FRED PROUDFOOT LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
00337279 · ltd · incorporated 1938-02-26
Investment thesis
Established operating company — standard diligence applies, no dominant angle.
Why interesting: Live, filing, normal profile.
Why risky: No standout signals in either direction.
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
£1.83M
book net assets
Opportunity
76/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Wholesale of fruit and vegetables
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 81-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 76/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 81). 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 (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
6 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 40.6y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 40.6 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 35/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
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
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
6 officers (6 active, 6 linked, 5 with DOB)
87
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
106 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
76/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
75
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
82
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 £1,833,444
Net assets shrinking
Down £94,849 YoY
Cash YoY
+0%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£497k
~ YoY
Net Worth
£1.8m
↓ 4.9% YoY
Current Assets
£498k
~ YoY
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 | £2.18M | £2.31M |
| Current assets | £498.2k | £496.0k |
| Cash | £496.9k | £494.7k |
| Debtors | £1.3k | £1.2k |
| Net assets | £1.83M | £1.93M |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
3 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
0
filings
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (26 events)Click to expand
- 2025-10-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-05-16📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2025-05-13🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Stephen Andrew Proudfoot
- 2025-04-08📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2025-04-08📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2024-12-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-10-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-10-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-02📄mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-datemortgage · MR01
- 2022-08-01🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Brunel Trustees Limited
- 2021-08-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-11-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-11-19📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2019-11-19📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2019-11-19📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2019-11-13📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2018-11-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-08-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2015-03-10➕PROUDFOOT, John James appointeddirector
- 2015-03-10➕PROUDFOOT, Raymond Neil appointeddirector
- 2015-03-10➕PROUDFOOT, Stephen Andrew appointeddirector
- 2013-08-02🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Brunel Trustees Limited
- 2010-08-19🔒Charge registered #3Lender: The Trustees of the Fred Proudfoot Directors Pension Scheme
- 2009-12-09🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Brian Cyril Proudfoot William John Proudfoot and Brunel Trustees Limited
- 1985-11-21🔒Charge registered #1Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
- 1938-02-26🏢Company incorporatedAs FRED PROUDFOOT LIMITED
Owner dependency
78/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- -5 active directors: Broader management team in place — suggests transferable governance.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "PROUDFOOT" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 81 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
75/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 70+: Senior director is approximately 81 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 88 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 low6 live charges
lowHeavily leveraged with multiple live security positions — understand the capital structure before proceeding.
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Brian Cyril Proudfoot Individual · British · DOB 04/1945 · age 81 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 06/04/2016 |
Mr William John Proudfoot Individual · British · DOB 01/1949 · age 77 | 25–50% | — | 25-50% shares | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
🔒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 · Wholesale & distribution · CA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CUMBRIA COAL LIMITED→ 11250172 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| CW AGRITECH LTD→ 13165885 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| D W TOPPIN LIMITED→ 06650955 · est 2008 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 17y | — | — |
| DRAINWISE (CIVILS) LTD→ 11359849 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| EASY FUELS NE LTD→ 10875556 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| ECO CROPS LTD→ 15361787 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| ECO WOOD BRIQUETTES LTD→ 15313711 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| FRANKIE'S FREE RANGE EGGS LIMITED→ 15586488 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| FRIARS PACKING LIMITED→ 14672870 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| FUNC. LTD→ 13137161 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| G & S PENRITH LTD→ 03332983 · est 1997 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 29y | — | — |
| G M PORTER LIMITED→ 05535874 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1938-02-26
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC46310 — Wholesale of fruit and vegetables
Registered office
Fpl Buildings
Low Harker
Carlisle
CA6 4DP
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-15
Last: 2025-09-01
Officers (6 active · 0 resigned)
Active
Active
PROUDFOOT, John James→
Activedirector · ~41y · appointed 2015-03-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
PROUDFOOT, Raymond Neil→
Activedirector · ~54y · appointed 2015-03-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
PROUDFOOT, Stephen Andrew→
Activedirector · ~57y · appointed 2015-03-10
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
6
Total charges
6
Outstanding
6
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Stephen Andrew Proudfoot / Raymond Neil Proudfoot / Brunel Trustees Stephen Andrew Proudfoot / Raymond Neil Proudfoot / Brunel Trustees Limited | A registered charge | 1 property | 13/05/2025 | — | |
| outstanding | Brunel Trustees / Stephen Andrew Proudfoot / Raymond Neil Proudfoot Brunel Trustees Limited / Stephen Andrew Proudfoot / Raymond Neil Proudfoot | A registered charge | 1 property | 01/08/2022 | — | |
| outstanding | Brunel Trustees / Raymond Neil Proudfoot / William John Proudfoot Brunel Trustees Limited / Raymond Neil Proudfoot / William John Proudfoot | A registered charge | 1 property | 02/08/2013 | — | |
| outstanding | The Trustees of the Fred Proudfoot Directors Pension Scheme | Legal charge | 1 property | 19/08/2010 | — | |
| outstanding | Brian Cyril Proudfoot William John Proudfoot and Brunel Trustees Brian Cyril Proudfoot William John Proudfoot and Brunel Trustees Limited | Mortgage | 1 property | 09/12/2009 | — | |
| outstanding | National Westminster Bank National Westminster Bank PLC | Legal mortgage | 1 property | 21/11/1985 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (106 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-10-22
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-09-10
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2025-05-16
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-04-08
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2025-04-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-11
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-10-16
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-05
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-10-25
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-05
mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
mortgage · MR01
2022-08-02
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-09-15
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-08-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2020-11-10