A.BANCROFT & SONS(HULL)LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
00299274 · ltd · incorporated 1935-04-04
Investment thesis
Zombie company — trading but stalled; unlikely mover.
Why interesting: Quiet, steady; could be a succession or carve-out candidate with the right conversation.
Why risky: No growth signal; thin margin for error on price.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
£450
book net assets
Opportunity
73/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Other food services
Sector: Accommodation & food service
Investor take
PursueStrong opportunity: asset-holding vehicle with strong profile and bankable structure.
Opportunity 73/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. High owner-dependency — earn-out structure likely required for clean transition. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 4 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (58/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
8 live charges · 4 lenders · oldest 42.2y
15/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 42.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 4 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
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, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
8 charges (8/8 with lender, 8/8 with type)
90
Directors & officers
10 officers (2 active, 10 linked, 7 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
120 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
73/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
55
Some acquirability indicators.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £450
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£450
~ YoY
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £450 | £450 |
| Debtors | £450 | £450 |
| Net assets | £450 | £450 |
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
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (48 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-09-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2024-06-17📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2024-06-17📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2024-06-12📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2024-06-11📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2024-06-11📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2024-06-11📄withdrawal-of-a-person-with-significant-control-statementpersons-with-significant-control · PSC09
- 2024-06-05➕GOULD, John Robert appointeddirector
- 2024-06-05➖BRITTAIN, Paul Damian resigneddirector
- 2024-05-07📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2024-05-07🔓Charge satisfied #8
- 2024-01-11📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2023-12-06📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-30➕BRITTAIN, Paul Damian appointeddirector
- 2023-05-30📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-05-30📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-05-25📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2023-05-12➖GOULD, David Pentith resigneddirector
- 2022-11-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2020-11-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2020-11-02➖HARRISON, Trevor Charles resigneddirector
- 2019-12-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2017-05-31➖THOMPSON, Richard resigneddirector
- 2001-03-30🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2001-03-30🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2001-03-30🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2001-03-30🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2000-12-22🔒Charge registered #8Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2000-12-21🔓Charge satisfied #7
- 2000-10-05🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2000-10-05🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2000-10-02➕GOULD, John Robert appointedsecretary
- 2000-10-02➖THOMPSON, Doreen resignedsecretary
- 2000-10-02➖BANCROFT, Arthur Roger resigneddirector
- 2000-10-02➕GOULD, David Pentith appointeddirector
- 2000-10-02➕HARRISON, Trevor Charles appointeddirector
- 1999-07-27🔒Charge registered #7Lender: Reedham Factors Limited
- 1996-05-17➖ROWBOTTOM, John Robert resigneddirector
- 1996-02-12🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 1995-07-21🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 1992-06-03➖THOMPSON, Richard resignedsecretary
- 1989-10-05🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 1985-05-29🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 1984-03-19🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 1984-03-19🔒Charge registered #1Lender: A. C. Bancroft
- 1935-04-04🏢Company incorporatedAs A.BANCROFT & SONS(HULL)LIMITED
Owner dependency
75/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
Succession & seller-readiness
45/100
Moderate signalSome succession indicators present. Worth watching; approach if sector/strategy fits.
SIGNALS
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
Red flags
1 med ·Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr John Robert Gould Individual · British · DOB 03/1969 · age 57 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 05/06/2024 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18A CLEVELAND TERRACE (WHITBY) LIMITED→ 06708050 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
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| 5 STAR PIZZA 1 LTD→ 16285053 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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| 800 CLUB LIMITED→ 11858606 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| A B DEVELOPMENTS (HULL) LIMITED→ 11068603 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| A D EMPRESS LIMITED→ 06667885 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| A&K ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED→ 16385526 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| AAA3 LIMITED→ 14518963 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 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
Incorporated1935-04-04
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC56290 — Other food services
Registered office
Wiltshire Road
Dairycoates Industrial Estate
Hull
East Yorkshire
HU4 6PD
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-06-03
Last: 2025-05-20
Officers (2 active · 8 resigned)
GOULD, John Robert→
Activesecretary · appointed 2000-10-02
View their other companies + combined net worth →
GOULD, John Robert→
Activedirector · ~57y · appointed 2024-06-05
View their other companies + combined net worth →
THOMPSON, Doreen→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2000-10-02
THOMPSON, Richard→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1992-06-03
BANCROFT, Arthur Roger→
Resigneddirector · ~82y · resigned 2000-10-02
BRITTAIN, Paul Damian→
Resigneddirector · ~57y · appointed 2023-05-30 · resigned 2024-06-05
GOULD, David Pentith→
Resigneddirector · ~88y · appointed 2000-10-02 · resigned 2023-05-12
HARRISON, Trevor Charles→
Resigneddirector · ~77y · appointed 2000-10-02 · resigned 2020-11-02
ROWBOTTOM, John Robert→
Resigneddirector · ~81y · resigned 1996-05-17
THOMPSON, Richard→
Resigneddirector · ~76y · resigned 2017-05-31
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
8
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:8 of 8 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 22/12/2000 | 07/05/2024 | |
| satisfied | Reedham Factors Reedham Factors Limited | Debenture | 1 property | 27/07/1999 | 21/12/2000 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 12/02/1996 | 30/03/2001 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Single debenture | 1 property | 21/07/1995 | 30/03/2001 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Mortgage | 1 property | 05/10/1989 | 05/10/2000 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 29/05/1985 | 30/03/2001 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Legal charge | 2 properties | 19/03/1984 | 30/03/2001 | |
| satisfied | A. C. Bancroft | Legal charge | 2 properties | 19/03/1984 | 05/10/2000 |
Recent filings (120 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2025-12-17
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-30
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2024-09-23
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2024-06-17
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2024-06-17
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2024-06-12
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2024-06-11
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2024-06-11
withdrawal-of-a-person-with-significant-control-statement
persons-with-significant-control · PSC09
2024-06-11
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-20
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2024-05-07
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2024-01-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-12-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-30
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-05-30