C.E.A.TOWNE(SHIP RIGGERS)LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
00502473 · ltd · incorporated 1951-12-18
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
—
year to Jun 2025
Net worth
£1.15M
book net assets
Opportunity
73/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 33200
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 77-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 73/100 (strong), bankability 57/100. Strong seller-intent signal (68/100, director aged 77). Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 5 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (45/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
16 live charges · 5 lenders · oldest 42.2y
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 42.2 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 5 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 50/100 (high).
Data confidence
Overall: medium (72/100)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
16 charges (16/16 with lender, 16/16 with type)
90
Directors & officers
14 officers (3 active, 14 linked, 10 with DOB)
84
Ownership & PSC
No PSCs filed (unusual — worth investigating)
35
Director network
4 connected companies via shared directors
57
Filing history
148 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
60
Adequate — check latest filings for context.
Acquirability
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
74
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · FRS 102Positive net assets
Net assets £1,150,039
Net assets shrinking
Down £43,055 YoY
Cash YoY
+53%
Year on year
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
£165k
↑ 53% YoY
Net Worth
£1.2m
↓ 3.6% YoY
Current Assets
£2.8m
↓ 7.8% YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-06-28 | 2024-06-28 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £1.44M | £1.63M |
| Current assets | £2.79M | £3.02M |
| Cash | £165.0k | £108.1k |
| Debtors | £1.84M | £2.01M |
| Net assets | £1.15M | £1.19M |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Last 180 days
2
filings
- • 1 confirmation-statement
- • 1 accounts
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (62 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2025-04-15📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2024-03-28📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-22📄accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridgedaccounts · AA
- 2022-09-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-08-18📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2022-08-18📄capital-return-purchase-own-sharescapital · SH03
- 2022-06-29📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2022-05-13📄capital-cancellation-sharescapital · SH06
- 2022-03-30📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2022-03-23📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-03-23📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2022-02-25➖CAVILL, Edmund resigneddirector
- 2022-02-25➖CAVILL, Timothy resigneddirector
- 2021-09-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-30📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2020-06-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2019-09-22📄change-account-reference-date-company-previous-extendedaccounts · AA01
- 2018-12-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2016-10-06🔒Charge registered #16Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2013-02-01➕TOWNE, Thomas appointedsecretary
- 2013-01-22➖DENNISON, Andrew Michael resignedsecretary
- 2012-11-09➖DONNELLY, Robert Sylvestor resigneddirector
- 2012-09-14➖DENNISON, Andrew Michael resigneddirector
- 2012-07-11➕TOWNE, Thomas appointeddirector
- 2011-10-31➕CAVILL, Edmund appointeddirector
- 2011-10-31➕CAVILL, Timothy appointeddirector
- 2011-09-01🔒Charge registered #15Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2011-02-25🔒Charge registered #14Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2009-06-05🔓Charge satisfied #9
- 2009-06-05🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2009-06-05🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2009-06-05🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2008-12-30🔒Charge registered #13Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2008-12-30🔒Charge registered #12Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2008-12-30🔒Charge registered #11Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2008-12-09🔓Charge satisfied #8
- 2008-12-09🔓Charge satisfied #7
- 2008-12-09🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2008-12-09🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2008-10-24🔒Charge registered #10Lender: Barclays Bank PLC
- 2007-03-16➕DENNISON, Andrew Michael appointeddirector
- 2007-03-16➕DONNELLY, Robert Sylvestor appointeddirector
- 2004-05-28🔒Charge registered #9Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 2003-07-25🔒Charge registered #8Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland Commercial Services Limited
- 2002-02-20🔒Charge registered #7Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland Commercial Services Limited
- 2002-01-26➖TOWNE, Naomi Margery resigneddirector
- 2001-12-31➖BRIGGS, Howard resigneddirector
- 2000-06-16🔒Charge registered #6Lender: The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC
- 1999-06-17🔒Charge registered #5Lender: Royal Bank Invoice Finance Limited
Showing most recent 50 of 62 events
Owner dependency
96/100
Critical — business is the founderThe business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
FACTORS
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "TOWNE" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 77 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
89/100
