LIGHTFOOTS (EST. 1897) LIMITED

🌳Matureactive
00437982 · ltd · incorporated 1947-06-30
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
  • · Oldest live charge 35.9y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
78/100
Strong
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What this business does
Primary activity: Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
Pursue
Strong opportunity: active trading company with strong profile and bankable structure.

Opportunity 78/100 (strong), bankability 85/100. Strong seller-intent signal (65/100, director aged 58). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).

🏦

Refinance opportunity

6 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 35.9y

70/100
ready

Refinance conversation should be productive — structure clean and timing right.

  • · Oldest live charge is 35.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
  • · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
  • · Legal-friction score 20/100 — clean.

Data confidence

Overall: medium (59/100)

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
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
6 charges (6/6 with lender, 6/6 with type)
90
Directors & officers
15 officers (3 active, 15 linked, 8 with DOB)
81
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 4 total, 4 with control declared
90
Director network
11 connected companies via shared directors
78
Filing history
137 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
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
75
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.

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 (55 events)Click to expand
  1. 2025-10-29
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  2. 2024-10-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  3. 2023-12-12
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  4. 2023-12-12
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #6
  5. 2023-10-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-small
    accounts · AA
  6. 2022-10-18
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  7. 2022-04-20
    📄
    change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
  8. 2022-02-16
    📄
    notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
  9. 2022-02-16
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  10. 2022-02-16
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  11. 2022-02-16
    📄
    cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
    persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
  12. 2021-11-16
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  13. 2021-05-06
    📄
    accounts-amended-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AAMD
  14. 2021-04-13
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  15. 2020-06-25
    📄
    mortgage-create-with-deed-with-charge-number-charge-creation-date
    mortgage · MR01
  16. 2020-06-25
    🔒
    Charge registered #6
    Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
  17. 2019-09-17
    📄
    accounts-with-accounts-type-full
    accounts · AA
  18. 2019-08-05
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  19. 2019-08-05
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  20. 2019-08-05
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  21. 2019-08-05
    📄
    mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
    mortgage · MR04
  22. 2019-08-05
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #5
  23. 2019-08-05
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #4
  24. 2019-08-05
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #3
  25. 2019-08-05
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #2
  26. 2017-01-01
    ➕
    NIKE, Christopher John appointed
    director
  27. 2017-01-01
    ➕
    VICKERS, Kathryn Tracy appointed
    director
  28. 2017-01-01
    ➖
    NIKE, Leonard John resigned
    director
  29. 2016-09-01
    ➕
    LARSSON, Carl Fredrik appointed
    secretary
  30. 2015-11-06
    ➖
    DEW-GOSLING, Neil John resigned
    secretary
  31. 2014-10-31
    ➖
    STAFFORD, Leonard David resigned
    director
  32. 2014-10-20
    ➕
    DEW-GOSLING, Neil John appointed
    secretary
  33. 2014-10-20
    ➖
    STAFFORD, Leonard David resigned
    secretary
  34. 2010-03-03
    🔒
    Charge registered #5
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  35. 2004-11-04
    ➖
    SANDALL, Anthony Vincent resigned
    secretary
  36. 2004-11-04
    ➕
    STAFFORD, Leonard David appointed
    secretary
  37. 2000-02-28
    ➖
    NIKE, Christopher John resigned
    secretary
  38. 2000-02-28
    ➕
    SANDALL, Anthony Vincent appointed
    secretary
  39. 1995-02-15
    ➕
    STAFFORD, Leonard David appointed
    director
  40. 1994-09-05
    ➕
    NIKE, Christopher John appointed
    secretary
  41. 1994-09-05
    ➖
    STONARD, Nicholas Brent resigned
    secretary
  42. 1994-09-05
    ➖
    STONARD, Nicholas Brent resigned
    director
  43. 1994-04-28
    🔒
    Charge registered #4
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  44. 1993-01-19
    🔓
    Charge satisfied #1
  45. 1992-10-22
    🔒
    Charge registered #3
    Lender: National Westminster Bank PLC
  46. 1992-01-06
    ➖
    LIGHTFOOT, David resigned
    secretary
  47. 1992-01-06
    ➕
    STONARD, Nicholas Brent appointed
    secretary
  48. 1992-01-06
    ➖
    LIGHTFOOT, David resigned
    director
  49. 1992-01-06
    ➖
    LIGHTFOOT, Graham resigned
    director
  50. 1992-01-06
    ➖
    LIGHTFOOT, Janet Edith resigned
    director
Showing most recent 50 of 55 events

Owner dependency

66/100
High — earn-out structure required

Material founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.

