CHARLES WELLS LIMITED

🌳Matureactive

00106884 · ltd · incorporated 1910-01-07

Investment thesis

Looks cheap but ownership + security both unclear — probable value trap.

Why interesting: Headline metrics may be attractive.

Why risky: No PSC visibility combined with multiple live charges; transacting likely slow and expensive.

🔒Estimated value

—

Upgrade to see

Turnover

—

not disclosed

Net worth

—

book net assets

Opportunity

75/100

Strong

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What this business does

Operating as an integrated brewing and hospitality business, this long-established Bedford-based company manufactures beer, distributes alcoholic beverages wholesale, and manages a portfolio of pubs and bars on a day-to-day basis.

Primary activity: Manufacture of beer

Sector: Manufacturing

ALSO REGISTERED FOR

46342SIC 46342
56302Public houses and bars

Investor take

Pursue

Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and structurally messy structure.

Opportunity 75/100 (strong), bankability 52/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Asset purchase likely safer than share purchase given structural signals. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 15 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (45/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

32 live charges · 15 lenders · oldest 51.9y

25/100

too messy

Structure is too messy for a clean refinance right now — clean up first or expect bespoke terms.

· Oldest live charge is 51.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
· 15 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
· Legal-friction score 55/100 (high).

Data confidence

Overall: low (53/100)

Sparse data coverage. Treat AI-generated outputs as preliminary. Manual diligence essential.

Company profile

address, 3 SIC codes, incorporation date

100

Financials

No iXBRL financials extracted

Lenders & charges

32 charges (32/32 with lender, 32/32 with type)

Directors & officers

38 officers (8 active, 38 linked, 35 with DOB)

Ownership & PSC

No PSCs filed (unusual — worth investigating)

Director network

14 connected companies via shared directors

Filing history

262 filings on record

Gazette notices

No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)

Opportunity Score

75/100Strong

PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional

Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.

Business quality

Adequate — check latest filings for context.

Acquirability

Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.

Risk profile

Few red flags.

Signal strength

100

Good data coverage for analysis.

Recent activity

Last 30 days

filing

• 1 accounts

Last 90 days

filings

• 1 accounts
• 1 incorporation
• 1 resolution

Last 180 days

filings

• 1 accounts
• 1 incorporation
• 1 resolution

Counts from Companies House filing history.

Corporate timeline (130 events)Click to expand

2026-05-17
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2026-03-23
📄
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2026-03-23
📄
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2025-10-01
➕
SMITH, Benjamin James appointed
director
2025-10-01
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2025-10-01
📄
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2025-06-25
📄
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2025-06-20
📄
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2025-04-10
📄
accounts-with-made-up-date
accounts · AA
2024-12-19
➕
BROAD, Mark Alexander appointed
director
2024-12-19
📄
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-09-30
➖
COUCHMAN, Shirley resigned
director
2024-09-30
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-04-18
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2024-04-03
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-03-31
➖
PARMAR, Balvinder Kaur resigned
director
2024-03-20
📄
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-03-19
➕
BEKKER, Danielle appointed
director
2023-03-29
📄
miscellaneous
miscellaneous · MISC
2023-03-23
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2023-02-14
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-02-14
📄
change-person-director-company-with-change-date
officers · CH01
2023-01-31
➖
IVELL, Robert Lewis resigned
director
2023-01-31
📄
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2023-01-09
📄
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-01-03
➕
WEBSTER, Jonathan Paul appointed
director
2022-10-10
📄
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-09-30
🔒
Charge registered #32
Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC (As Security Trustee)
2022-02-09
📄
accounts-with-accounts-type-group
accounts · AA
2021-11-22
🔒
Charge registered #31
Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC (As Security Trustee)
2021-04-23
🔒
Charge registered #30
Lender: Hsbc UK Bank PLC
2021-01-20
➕
PARMAR, Balvinder Kaur appointed
director
2021-01-20
➖
RAWLINSON, Paul Stephen resigned
director
2020-07-01
➕
COUCHMAN, Shirley appointed
director
2020-04-06
🔒
Charge registered #29
Lender: Gunner LP (Acting by Its General Partner Matross Limited)
2020-04-06
🔒
Charge registered #28
Lender: Charles Wells Pension Trustees Limited
2019-12-31
➖
PHILLIMORE, William Andrew Justin resigned
director
2018-03-08
🔒
Charge registered #27
Lender: Charles Wells Pension Trustees Limited
2017-11-21
➕
WELLS, Geoffrey Charles Vaughan appointed
director
2017-07-26
➖
WELLS, Anthony Richard, Dr resigned
director
2017-06-22
➖
MAIR, Anthony Christopher resigned
director
2017-05-23
🔒
Charge registered #26
Lender: Gunner LP (Company Number SL019304) Acting Through Its General Partner Matross Limited (Company Number SC491230)
2016-11-30
🔒
Charge registered #25
Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC (As Security Trustee)
2016-09-23
🔓
Charge satisfied #24
2016-09-23
🔓
Charge satisfied #23
2016-09-23
🔓
Charge satisfied #22
2016-09-23
🔓
Charge satisfied #21
2016-09-23
🔓
Charge satisfied #20
2016-09-23
🔓
Charge satisfied #19
2016-09-23
🔓
Charge satisfied #18

Showing most recent 50 of 130 events

Owner dependency

88/100

Critical — business is the founder

The business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.

FACTORS

-8 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
+Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "WELLS" — strong identity link between founder and business.
+Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 22 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
+Founder age: Director aged approximately 68 — succession pressure is live.
+Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

70/100

Strong succession signal

Multiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.

SIGNALS

primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 68. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 22 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.

Red flags

1 med · 1 low

Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern

medium

Multiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.

12 live charges

low

Heavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.

🔒Co-director network graph

Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

Similar companies

Active · Food & drink · MK postcode area

Company	Est. value	Turnover	Net worth	Staff	Age	Opp	Director
ADI'S COFFEE BEANS LIMITED→ 16285506 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
AL-AZIZ & SONS LTD→ 16710321 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
AMPLUS SERVICES LTD→ 16215057 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
AUTHENTIC NIGERIAN MIX LTD→ 15691477 · est 2024 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
BEN & BEN PRODUCTIONS LTD.→ 14642640 · est 2023 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	3y	—	—
BIBI'S FOOD LTD→ 11486315 · est 2018 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	7y	—	—
BR PUREPLANTI LTD→ 16456194 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE CHEESE LTD→ 15689333 · est 2024 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
BUKWILD LIMITED→ 16941608 · est 2026 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
CAKE KITCHEN BY TINA LTD→ 16177577 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	1y	—	—
CAKE STRINGS LTD→ 16683876 · est 2025 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
CAKE-A-LICIOUS (KG) LTD→ 13672187 · est 2021 · no financials extracted	—	—	—	—	4y	—	—

Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →

🔒Tailored diligence questions

8 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

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🔒Advanced scoring suite

Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

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Company details

Statusactive

Typeltd

Incorporated1910-01-07

Jurisdictionengland-wales

Primary SIC11050 — Manufacture of beer

Registered office

Brewpoint Fairhill

Cut Throat Lane

Bedford

MK41 7FY

England

Filing status

Accounts

Next due: 2027-06-30

Last made up to: 2025-09-28

Confirmation statement

Next due: 2026-06-20

Last: 2025-06-06