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 77 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 14 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 75 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 med · 1 lowCharge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
7 live charges
lowHeavily 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 · Manufacturing · HU postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLADE RESTORE LTD→ 15483549 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BLUESKY UPHOLSTERY LIMITED→ 10738636 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BOREAS SNOW SPORTS LIMITED→ 17017428 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BRAND GRAPHICS LIMITED→ 11483331 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| BROWNINGS LIMITED→ 02820556 · est 1993 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 32y | — | — |
| BRR ELECTRICAL LTD→ 16506681 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BUBBLES HANDMADE COSMETICS LTD→ 14132286 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| BUZZARD SUBSEA CONSULTANCY LIMITED→ 15385619 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| BYWAY CRAFT CO LTD→ 16327755 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| C.B.NORTH (TIMBER) LIMITED→ 12568500 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| C.F.STRUTHERS LIMITED→ 00262479 · est 1932 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 94y | — | — |
| CABUNG LIMITED→ 10519971 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 9y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1951-12-18
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC33200 — SIC 33200
Registered office
19 Dairycoates Industrial Estate, Wiltshire Road
Hull
East Yorkshire
HU4 6PA
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-03-28
Last made up to: 2025-06-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-05-08
Last: 2026-04-24
Officers (3 active · 11 resigned)
Active
Active
TOWNE, Thomas→
Activedirector · ~40y · appointed 2012-07-11
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BRIGGS, Howard→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 1993-12-17
DENNISON, Andrew Michael→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1999-05-25 · resigned 2013-01-22
WHITEHEAD, Valerie May→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 1993-12-17 · resigned 1999-05-25
BRIGGS, Howard→
Resigneddirector · ~76y · resigned 2001-12-31
BROWN, Harold Fraser→
Resigneddirector · ~91y · resigned 1996-09-28
CAVILL, Edmund→
Resigneddirector · ~78y · appointed 2011-10-31 · resigned 2022-02-25
CAVILL, Timothy→
Resigneddirector · ~74y · appointed 2011-10-31 · resigned 2022-02-25
DENNISON, Andrew Michael→
Resigneddirector · ~49y · appointed 2007-03-16 · resigned 2012-09-14
DONNELLY, Robert Sylvestor→
Resigneddirector · ~77y · appointed 2007-03-16 · resigned 2012-11-09
TOWNE, Charles Edward Annable→
Resigneddirector · ~112y · resigned 1999-02-06
TOWNE, Naomi Margery→
Resigneddirector · ~109y · resigned 2002-01-26
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
16
Total charges
7
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:16 of 16 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 06/10/2016 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Chattel mortgage | 1 property | 01/09/2011 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Fixed & floating charge | 1 property | 25/02/2011 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 2 properties | 30/12/2008 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 30/12/2008 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 30/12/2008 | — | |
| outstanding | Barclays Barclays Bank PLC | Guarantee & debenture | 1 property | 24/10/2008 | — | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 28/05/2004 | 05/06/2009 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland Commercial Services Limited | Fixed and floating charge | 1 property | 25/07/2003 | 09/12/2008 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland Commercial Services Limited | Fixed charge on purchase debts which fail to vest and other debts and floating charge on other debts | 1 property | 20/02/2002 | 09/12/2008 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 16/06/2000 | 05/06/2009 | |
| satisfied | Royal Bank Invoice Finance Royal Bank Invoice Finance Limited | Fixed and floating charge | 1 property | 17/06/1999 | 09/12/2008 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 14/05/1993 | 05/06/2009 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 28/11/1988 | 09/07/1993 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 28/10/1988 | 05/06/2009 | |
| satisfied | Williams & Glyn's Bank . Williams & Glyn's Bank PLC. | Legal charge | 1 property | 13/04/1984 | 09/12/2008 |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (148 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-05-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2026-03-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-05-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2025-04-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-05-14
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2024-03-28
accounts-with-accounts-type-unaudited-abridged
accounts · AA
2023-06-22
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-12
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-09-29
capital-return-purchase-own-shares
capital · SH03
2022-08-18
capital-return-purchase-own-shares
capital · SH03
2022-08-18
change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortened
accounts · AA01
2022-06-29
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-05-14
capital-cancellation-shares
capital · SH06
2022-05-13
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2022-03-30