A.J.WOODWARD & SONS LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
00207413 · ltd · incorporated 1925-07-22
Investment thesis
Property vehicle with leveraged stack — refinance / partial-release angle.
Why interesting: Asset-backed; value largely in underlying property; lender engagement likely possible.
Why risky: Multiple lenders to manage; inter-creditor friction and partial-release cost possible.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Dec 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
🔔
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What this business does
Primary activity: Other holiday and other collective accommodation
Sector: Accommodation & food service
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
  • 68209Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and structurally messy structure.

Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 52/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 7 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (45/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

11 live charges · 7 lenders · oldest 72.3y

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 72.3 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · 7 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
  • · Legal-friction score 50/100 (high).

Data confidence

Overall: medium (77/100)

Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.

Company profile
address, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
11 charges (11/11 with lender, 11/11 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (4 active, 7 linked, 5 with DOB)
84
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
Network not yet resolved
30
Filing history
115 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
78/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional 

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

Business quality
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
82
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

Key financials

2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accounts
Cash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
£0£0£0£0£0£0Dec 2024Dec 2025

Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series

Financials

Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102
Metric2025-12-312024-12-31
Average employees44

Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.

🔒Filing-note intelligence

2 signals detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.

Available from the Pro tier upwards.

See pricing →

Recent activity

Last 30 days
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Last 90 days
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
1
filing
  • • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (33 events)Click to expand
  1. 2026-06-05
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  2. 2025-07-25
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  3. 2024-10-23
    📍
    change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-address
    address · AD02
  4. 2024-02-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  5. 2023-07-26
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-05-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2021-10-06
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  8. 2021-08-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  9. 2021-01-21
    📄
    appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
    officers · AP01
  10. 2021-01-04
    ➕
    WOODWARD, Sarah Frances Anne appointed
    director
  11. 2020-10-06
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
  12. 2020-09-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2019-06-27
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  14. 2018-10-31
    📄
    change-person-director-company-with-change-date
    officers · CH01
  15. 2018-08-02
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  16. 2017-06-09
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
    accounts · AA
  17. 2015-05-28
    ➖
    WOODWARD, Gerald Bruce Cother resigned
    director
  18. 1999-01-23
    ➕
    BROCK, Deborah Mary appointed
    director
  19. 1999-01-23
    ➖
    WOODWARD, Mary Penelope resigned
    director
  20. 1997-10-16
    ➕
    BROCK, Deborah Mary appointed
    secretary
  21. 1997-10-16
    ➖
    WOODWARD, David Crompton resigned
    secretary
  22. 1995-08-30
    🔒
    Charge registered #11
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  23. 1989-01-25
    🔒
    Charge registered #10
    Lender: The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
  24. 1986-06-03
    🔒
    Charge registered #9
    Lender: The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
  25. 1985-05-15
    🔒
    Charge registered #8
    Lender: The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
  26. 1973-08-13
    🔒
    Charge registered #7
    Lender: The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation LTD.
  27. 1972-02-01
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  28. 1971-07-08
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Limited
  29. 1971-02-24
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: Agricultural Mortgage Corporation LTD
  30. 1970-11-11
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: Agricultural Mortgage Corporation LTD
  31. 1970-06-05
    🔒
    Charge registered #2
    Lender: Agricultural Mortgage Corporration LTD
  32. 1954-03-05
    🔒
    Charge registered #1
    Lender: Evesham Rural District Council
  33. 1925-07-22
    🏢
    Company incorporated
    As A.J.WOODWARD & SONS LIMITED

Owner dependency

98/100
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
  • +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "WOODWARD" — strong identity link between founder and business.
  • +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 27 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
  • +Founder age: Director aged approximately 83 — succession pressure is live.
  • +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.

Succession & seller-readiness

90/100
Likely off-market candidate

Strong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.

SIGNALS
  • primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 83 years old. Natural succession window is now.
  • primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 27 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 101 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
  • supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.

Red flags

1 low
11 live charges
low

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

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Mr David Crompton Woodward
Individual · British · DOB 10/1943 · age 83
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control06/04/2016

From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.

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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.

See pricing →
🔒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.

See pricing →

Company details

Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated1925-07-22
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC55209 — Other holiday and other collective accommodation

Registered office

Dacha, Ashton Road
Beckford
Tewkesbury
Gloucestershire
GL20 7AU

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-09-30
Last made up to: 2025-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-11-02
Last: 2025-10-19

Officers (4 active · 3 resigned)

BROCK, Deborah Mary→
secretary · appointed 1997-10-16
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
BROCK, Deborah Mary→
director · ~70y · appointed 1999-01-23
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
WOODWARD, David Crompton→
director · ~83y
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
WOODWARD, Sarah Frances Anne→
director · ~73y · appointed 2021-01-04
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
WOODWARD, David Crompton→
secretary · resigned 1997-10-16
Resigned
WOODWARD, Gerald Bruce Cother→
director · ~101y · resigned 2015-05-28
Resigned
WOODWARD, Mary Penelope→
director · ~97y · resigned 1999-01-23
Resigned

Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.

Mortgages & charges

11
Total charges
11
Outstanding
6
Active lenders
Status:Lender:11 of 11 shown
TypeProperties
outstanding
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Mortgage debenture1 property30/08/1995—
outstanding
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
Further charge1 property25/01/1989—
outstanding
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
Further charge1 property03/06/1986—
outstanding
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
Further charge1 property15/05/1985—
outstanding
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation .
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation LTD.
Further charge1 property13/08/1973—
outstanding
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Legal mortgage1 property01/02/1972—
outstanding
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Limited
Further charge1 property08/07/1971—
outstanding
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation LTD
Further charge1 property24/02/1971—
outstanding
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation LTD
Further charge1 property11/11/1970—
outstanding
Agricultural Mortgage Corporration
Agricultural Mortgage Corporration LTD
Legal charge1 property05/06/1970—
outstanding
Evesham Rural District Council
Mortgage1 property05/03/1954—
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.

Recent filings (115 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-06-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-31
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-07-25
change-sail-address-company-with-old-address-new-address
address · AD02
2024-10-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-02-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-07-26
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-11-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-05-16
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-10-19
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2021-10-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-08-27
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-01-21
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-10-20