E.L.LEWIS & SON
🌳Matureactive
00653617 · private-unlimited · incorporated 1960-03-23
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
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
- · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
79/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: SIC 01500
Sector: Agriculture, forestry & fishing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company. Family succession underway — not a classic acquisition target.
Opportunity 79/100 (strong), bankability 77/100. Same-surname younger director in place — likely family handover, not open to sale. Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 3 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 3 lenders · oldest 45.4y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 45.4 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 3 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (57/100)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
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
8 officers (4 active, 8 linked, 6 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
1 connected companies via shared directors
48
Filing history
69 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
79/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
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 (32 events)Click to expand
- 2025-11-25➕LEWIS, Benjamin James Edward appointeddirector
- 2025-11-25📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2025-03-24📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2025-03-24🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2022-10-10📄change-to-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC04
- 2016-01-18📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2015-03-26📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2015-03-26📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2015-03-26📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2015-01-18➕LEWIS, Carol Louise appointedsecretary
- 2015-01-18➖LEWIS, Sybil Mary resignedsecretary
- 2015-01-18➖LEWIS, Sybil Mary resigneddirector
- 2015-01-14📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2013-12-31📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2013-01-02📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2012-01-20📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2012-01-20📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2012-01-20📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2012-01-20📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2011-01-12📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2010-08-20🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 2009-06-25🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2009-06-25🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2009-06-25🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2003-02-03➕LEWIS, Carol Louise appointeddirector
- 2003-02-03➖LEWIS, James Wilson resigneddirector
- 1995-05-18➖LEWIS, Leslie Charles resigneddirector
- 1993-12-10➕LEWIS, James Wilson appointeddirector
- 1988-01-18🔒Charge registered #3Lender: The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
- 1988-01-18🔒Charge registered #2Lender: The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC
- 1981-03-10🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Barclays Bank LTD
- 1960-03-23🏢Company incorporatedAs E.L.LEWIS & SON
Owner dependency
98/100
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
- +Founder name in company name: Company name contains director surname "LEWIS" — strong identity link between founder and business.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 23 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 66 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
30/100
Weak signalLimited succession signal. Not a near-term off-market candidate.
SIGNALS
- primaryFamily succession underway: Not a takeover target — LEWIS, Benjamin James Edward (same surname) appointed 2025-11-25. Pattern consistent with intra-family handover.
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 66. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 23 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
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 Edward Bruce Lewis Individual · British · DOB 07/1962 · age 64 | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 07/04/2016 |
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 · Agriculture · HR postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAR HEATH FARMING LIMITED→ 13257137 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| FOREST FRESH MUSHROOMS LTD→ 14968968 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| FOY EGGS LTD→ 08045474 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| FREEMAN FORESTRY LTD→ 16480875 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FRESHFIELDS FRUIT LTD→ 08443633 · est 2013 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| FSFP LIMITED→ 10776900 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| G&C TREE SURGERY LIMITED→ 16941348 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| GABLE'S LIMITED→ 05476995 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| GAME AND COUNTRY SPORTING LIMITED→ 09880477 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| GIBSON EVENTING LTD→ 09679774 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| GLYN HAMER MILL MIX LTD→ 05405039 · est 2005 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| GOLDEN HIVE APIARIES LIMITED→ 16245309 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
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
Typeprivate-unlimited
Incorporated1960-03-23
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC01500 — SIC 01500
Registered office
The Haven
Dilwyn
Herefordshire
HR4 8JB
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: —
Last made up to: —
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-14
Last: 2025-12-31
Officers (4 active · 4 resigned)
LEWIS, Carol Louise→
Activesecretary · appointed 2015-01-18
View their other companies + combined net worth →
LEWIS, Benjamin James Edward→
Activedirector · ~32y · appointed 2025-11-25
View their other companies + combined net worth →
LEWIS, Carol Louise→
Activedirector · ~66y · appointed 2003-02-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
Active
LEWIS, Sybil Mary→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2015-01-18
LEWIS, James Wilson→
Resigneddirector · ~59y · appointed 1993-12-10 · resigned 2003-02-03
LEWIS, Leslie Charles→
Resigneddirector · ~95y · resigned 1995-05-18
LEWIS, Sybil Mary→
Resigneddirector · ~97y · resigned 2015-01-18
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
4
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:4 of 4 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC | Mortgage deed | 2 properties | 20/08/2010 | 24/03/2025 | |
| satisfied | The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC | Further charge | 1 property | 18/01/1988 | 25/06/2009 | |
| satisfied | The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation PLC | Legal charge | 1 property | 18/01/1988 | 25/06/2009 | |
| satisfied | Barclays Barclays Bank LTD | Legal charge | 1 property | 10/03/1981 | 25/06/2009 |
Recent filings (69 total)
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-02
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2025-11-25
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2025-03-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-01-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-01-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-04
change-to-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC04
2022-10-10
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-02-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-03-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2020-01-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2019-01-02
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2018-01-04
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2017-01-17
annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholders
annual-return · AR01
2016-01-18
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2015-03-26