical expertise and extensive experience with similar transactions, the Cripps team brought confidence, enthusiasm, emotional support and strategic insight to every step of the group reorganisation and subsequent sale. Their focused and professional yet friendly and caring approach delivered a smooth process even if there were (inevitably) hiccups along the way. Notwithstanding the time pressure,  the team delivered excellent commercial results, highlighting their dedication to achieving the best outcomes in complex reorganisations and sales.