MARKS BARN FARM (CREWKERNE) LIMITED
💤Zombieactive
00668711 · ltd · incorporated 1960-08-29
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
—
book net assets
Opportunity
77/100
Strong
What this business does
Primary activity: Growing of cereals (except rice), leguminous crops and oil seeds
Sector: Agriculture, forestry & fishing
ALSO REGISTERED FOR
- 68209Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 88-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 77/100 (strong), bankability 85/100. Strong seller-intent signal (78/100, director aged 88). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Broaden director team. Sole director creates succession risk and reduces buyer comfort. Appoint a second director or strong #2. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
4 live charges · 2 lenders · oldest 51.9y
30/100
under pressure
Refinance would be pressure-driven, not opportunity-driven. Expect tighter margins and covenant scrutiny.
- · Oldest live charge is 51.9 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Two lenders — manageable, but coordination required.
- · Distress signals active — lender appetite narrows.
Data confidence
Overall: high (80/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Company profile
address, 2 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
4 charges (4/4 with lender, 4/4 with type)
90
Directors & officers
11 officers (2 active, 11 linked, 8 with DOB)
85
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 7 total, 7 with control declared
90
Director network
2 connected companies via shared directors
51
Filing history
136 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
77/100Strong
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Solid opportunity signal. Worth a dedicated memo and management meeting.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
70
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Average employees | 200 | 200 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
1 signal 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 (43 events)Click to expand
- 2026-01-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2024-12-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-19📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-12-23📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-12-10📄change-person-secretary-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH03
- 2021-08-03📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-07-31➖BUTT, Brian Mervyn resigneddirector
- 2021-03-12📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2021-03-12📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC01
- 2021-03-12📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2021-03-12📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2021-03-12📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2021-03-12📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-03-12📄termination-director-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM01
- 2021-03-12📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2021-01-12➖COLEMAN, Guy resigneddirector
- 2021-01-12➖TUFTON, Matthew John resigneddirector
- 2021-01-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-12-09📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-09-06📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2019-06-04🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2016-12-19🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2015-12-03➕BUTT, Brian Mervyn appointeddirector
- 2015-12-03➖RALPHS, Sheila Nancy resigneddirector
- 2015-11-05➖BUTT, Brian Mervyn resigneddirector
- 2015-11-05➖LAWRENCE, Simon Gear resigneddirector
- 2013-09-03➕COLEMAN, Guy appointeddirector
- 2013-01-27➖COOK, Philip Anthony resigneddirector
- 2012-08-20➕BUTT, Brian Mervyn appointeddirector
- 2012-04-01➕LAWRENCE, Hilary Freer appointeddirector
- 2012-04-01➕TUFTON, Matthew John appointeddirector
- 2010-01-18➕WEEKES, Suzanne appointedsecretary
- 2010-01-18➖LAWRENCE, Simon Gear resignedsecretary
- 2005-08-16➖COOK, Philip Anthony resignedsecretary
- 2005-08-15➕LAWRENCE, Simon Gear appointedsecretary
- 1999-10-01🔒Charge registered #4Lender: Lloyds Tsb Bank PLC
- 1993-06-22🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 1993-06-22🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 1992-03-04🔒Charge registered #3Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 1986-03-20🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 1974-08-30🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Lloyds Bank PLC
- 1960-08-29🏢Company incorporatedAs MARKS BARN FARM (CREWKERNE) LIMITED
Owner dependency
90/100
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
- +Sole director: Only one active director — all governance concentrated on one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 88 — succession pressure is live.
Succession & seller-readiness
98/100
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 88 years old. Natural succession window is now.
- primarySole active director: Only one director in control. No visible successor — buyers solve the succession problem.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 14 years.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 66 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 ·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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hilary Freer Lawrence Individual · British · DOB 10/1938 · age 88 | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 12/01/2021 |
6 historic (ceased) PSCs
- A H Warren Trust (Holdings) Limitedceased 12/01/2021· 25-50% shares · significant influence · trust interest
- Brian Mervyn Butt As Executor Of The Simon Gear Lawrence Estateceased 12/01/2021· 25-50% shares
- Hilary Freer Lawrence As Executor Of The Simon Gear Lawrence Estateceased 12/01/2021· 25-50% shares
- Justin David Brittain Martin As Executor Of The Simon Gear Lawrence Estateceased 12/01/2021· 25-50% shares
- Charles Francis Burnett Clarke As Trustee Of The Ah Warren Trustceased 08/02/2019· 25-50% shares · trust interest
- Dale Nicholas Parsons As Trustee Of The Ah Warren Trustceased 04/12/2017· 25-50% shares · trust interest
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 · TA postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARBORTECH PROFESSIONAL TREE SERVICES LTD→ 03841771 · est 1999 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 26y | — | — |
| AVIS AGRI LTD→ 17115888 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BAGBER LTD→ 12210644 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| BEE HAPPY PLANTS & SEEDS CIC→ 09988290 · est 2016 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| BENVARDIN EQUINE LIMITED→ 12726910 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| BICKENHALL FARMS LTD→ 12421475 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| BIRCHEN TREE ENTERPRISES LTD→ 12731198 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| BLACKSTOCK FARMS LIMITED→ 00390920 · est 1944 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 81y | — | — |
| BLOCKE LIMITED→ 11104301 · est 2017 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 8y | — | — |
| BOSS-LINE BULLYZ LTD→ 16402246 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BOW FARM ENTERPRISES LTD→ 16959529 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BRADFIELDS FARM LIMITED→ 00654056 · est 1960 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 66y | — | — |
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
Incorporated1960-08-29
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC01110 — Growing of cereals (except rice), leguminous crops and oil seeds
Registered office
Shutteroaks
Crewkerne
Somerset
TA18 7TR
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-09-05
Last: 2025-08-22
Officers (2 active · 9 resigned)
Active
LAWRENCE, Hilary Freer→
Activedirector · ~88y · appointed 2012-04-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
COOK, Philip Anthony→
Resignedsecretary · resigned 2005-08-16
LAWRENCE, Simon Gear→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2005-08-15 · resigned 2010-01-18
BUTT, Brian Mervyn→
Resigneddirector · ~86y · appointed 2015-12-03 · resigned 2021-07-31
BUTT, Brian Mervyn→
Resigneddirector · ~86y · appointed 2012-08-20 · resigned 2015-11-05
COLEMAN, Guy→
Resigneddirector · ~61y · appointed 2013-09-03 · resigned 2021-01-12
COOK, Philip Anthony→
Resigneddirector · ~72y · resigned 2013-01-27
LAWRENCE, Simon Gear→
Resigneddirector · ~92y · resigned 2015-11-05
RALPHS, Sheila Nancy→
Resigneddirector · ~96y · resigned 2015-12-03
TUFTON, Matthew John→
Resigneddirector · ~47y · appointed 2012-04-01 · resigned 2021-01-12
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 | 1 property | 01/10/1999 | 19/12/2016 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Single debenture | 1 property | 04/03/1992 | 04/06/2019 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Oral charge w/i | 1 property | 20/03/1986 | 22/06/1993 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group Lloyds Bank PLC | Oral charge | 1 property | 30/08/1974 | 22/06/1993 |
Recent filings (136 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-01-19
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-08
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-12-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-09-04
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-12-19
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-09-01
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2022-12-23
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-09-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2021-12-20
change-person-secretary-company-with-change-date
officers · CH03
2021-12-10
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-09-02
termination-director-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM01
2021-08-03
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2021-03-12
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC01
2021-03-12
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2021-03-12