FACTORS
  • +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
  • +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 58 — approaching natural succession window.

Succession & seller-readiness

56/100
Strong succession signal

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

SIGNALS
  • secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 58. Early succession window.
  • secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
  • secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 79 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.

Red flags

1 med ·
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.

Group structure

Nike Land Securities Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.

🏛️
Nike Land Securities Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
ultimate parent
⬇
LIGHTFOOTS (EST. 1897) LIMITED
This company · 00437982

Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).

Shareholders & ownership

1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%
NameSharesVoting rightsNature of controlNotified
Nike Land Securities Limited
Corporate entity
75–100%
75–100%board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control08/02/2022
3 historic (ceased) PSCs
  • Mr Stephen James Hebbornceased 08/02/2022· significant influence
  • Mrs Kathryn Tracy Vickersceased 08/02/2022· significant influence
  • Mr Christopher John Nikeceased 08/02/2022· significant influence

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 →

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Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions

6 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
Incorporated1947-06-30
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC47300 — Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores

Registered office

Jubilee House
John Nike Way
Bracknell
Berkshire
RG12 8TN

Filing status

Accounts
Next due: 2027-01-31
Last made up to: 2025-04-30
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-07-04
Last: 2025-06-20

Officers (3 active · 12 resigned)

LARSSON, Carl Fredrik→
secretary · appointed 2016-09-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
NIKE, Christopher John→
director · ~58y · appointed 2017-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
VICKERS, Kathryn Tracy→
director · ~56y · appointed 2017-01-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
DEW-GOSLING, Neil John→
secretary · appointed 2014-10-20 · resigned 2015-11-06
Resigned
LIGHTFOOT, David→
secretary · resigned 1992-01-06
Resigned
NIKE, Christopher John→
secretary · appointed 1994-09-05 · resigned 2000-02-28
Resigned
SANDALL, Anthony Vincent→
secretary · appointed 2000-02-28 · resigned 2004-11-04
Resigned
STAFFORD, Leonard David→
secretary · appointed 2004-11-04 · resigned 2014-10-20
Resigned
STONARD, Nicholas Brent→
secretary · appointed 1992-01-06 · resigned 1994-09-05
Resigned
LIGHTFOOT, David→
director · ~89y · resigned 1992-01-06
Resigned
LIGHTFOOT, Graham→
director · ~62y · resigned 1992-01-06
Resigned
LIGHTFOOT, Janet Edith→
director · ~84y · resigned 1992-01-06
Resigned
NIKE, Leonard John→
director · ~91y · appointed 1992-01-06 · resigned 2017-01-01
Resigned
STAFFORD, Leonard David→
director · ~78y · appointed 1995-02-15 · resigned 2014-10-31
Resigned
STONARD, Nicholas Brent→
director · ~71y · appointed 1992-01-06 · resigned 1994-09-05
Resigned

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

Mortgages & charges

6
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:6 of 6 shown
TypeProperties
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
A registered charge1 property25/06/202012/12/2023
satisfied
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Debenture1 property03/03/201005/08/2019
satisfied
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Mortgage debenture1 property28/04/199405/08/2019
satisfied
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank PLC
Mortgage debenture1 property22/10/199205/08/2019
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
Mortgage1 property30/07/199019/01/1993
satisfied
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Bank PLC
Legal charge1 property20/07/199005/08/2019

Recent filings (137 total)

accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2025-10-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-06-25
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2024-10-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-06-21
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2023-12-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2023-10-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-07-10
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2022-10-18
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-07-27
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC05
2022-04-20
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2022-02-16
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2022-02-16
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2022-02-16
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2022-02-16
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2021-11-16